About six years ago, my husband and I were relocating with my job to St. Lucia and a swimsuit would undoubtedly be required apparel. So off I went shopping. Luckily, I found that there was a Speedo Boutique very close to my city so I decided to take a peek. When I opened the door to the shop, I was beyond surprised. The selection was fabulous with every imaginable color, size and shape of swimsuit.

After trying on several styles, I delighted in choosing a pretty fuschia colored skirted suit with built-in bra and a liner in the cups and panty. The first time I wore the suit, my husband thought it was my sundress when I tried it on with my high-heeled sandals. The suit was comfortable, stylish and best of all, I received compliments on how nice I looked. There is no doubt that I am hooked on the Speedo line of plus size bathing suits.

Times have advanced since then and I am happy to announce that many designers have come to the forefront offering lovely selections of swimwear dedicated to the beautifully big woman. Although I have not had the opportunity to order from any of these stores, a couple sites worth browsing are SwimsuitsForAll.com, AlwaysForMe.com which sells a small selection of the Speedo and Delta Burke lines and Curvysea.com who is offering a free sarong with the purchase of a swim suit.

A few suggestions that I might offer when choosing a plus size bathing suit are:
• Dress up a plain one piece by adding a colorfully printed sarong tied around the waist. The distinction between the solid color and the print will make you look slimmer and will define your waist.
• Stay far away from horizontal stripes. Stripes should run vertical making you look taller and slimmer.
• Look for colors that suit you. Most women know whether they suit earth tones, bright pinks and purples or pastels like blue or yellow. It is not necessary to go for the all-dark look anymore. Let your personality reign.
• Skirtinis and tankinis are great for women who are different sizes on the top and bottom. For bigger hipped ladies, choose a darker color on the bottom and a bright color on the top to move the focus away from the hips.

With the right color, the right fit and the right accessories, bigger ladies will never cry again when shopping for their swimwear.

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