Please welcome Author Susie Black to my blog

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Need A Swimsuit?
DON’T PANIC

By Susie Black
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INTRODUCTION
Hello. I am Susie Black. Before I became a cozy mystery author, I was a successful sales and marketing executive in the
ladies’ swimwear industry. When I first got into the swim biz, my smart-alec Nana gave me a coffee mug that said,
“Things could be worse. We could be trying on swimsuits.”
No kidding, Nana.
Whether you’re planning a Caribbean cruise or a day at the beach, the very thought of trying on a swimsuit can be
intimidating enough that you won’t venture out of the dressing room, let alone show up wearing one at the pool. But
if you know what kind of swimsuit style looks best on your body type, selecting one doesn’t have to be traumatic.
Believe it or not, it can be a fun experience. Now, stop rolling your eyes. I can see you. Hey, come on, admit it; other
than drowning or a painful sunburn, who has a bad time in a swimsuit?
With the right style, you can camouflage a flaw or accentuate a strength. It’s all in the art of illusion. Whether you
want to conceal cellulite, hide back fat, or provide enough support for the girls, trust me, there’s a suit with the best fit
for you. Want to show off? Need to slim down? No worries. You just have to know which style you choose is the right
one.
Still not buying what I’m selling? Ok, then let me prove it to you:
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BODY SHAPES
The first step in choosing the best swimsuit that flatters you the most is to determine which body type is yours. It is
also helpful to know your bust, hip, and waist measurements, bra cup size, and torso length.
There are others, but most women’s figures fall into one of four body types:
1. APPLE SHAPE: Your waist is wider than your hips and equal to or nearly as wide as your bust.
2. HOURGLASS SHAPE: Your bust and hips are about the same size width, but your waist is
smaller.
3. PEAR SHAPE: Your hips are significantly wider than your waist and bust.
4. STRAIGHT SHAPE: You are thin all around, with no significant difference between your hips
and bust.
Very few women are the same size top and bottom. Fortunately, swimwear designers have come up with a solution.
Separates have revolutionized the options available for every body type. You can mix and match silhouettes, sizes,
colors, solids, and prints to meet both your fit needs as well as quench the thirst of your imagination.
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THE RIGHT CUT
The right fitting style is the key to finding the best suit for yourself. Like all the other clothes in your wardrobe, a
swimsuit that is too small or too big can ruin your look.
Tips on how to select the right cut:
A one-piece suit willhide a thick waist. Choose one with shirred panels, details, dark or solid colors. High-cut bikini
bottoms will make your leg look longer. If you are short, have bigger thighs, or are long in the torso, a high-cut bikini
bottom is an excellent option.Halter and triangle tops draw attention to the bust. Bandeau tops will make the bust
seem wider. If you are a pear shape and want to imitate an hourglass shape, choose a bandeau top with ruffles or a
halter with a busy detail.

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DEM BONES
Broad Shoulders: There are a few things you can do to balance out your body when you’ve got a set of broad shoulders. Opt for a solid-colored suit with printed panels along the side. This will help create the look of an hourglass figure andevens out a boxy upper body. Look for an asymmetrical neckline, which will draw the eye up
and away, instead of straight across.

THE GIRLS
If you have a large bust: For busty gals, before you do anything, get a bra fitting with a foundations specialist and try cup-sized separates. For the girls with big girls, regrettably, triangle bras and string bikinis are not your friends. Triangle bras don’t offer enough support for your girls. The string bikini bottoms draw your eye up to your big boobs and you look even more out of proportion than you already might be. Swimsuit tops that come in
sizes S, M, and L won’t get you where you want to go either. Cup sizes and underwires will give you the support you need so your boobs stay where they belong and won’t be all over the place after you dive into the water. Opt for a fuller cut brief. Thicker straps and double-stitched bands will give you the most flattering results. To minimize a large
bust, look for a straight across cut at the top of your swimsuit with wide-set straps. Try a bikini top with a thick chest band for extra support. Multiple straps on a swimsuit top add twice the support. Try a full-cut or a sports top.

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Animal Attraction: A small animal print plays down the chest size.

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Red is slimming and gives the illusion of your boobies appearing smaller.

If you have a small bust:
Finding a suit that flatters your bust can be a challenge. For smaller-busted gals, head to the separates section of the swimwear department where you can mix and match tops and bottoms. Swimsuit silhouettes with lift and support will create a flattering look and a comfortable fit. Try bikini tops with an underwire, adjustable shoulder straps, or
built-in cups to add shape and support. Halter tops are also a great way to show a sexy slip of cleavage. A suit with padding, a push-up bra or a bra with a twist gives you a little something extra and a believable cleavage. The best bet for a gal with a smaller bust is to go for a top with embellishments or ruffles to give the illusion of a larger chest. Avoid
a pancake bandeau top or a twist-tie front.

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THE MIDDLE OF THE STORY
Waist: High-cut one-piece swimsuits and embellished bottoms are the perfect way to enhance your waistline.  Add a subtler silhouette to your body for a more balanced curve. Mitered one-pieces and princess seaming provide definition while smoothing the contour created by your suit. Lengthening your waistline has a slenderizing effect and can make for an overall leaner-looking body. Monokini cut-outs are also a great way to lengthen and enhance this area.

Tummy issues: Hiding a tummy is much easier than you think. Peplums are perfect for a day
at the beach. A full piece with ruching can also help to conceal your stomach. Surplice wrap and color block one- piece suits camouflage a thick waist. Choosing any one-piece style with a plunging neckline will help to keep the focus upwards, rather than on your mid-section. Choose a swimsuit that accentuates your legs while giving you more coverage in the bustier and tummy area. One-piece tummy trimming suits smooth and flatten the stomach to make you appear leaner. Features such as ruching (gathering) or panel designs on the sides slim the appearance of the waist. Print designs down the middle of the body elongate the torso. Choose swim dresses, one-piece suits, and colorful sarongs that draw the eye downward. Avoid bikini sets and low-rise bottoms.
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SHORT TORSO: The trick to elongating a short torso is adding length and lifting the bustline. Low-rise bottoms make your torso appear longer and halter straps draw attention to your neck and shoulders, making people skim over your short mid-section.

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THOSE SWIVEL HIPS
To de-emphasize your hips, go with skirted styles that offer more coverage or sexy tops to draw attention away from the hips.

Low-rise bikini bottoms expose and highlight the hips. Embellishments at the waist or patterned bottoms with solid tops are also a great way to draw attention to this area.

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SHAPE THAT BOOTY
Flat tush: While some of us would kill for a flat as a pancake derriere, having one is not a benefit when
wearing a swimsuit that hangs in the back. If the suit sags in the tush, you might look like you’ve got a load in your
pants. This is another time when frills and ruching come in handy, as they give the illusion of a bigger behind. Opt for bottoms in bright colors and loud prints to try and distract from a flatter tush. Also, showing a little cheek is preferable to full-coverage bottoms.

Big Butt: If you’ve got an ample backside, string bikinis and high-cut swimsuits can be
uncomfortable and reveal what you’d rather not share with the rest of the world. Get a suit with enough fabric in that area so you’re not constantly tugging for more coverage or picking a wedgie. Avoid thongs, Brazilian, and other skimpy-cut styles. Look for designs with full-cut solid bottoms and printed tops that draw the eye up away from your not-so-tiny-tush and balance out your big booty.

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THE GAMS
Create a long and feminine line and show off your legs with high-waist bikini bottoms that can also lengthen the leg
while offering more support through the tummy. Or try scoop front bottoms or bottoms with thinner sides to show
more skin and dramatize the line of your legs.

Short Legs: If you want to elongate shorter legs, go for suits with high cuts in the leg. Since you
are showing more skin, it will make your gams appear longer. And if you’re really brave, go for a thong for optimal lengthening potential.

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Full Thighs: To flatter a fuller thigh, opt for bottoms with a little bit more coverage. Bottoms with a skirt can help to conceal part of your upper thighs.

A BOYISH BOD
Compact, Athletic Body: If you’ve got a boyish straight up and down figure with few, if any angles,
the goal is to give the illusion of more curves. This is easily accomplished with a top with cups, padding, and gathering,
and by picking girlie prints, ruffles, and bright colors. Don’t go for straight-across bandeaus, boy-cut briefs, or shapeless full-pieces, as this will only enhance your athletic figure. Push-up or padded tops accentuate your chest.
Choose bottoms with belts, flirty skirts, and ruffles to give the appearance of a larger bottom. Avoid tie-side bottoms and sliding triangle tops. If you can’t even buy a single girlish curve, choose swimsuit sets that enhance both your top
and bottom. Tops with ruffles, horizontal lines, and asymmetrical designs create a larger bust.

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MINIMIZE OR MAXIMIZE
Love Handles: Fighting the bulge is easier than you think. A high-waisted bottom works wonders –just
make sure it extends above your belly button to avoid a muffin top.
Back Fat: The last thing you want is a suit with thin straps that will dig into your skin and make those unsightly flesh folds even more pronounced. So, reach for designs with thicker straps and high backs to smooth any lumps and bumps.

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Big Hips, Skinny Legs: The key with this body figure combo is balancing out your
shoulders and hips. And since you’ve got plenty of hips, pick a suit that gives the illusion of a longer neckline. Off-the-shoulder numbers will do the trick.

Cellulite: It doesn’t matter if you’re slender, plump, curvy, straight up and down, short, or tall — cellulite doesn’t care. And simply trying to cover it with those tiny skirted suits isn’t going to work. Look for swim dresses and tankinis with longer hemlines, but in eye-catching colors, beautiful prints, and details that still pack plenty of sass.

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WANT AN INSTANTLY SLIMMING STYLE?
Try fun printed monokinis. They are slimming and show off your legs. Monokinis with a deep plunge front shows off your girls, yet gives you an elongated feel. A mitered suit emphasizes curves and creates a feminine line.

WOULD LOVE TO WEAR A TWO-PIECE SUIT BUT DON’T HAVE THE
FIGURE FOR A BIKINI?
Here’s the perfect solution. Go for a tankini. This is a two-piece suit that looks like a one-piece. FYI: a one-piece swimsuit is also known as a maillot (pronounced Mio.).

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ILLUSIONS TO ENHANCE YOUR BEST FEATURES:
To highlight a feature you like, choose a style with a bright color or pattern.
To conceal a feature you don’t like, choose a style with a solid color. Dark colors hide more than bright colors. To add volume to your bust or hips, choose a style with ruffles or hardware details. A petite small print like a ditzy floral makes you look smaller.

TIPS TO CHOOSE A FLATTERING PATTERN:
Chevron prints show a flattering side to your body and keep the eyes moving.

Vertical and angled stripes have a slenderizing effect. Horizontal stripes tend to make you look shorter
and wider. So, unless you’re tall and on the slim side, horizontal stripes are probably not the best option.
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Scars and stretch marks: Consider a cropped top if your scars are located on your chest,
upper back, or shoulders. And suits with mesh insets allow for full coverage while still showing a bit of
skin. Tankinis and one-piece styles work great to hide those stretch marks.

Pregnant: Since you don’t want anything too tight around your midsection, it’s best to look for tankinis since they provide ample wiggle room, sun protection, and easy access to your growing belly.

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Burn Easily: Sun-sensitive ladies have it tough. You want to catch some rays, but you don’t want to look or feel like a boiled lobster after a day at the beach. Beyond having a coverup, your swimsuit can also provide some protection. Consider the rash guard. The long-sleeved tops aren’t just for surfers anymore.

PLUS SIZE OPTIONS:
A woman with a less than perfect figure still wants to look her best in a swimsuit. Remember when I said swimwear was the art of illusion? It is especially true for the plus-sized woman. Most plus-sized women are smaller on top and
bigger on the bottom. The trick to de-emphasizing what’s big is to draw the eye up. Whether you’re wearing a one or a two-piece style, the best way to draw the eye up is to wear a print top and a solid bottom.
Most flattering plus-sized one-piece silhouettes:
Swimdresses, sarong-front tank suits, V-neck, or lattice front tank suits.

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Most flattering plus-sized two-piece silhouettes:
Tops: Blouson tankini top, V-neck tankini top. Choose bright-colored print tops. Monotone prints work well too.
Florals work great for plus-sized gals as well as some geometrics, ethnic, and animal prints.

Bottoms: swim short, swim bike short, shirred high-waisted brief, side-slit swim skirt. Choose
dark-colored solid bottoms. Basics: Black, Brown, Gray, and Navy. Fashion colors: Eggplant and olive.

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PROBLEM SOLVED
Now that you know how to find the best swimsuit for your body type, you can shed that cover-up and strut your stuff
instead of hiding in the dressing room.
Please complete the short survey and send your answers to me at my E-mail address below:
1. What is your age?
2. Which body type are you?
3. Do you prefer a one-piece or a two-piece swimsuit style?
4. If you prefer a two-piece style, do you prefer to buy your suit as a set or as separates?
5. What is your number one fit problem?
6. Were you able to solve your fit issue with the information I provided?
7. If yes, what swimsuit style did you choose?
8. If no, what issue do you have that I didn’t cover?
9. How important is the price when you are considering the purchase of a swimsuit?
When you send me your survey answers, I’d also love to hear how you look in your new swimsuit. What can I say?
I’m a sucker for happy endings. You can E-mail me at: [email protected] now that you have the perfect style, if you want the inside scoop on how your new swimsuit really got from the designer’s imagination
to the rack at the store, grab a copy of my humorous cozy mystery, Death by Sample Size, available at Amazon,
Barnes & Noble, and Goodreads. Get ready to laugh out loud as I take you on a rollicking adventure ride through the
Los Angeles apparel industry.
Looking for me? You can find me at:
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Good luck and happy swimsuit hunting. See you at the beach!
Susie Black, author of The Holly Swimsuit Mystery Series.