Swimsuit Secrets

Yours truly at 55 in a Despi bikini
Yours truly at 55 in a Despi bikini
Anguilla

After a long, cold winter, some of us are packing bags for a warm weather getaway – others know that spring and summer are around the corner, with the promise of long sunny days and times spent at the pool or beach. You know what that means – dig out last years swimsuits and maybe head to the mall for a new one….not something most women look forward to, especially once you hit a certain age….No need to give up ladies! Did you see Christie Brinkley on the cover of People recently? At age 60 in a swimsuit looking darn good. Ok, she was a cover girl, but so did Ginger, a non-exerciser, seen below. And me, at 56, still wearing two piece suits. What is the secret? For me, three main things: 1)Lucky to start off with good genes from mom and dad 2) Every single day, being conscious of what I eat and drink. Not to deny myself, but always aware of calories, fat, fiber, and very much a believer in portion control. 3) Exercise intensely for an hour, five times a week. Thank goodness I discovered Zumba which is something that’s fun for me and it burns lots of calories. I also do weights, sit ups, and squats regularly – not fun but I like the results.

Regardless of your age or your weight, you can still look great in a swimsuit with a few tips I have learned over the years:

– Start with a tan! We all look better with a bit of a tan, there are self tanners that are easy to use and work wonders. I recently bought one from Clarins that works overnight, very natural looking. Electric tanning beds are another option, comes with obvious risks…
– Go to a small bathing suit shop. I like the store Everything But Water – it is small so you can get personalized help. Find a sales person that knows the brands and can make recommendations for your body type and what you are comfortable in.
– Make your swimsuit an outfit. Go for a dramatic cover up, a hat, stylish beach shoes, even jewelry. LeTarte and Calypso are two of my favorite brands for stylish beachwear.
– A skimpier suit can be much more flattering than more covered up ones -even if you are not at your ideal weight. Sometimes more fabric makes you look bigger or can be aging.
– Cut off the tags once you get home! So many girls on the beach have their bikini bottom label sticking out, ruins the look.
– Avoid the one piece black suit. Sure, some are nice, but they can also be aging. Even if you are older or plus size, go for the bold!
– Wear your suit with CONFIDENCE. When you go to the beach, you see all shapes and sizes – aside from a young, perfect body, confidence is your best asset.

Skimpier bottom more flattering/Pinterest photo
Skimpier bottom more flattering/Pinterest photo
Avoid the one piece black suit.  Leopard suit from H&M
Avoid the one piece black suit. Leopard suit from H&M
Ginger in her 60s Kennebunk Beach, ME
Ginger in her 60s
Kennebunk Beach, ME

Are you ready for swimsuit season? What is your favorite beach look?

candy in your inbox

Enter your name and email below to get notifications
of new blog articles sent via email.

One Comment

  • I’ve also discovered Zumba. I always thought it was a crock that people could find a workout that they enjoy and crave. It is not a crock! I CRAVE Zumba on my off days. The best compliment I got was that my MIL told my husband I don’t look great because of the weight I lost but because I look stronger. 😀

    I’m looking forward to trying on bathing suits this year. 🙂

    Hope you guys are having a wonderful vacation. You look great!

    Reply

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Scroll to Top