Flattering Bathing Suits for Teens

Look Slimmer or Curvier in These Bikinis, One-Piece Swimsuits

May 19, 2008

It is possible for teenage girls to find swimsuits that are both flattering and stylish.

As teenage girls deal with their growing bodies and new curves – or just as challenging, lack thereof – swimsuit shopping can be a difficult task. The good news, however, is that an increasing amount of bathing suit designers are realizing that young women come in all shapes and sizes. With a little effort, it is possible to find a flattering swimsuit for every figure.

Mix and Match

A good idea for all body types are tops and bottoms that can be purchased separately, to mix and match the ideal swimsuit. Delia’s (the catalog and website geared towards young women) has a wide selection of mix and match pieces. Choose from tops that include tankinis, halters and bandeaus with straps. Bottoms come in “skirtinis”, boy shorts and side-tie bikini bottoms. There are variations such as D-cup halters and cinched bandeaus, as well as a selection of one-pieces (regular and long torso).

Patterns and prints follow the trends of the season, including tiny heart print, stripes, retro black-and-white polka dot and plaid madras print.

Look Slimmer

To look slimmer or hide unwanted areas, opt for swimsuits that are solid or have a continuous pattern, rather than broken-up colors or print (don’t pick a suit with a different color top and bottom, for example.) Tankinis are ideal for covering the stomach, bur covering thighs with boy shorts can actually sometimes emphasize them. Victoria’s Secret offers a ruched halter tankini with bow-tie bottom by Kenneth Cole Reaction, on sale for $40. The suit comes in three bright colors – fuschia, aqua and cobalt – as well as black. The ruching and full top streamlines the middle section, emphasizing a waist, and the bottoms are cut just high enough to slim the legs.

Another option is Juicy Couture Beach’s Smocked Bandeau Bikini. Instead of a traditional bandeau top, there is a flutter of fabric that almost mimics a tankini. The bottoms are standard bikini bottoms, not too small. The suit comes in black and dark gray, priced $94 for the top and $67 for the bottoms. The suit is available at Nordstrom’s.

Look Curviver

No girl wants to look as though she’s wearing baby bloomers, but one key to adding curves is to find bathing suits with details such as ruffles and embellishments. Juicy Couture Beach has the Chiffon Halter “Swimdress”, a flattering one-piece with a lace-trimmed neckline and flirty skirt hem. The suit costs $164 and comes in black, pale pink, dark blue and dark gray. It is available at Nordstrom’s.

Target is a good place for affordable swimwear, and the Isaac Mizrahi “Tubini” bathing suit is perfect for petite figures. The rose print and spaghetti straps have an old-fashioned quality, and there’s enough coverage to de-emphasize a flat chest. $34 for the “tubini.”

Now all that’s needed are a pair of sunglasses, towel and sunscreen to head off for a day at the beach or by the pool.

The copyright of the article Flattering Bathing Suits for Teens in Tween/Teen Fashion is owned by Lindsey Michelle. Permission to republish Flattering Bathing Suits for Teens in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.