Stylish Swimwear for Moms

I did an informal poll on Twitter a couple of weeks ago asking women how long it had been since they’d purchased a swimsuit. I was not surprised to find that like me, many of the women who responded hadn’t purchased swimwear in several years. The last non-maternity suit I purchased was four years ago. You know why? Because I generally hate the way I look and feel in them!

This year, we are thinking about joining a swim club, so I decided that I need to get a nice suit that fit my criteria, the “three c’s” – cute, comfortable, and covered! So recently, I did the hard work for you (you’re welcome) and tried on a bunch of suits to find out what fits best for moms who just don’t think it’s appropriate to chase after a toddler in a string bikini.

When trying on suits for myself, the “problem area” I wanted to cover most was my inner-thigh area. It is NOT attractive.

I also wanted to camoflage the aforementioned C-section gut and love handles that came along with my two children. (Bonus package!)

After trying on many, many suits, the PERFECT suit for me was this tankini, available in separates from Lands’ End:

It’s perfect because it’s cute: I love the print and the halter style, and it’s available in many colors. The version of the top I chose is also adjustable at the bottom – you can make it longer or shorter according to how much you need to cover! And the Swim Mini skirt? Adorable!  It covers my inner-thigh jiggle and shows off my legs, which are a part of my body I actually like.  It’s also very, very comfortable and easy to move in.  This suit is also available in plus sizes – as a matter of fact, if you are looking for a plus-size suit, I would definitely check out Lands’ End.  They have a huge selection of suits available up to size 26. I love this plus-size tank suit from their collection.  The ruching on the tummy provides great camouflage and control!

Speaking of control, I’m not into a tank suit, but if I were? I would definitely get one with control. I could not believe how well the one I tried on worked! It was amazing and far surpassed my expectations!

Another cute option if you don’t like to show off your inner-thigh area is this cute tankini from LL Bean:

I absolutely adore the sash belt on the skirt!  However, the top wasn’t quite wide enough to cover up my love handles.  You can mix & match these separates as well, and all the styles are really cute!

If a mini-skirt bottom just isn’t for you, I’d recommend this tankini from Shade Clothing:

You can adjust it at the bust, adjust the length of the top, and even adjust the shirred bottoms! It is a great customizable suit and is available in solids as well as this cute print.  Actually, all of the suits in  Shade’s selection are perfect for staying cute, comfortable and covered!

Another “runner up” in the category is this tankini from Tommy Bahama, available at Zappos.  The detailed halter draws the eyes up and the shirred high-waist bottoms hide tummy bulk!

Now, for those of you ladies out there who got it goin’ on up top and are larger-busted, you may prefer bra-sized swimwear. In my research for this article, I discovered Aerin Rose, making fabulous swimwear bra sized from B to G cups!  Here is a cute tankini from their plus collection (they have misses sizes, too.)

I hope this has helped you find some swim styles you can feel great in!  For more great suggestions on suits that work for specific body types, check out this great article at the Daily Outfit. They’ll tell you what looks great and where to find it!