Last time I came down like a ton of bricks on swimwear that we can find in most shops, saying its size range is not sufficient to cover the variety our bodies can have. Bikini tops (or swimsuits) that come in bra sizes (all of them) do make a difference – have you read “How to look good in underwear?” That is why I’d like to show you what you can wear on the beach and be much more comfortable and better looking.
Let’s start the ball rolling with the triangle tops – almost the most popular type of beachwear. Do they exist in bra sizes? I have to admit that an hour search through Figleaves and Bravissimo didn’t bring any results… The only bikinis that I found in this style come in clothes range of sizes (XS-XL)… Frankly speaking I’m a bit surprised at this because as far as I remember last summers’ collections did have several pieces like that . (Did you see any wire-free triangle bikini tops in bra sizes in this season’s collections?) However, even the one shown in the link wasn’t available in full range of sizes, you could only get it from 30 to 38 D to F cup. As you probably remember from collages I showed here, D to F cups don’t really represent gigantic boobs, in combinations with smaller bands they can be even called small… Can the reason for not introducing this style into this summer collections be the fact that it doesn’t really give a fantastic support and also the fact that they are only good for slim girls with relatively small breasts? (I already mentioned in the previous article why it’s not really advisable for bigger busted and/or plumper women). So, if triangles like this are not really available what else do we have there?
What about tailored type of triangles – halterneck style, also unwired, slightly padded for extra support? You can find a lot tops like that from Freya and a few other brands. Freyas this style are available from 30-38 D-F, although 38 only comes with D and DD cups. Midnight Grace and Zoggs come a little further there as one provides cups and bands from 30-36 D-FF (0ne cup more, one band size less) and Zoggs Sandon bikini top still can be purchased to H cup (although only with 32 back size, and the stock is already low).
As you see, tailored cups already increase the range of size, not by much, but it’s always something. What more do we get if we add underwires to the tailored cups? Triangle halterneck underwired bikini tops, these go up to GG, or even HH cups. Here you can say:” HH means quite big breast even with small back size. How can these girls wear halternecks? They are so uncomfortable and dig into the neck”. You are right about the size, but not about the comfort – properly fitted halternecks don’t do any discomfort to your necks as most of the weight of the breasts is supported by the band.
The above photo shows halternecks from Freya, Panache, Fantasie.
If you like showing a lot of cleavage you can also find something for you as there are plunge bikinis for slightly larger breasts – such as this one – up to a G cup. Mind you, they are usually ligtly padded so getting it dry after a swim in the sea may take a little time… Unpadded ones are available too. If you’re an owner of (relatively) big boobs you can still show cleavage and wear plunges – a Polish brand of Effuniak just introduced 3 padded plunges into her shop – and the cup sizes there go up to LL. It’s just too bad that the website is not available in English yet… The Effuniaks are at the moment the best constructed bras on the Polish market, some of the costumers that bought plunge bras from winter collection even nicknamed them “elevator for the breasts” – see why – 80(36)L …
Another type of bikini which I’d like to show is a bandeau. According to some Lobbyists this style is quite dangereous – not everybody looks good in it (even if it’s good size), it may: make your breasts look smaller and your hips look larger and more masculine and emphasize even a little unfirmness in your breasts. There a quite a lot of celebreties that proved this fact (check out – link 1, link 2, link 3, link 4) although in their case it’s also the fact that these bras are really badly fitted. The lobbyists’s advice is – you can wear it if your figure resembles an hourglass, it it doesn’t – better choose some other style… Bandeau bikinis made by boob friendly brands have underwires, most of them reach a G cup :
Finally a style that can accomodate even larger breasts – underwired balcony bra, some of the models from Panache go up to K cup, though quite a lot of them are already sold out (it just shows that that sizes like these ARE bought by women). From what I’m browsing now I see that owners of H+ breast will already have some difficulties buying their size, fancier styles are mostly gone, you can still choose from simpler designs like Geneva (there’s also a red one in Figleaves though many sizes are now gone), there an Amalfi in Figleaves – and still a few of HH or J cups there… Freya didn’t do especially well in this segment this year as most of their “larger cups” go only up to HH (though I must admit they are quite tight and supportive ( already bought one, so it’s my own experience), so you may just choose a slightly looser band a fiddle around with a needle and thread…).
For those if you who like sunbathing but don’t want to show your tummies all the time there’s tankini. You want to tan – just fold it up, you want to walk along the beach and hide some unwanted folds – just roll it down. They are available in halternecks – just like this one – up to an H cup, balcony style , wire free triangles etc.
And finally – swimsuits in bra sizes, with quite some variations on the top – you can get bandeau, halternecks, balconies, sports swimsuits – which are also available to H cup ( so you don’t have to put on a flattening tube and not look your best)… Figleaves also has quite a big selection of them – even too big – it’s easy to get confusud… I may just suggest sticking to boob friendly brands – those that don’t mark their swimwear as XS, S, M etc – check out: Fantasie, Freya, Panache, Shock Absorber… (seems like I really narrowed the amount of swimsuits….)
As you see I did most of my browsing in just two e-stores – Figleaves (that’s where all the photos come from) and Bravissimo, but there are many others online shops with lingerie and costumes, you don’t need to buy there. I’m not even mentioning British Ebay which is a deep goldmine of lingerie and swimwear in all sizes, quite often at bargain prices. Bargain prices… Well, I like buying on sales too, but in case of popular sizes they are gone quite fast and don’t last till sales:( If you wear 30-32G/GG whereabouts it’s better to hurry, I noticed these get sold out the fastest… As for the Polish shop of Effuniak – if you’re interested, just write to them asking for directions how to order and how to measure yourselfs (there’s a “special” way for Effuniak bras) etc.
To cap it off I appeal to you – don’t maltreat your breasts on the beach with clothes sized bikinis! Your boobs are worth a better treatment.
bfcidade
Bra Fitting Cidade 