Beiruting News

Shopping for a swimsuit is a hassle for many women especially with the numerous choices of cuts, colors and styles to choose from. Most of us make our decision based on what is trendy or what we feel suits us, but these factors aren't necessarily the most flattering. You may have heard that when it comes to fashion and clothing, female body types are placed into categories depending on the proportion of the chest, waist and thighs. This classification helps the stylist and the woman herself understand how she should dress if she desires to boast her best physical features. This technique can also be applied while choosing the perfect swimsuit to flatter every body type.

Banana:

If your chest, waist and hips are almost the same size then you fall into the category of "banana" shaped (sometimes dubbed as "ruler" shaped or "athletic"). This means you might want to create the illusion of curves while choosing a style that has ruffles to create desirable volume. An 80s inspired high cut bottom will elongate the legs and create curvy hips, and a "bustier" or balcony-bra top will accent the breasts, thus the overall style would be feminine and fun.

Apple:

If you happen to have a large bust with narrow hips then you fit the "apple" shape description, sometimes called the "inverted triangle". The most important thing in this case is not to reverse this imaginary triangle, but to balance it out. Therefore it is best to choose a swimsuit top that supports the large bust as opposed to very thin straps which won't do the trick; the last thing you want is a heavy chest seeming even heavier. Have fun with the bottom, go for a flirty and flowery design or one with detailing, and what this does is offers visual balance between your chest and hips and draws the attention to the latter.

Pear:

"Pear" shaped body type is when your hips and bottom are wider than your chest area. This is a very feminine shape and a curvy bottom area can be used to your advantage no matter what size you wear. The trick to achieving this is choosing a swimsuit bottom that hits the hips and not above, which minimizes lower volume. The best thing to do in terms of color is to stick to one, without patterns, ruffles or side laces so this area won't be overwhelming.

Hourglass:

The "hourglass" figure means that your waist is the smallest part of your body, and your chest and hips are approximately the same width. For this shape, you need to steer clear of anything that puts the natural curves off balance, meaning choose harmony between the top and bottom. Therefore if you want a solid color, then make sure both top and bottom are solid, same applies for floral and any other pattern. Opt for a halter top for support and a bottom that hits the waist to accentuate your best feature, in this case, vintage glamour works really well.

We hope these tips were helpful, but always remember that the most flattering asset is confidence and feeling good in your own skin!