Ladies - Some Bathing Suit Help, PLEASE!

[wvumom]

Congrats on the weight loss. I am a 42D and wear a size 18. I bought a Carol Wior bathing suit from JcPenney. Carol Wior bathing suits have floating underwires in their bathingsuit tops. Good Luck with the swimsuit hunt!

 

[maxiesmom]

I agree with the Lands End idea. I got a tankini from them this past summer and I absolutely love it!!!! There are different styles depending on what supoprt you need (I am also a bit on the well endowed side and I don't feel exposed at all in my suit!) I also bought the regular bottoms and the skirted bottom for variety. The price was definately more than what I had hoped to spend but the suit is flattering and the qulaity is fabulous, I think it is a suit that will last me a long time!

Oh and major kudos on the weight loss!!

I have found that the Lands End Tankinis are just not long enough, and do not offer enough support for me. But I have been blessed (or cursed, depending on the day) with 42 DDDs.

Has anyone tried the swimsuits at Lane Bryant? I've looked at them on line, and wonder how they fit.

I've just about given up on a nice supportive swimsuit, so I'm thankful for all of the suggestions too.

 

[Mitzicat]

Try Cyberswim.com

They carry Miraclesuit brand swimsuits. Yes they are pricey, but I will tell you I have had one for 5 years now and the only reason I bought a new one was because I wanted a tankini for TL and BB. No fun taking a whole wet bathing suit off when you have to er..um..well visit the ladies room.

I too am blessed and don't like how I look in a swimsuit. I just got the Miraclesuit Womens Leah Swimsuit, item 1946. I love it. I actually splurged and paired it with the Miraclesuit Swim Shorts for a little extra coverage. I got it last week and the fit was great. I feel supported, covered and like it should help to keep everything in place. I was afraid the racer back wouldn't be comfortable but it is.

I also bought the Miraclesuit Solid Cami Top and Skirted Bottom Tankini Set. This one is really cute and it has lingerie straps so I can adjust it. I think of this one as more lounging by the pool than sliding down water slides.

Miraclesuits come in all sizes and by some larger bra cup sizes

 

[mikamah]

I also reccommend lands end. Plus you can return to sears if it doesn't fit.
I am a 16 right now, and have this suit from lands end and love it.
http://www.landsend.com/pp/AlloverC...=IDX_00006_0000000176_0000000644&origin=index
I have the d cup, as the dd cup was too big, so I'd say the cup's are a little bigger than true size.
I hope you can see the link. Not sure how to do it, but it's the allover control slender tunic.

 

[badblackpug]

The problem is a lot of the suggestions are for plus sizes. I have a large cup size, but am not plus anywhere else. It is difficult to find suits that will support and accommodate a large bust, but will fit elsewhere. I like 2 pieces because in addition to the girls, I am freakishly tall. 1 piece suits just ride up. The only other suggestion I can offer is buy a modestly cut suit with wide straps (sorta like a tank top) and wear a bra underneath.

 

[Elevationist]

I'm in a similar situation. I recently lost 60 pounds, but have about 100 to go still. The thing is that I would VERY VERY much would like to utilize the pools/hot tub at my resort during my upcoming WDW trip, but I don't own a swimsuit at all, I've spent many years hiding from those kinds of things because of my weight.

My dilemma is that seeing as how I am still losing weight (my weekly goal that I've been striving for is 2-3 pounds down), I just cannot see spending $80+ for a swimsuit that will only fit me for a few more months at best, so I will essentially only get the 1 use out of it.

I'm presently about a size 26 with a DDD cup-size. I don't mind if it's not the best quality, I don't even so much care what it looks like, I just need something cheap I can wear under a t-shirt so I can relax in the hot tub after a long day at the parks! But "inexpensive" and "Plus-size" don't seem to go hand-in-hand for swimsuits!

 

[HappyPeach]

No fun taking a whole wet bathing suit off when you have to er..um..well visit the ladies room.

Just pull the bathing suit bottom to the side when you go to the bathroom! No need to shimmy in and out of wet fabric.

Oh! and I second (third?) Lands' End. I also like bathing suits by Coco Reef they have bra-sizing and make DD tops. I've found Coco Reef at Macy's, Dillards, etc.

Congrats on your weight loss!

 

[Withacy]

The problem is a lot of the suggestions are for plus sizes. I have a large cup size, but am not plus anywhere else. It is difficult to find suits that will support and accommodate a large bust, but will fit elsewhere. I like 2 pieces because in addition to the girls, I am freakishly tall. 1 piece suits just ride up. The only other suggestion I can offer is buy a modestly cut suit with wide straps (sorta like a tank top) and wear a bra underneath.

That's the problem I have now. And compared to my old problem of being REALLY fat, it's not such a bad problem to have. Well, the "large cup size, not plus size elsewhere" is...not the "Freakishly tall" part. I'm only 5'2".

For the PP who asked about Lane Bryant, I had a couple of their suits when I was heavier (from the catalog, which basically has the same stuff as Romans, Jessica London & Woman Within). But I wasn't very active in them, and I wouldn't say they fit "well", for my body shape. But they fit much better than I can find things to fit now.

Because my ribcage is small (relative to the cup size), it's hard to find anything that's snug enough around the ribcage and big enough for the cup size. I didn't have that problem when I was fatter. And as you know, if it's not tight enough beneath, even if there's an underwire, it's not going to support - especially if it's wet, and even if you're not actively running around like you are at BB!

It's good to know that the Land's End run a little bit. But they only have two styles in the one piece in the DDD, and one tankini top. And I'd hate for that not to be long enough - and I don't even want to think about Summit Plummet in it! Has anyone tried it with a tankini like that?

I'm checking out some of the other suits mentioned above - some possibilities - but they ARE kind of expensive...

 

[GDD Mouse Fan]

The prices are a bit on the high side but I get my bras and swimsuits here and love it:

http://www.biggerbras.com/m-swimwear.shtml

they even have review that people will write on the fit of the items.

 

[GDD Mouse Fan]

I also just read through the sizing on bigger bras website for swimsuits:
Size Chart - Swimsuit Tops/One Piece
I'm a a DDD or F in bra size (6 inches over chest)
but that makes me a C-cup size in swimsuits (6.30 - 7.09 inch over chest size).

I love european sizing

 

[DisneyDreamerK]

I feel your pain. I didn't want to go on my Disney cruise because I feared wearing a bathing suit! I got this one... http://www.landsend.com/pp/SolidMin...B&CM_MERCH=IDX_00006__0000000645&origin=index

Let me tell you....it sucked me in (It was an effort to get into it) in all the right places and I'm a size 20 with DD...short and stumpy

It looked and felt fantastic!

I got this one also which I loved, BUT it didn't cover the girls too well and I got like 2nd degree burns from sunburn and it's STILL red....

http://www.alwaysforme.com/plusswimdress5.html

(Forgot to re-apply sunscreen and I usually have to wear SPF 75) lol

 

[disneymom2003]

QVC carries a line called "It Figures". They have all kinds of suits and they cater to different problem areas. The suits are really cute but hold you either up or in. Well worth the money. By the way a big congrats on the weight loss

 

[ZoZo]

Have you checked Lands End? They sell separates and have suits for larger-chested women.

Lands End has tons of different options - they have higher-necked suits that would be great for you. I'm a "DD" too, and hate swimsuits that are too low cut.

Try calling Lands End's toll-free number and talk to one of their customer service people - explain your problem, and they can guide you to some things that might work great for you. They're extremely helpful!

 

[Withacy]

QVC carries a line called "It Figures". They have all kinds of suits and they cater to different problem areas. The suits are really cute but hold you either up or in. Well worth the money. By the way a big congrats on the weight loss

Thanks!

A PP mentioned QVC's It Figures line, but when I looked it up, the largest they had was "C+" - and the difference between C and H/I is just too great. Do they have ones specifically for much larger than "C"? Did I miss it? (Always possible.)

Thanks, DisneyDreamerK - I wish I had known about that suit before! But now it's a little too big. It starts at a 46 hips/37 waist - I'm now 43 hips/32 waist. A year ago I was a size 26!

(Don't give me too much credit - I had gastric bypass.)

One reason I don't want to spend TOO much money is I'm still losing weight - it's slowed quite a bit, but I'm still losing about 5 pounds a month. Who knows - it may grind to a hault by Christmas - or I may lose my way out of that suit before I get a chance to wear it again in the spring/summer (or my next Disney Trip in Sept. 2010).

I'm checking out the biggerbras site, which is interesting if more for bras than suits. I'm really looking for something that looks massively sturdy in the straps (because I know what these puppies weigh) - and I've BEEN to Blizzard Beach...I know what a pounding a suit can take...especially trying to keep up with a 7-year-old boy! (It's been a long time since I've been there, and I really can't wait to go back!)

But I think a lot of other people are getting some good ideas here too - so even if *I* can't wear something you suggested, it sounds like a lot of other people might be helped by the suggestion!

 

[GDD Mouse Fan]

the bras are great there! I really recommend anything by Fantasie Of England. They fit us busty women and look great (read the the sizing instuctions)

 

[lovemyzoe]

I'm large and large-chested myself (DD last time I measured and prob. bigger now), and I always just wear a sports bra under a tank top to swim.

 

[Withacy]

I'm large and large-chested myself (DD last time I measured and prob. bigger now), and I always just wear a sports bra under a tank top to swim.

Well, I finally bought some Speedos from their online outlet store (for not a lot of money), going with the whole smash-them-in/keep-them-in theory. I'll probably pair them with some shorts. And if THAT doesn't work, I'm going to go with the sports bra & tank top option.

Three years ago, when I was much, much heavier, I went to Australia. I did do the bathing suit thing (because a chance to snorkel on the Barrier Reef overrode my disgust of myself in a bathingsuit). And on that occasion I just wore a sports bra under my bathing suit. A bathing suit for sunbathing and walking about and a bathing suit for any kind of exercise are two very different things, if you want the puppies to stay where they belong! (Which would be out of sight!)

 

[dawnn12]

i was in the same boat as you (im down 150 so far) i had to go with the tankini(sp?) i got mine at target it keeps the girls were they are supposed to be. hth

 

[Rhonna]

Don't just ask for customer service at Land's End. Ask SPECIFICALLY for a SWIM FIT EXPERT!

The regular customer service girl tried to help me (she wouldn't put me through to the swim fit person right up front when I asked) but after we discussed my needs, she finally decided to bring a swim fit expert on the phone with us. That lady REALLY helped! I wear a size 10 in Talbot's but am a D cup and have a long torso. Plus, swimsuits are NEVER sized the same as clothes are. There are hardly ANY suits that accommodate both my needs, even at Land's End. I would have purchased based on the long torso issue but she advised me to forget that (although it IS an issue with any other swimsuit I've ever bought) because when you get up into the higher bust sizes with Land's End, they add inches to the length of the torso too. So we picked based on my measurements and it happened that a one piece I was really interested in worked out great! It's the classiest suit I've ever had. Looks like a 1930's/1940's Hollywood glamour suit. Plus, it was on sale.

Be SURE you've measured EVERYTHING - that includes the torso length - tape measure goes from shoulder, down between your legs and up the back to meet the same shoulder. If the tape measure isn't long enough, mark where you left off and finish from there. Measure the fullest part of the bust and the rib cage size under the bust. Measure the fullest of the hips and the smallest of the waist.

They waited on the phone for me to go take some measurements I hadn't thought of.

 

[rentayenta]

I haven't read this whole thread but the best bathing suits out there that give amazing support in the chest area are made by Victoria's Secret. It's their Miracle Bra line. Spendy and worth it!!!