Beach accessories
Photo: © 2009 Jupiterimages Corporation
There's something about swimwear that seems to lead otherwise stylish people to make very public mistakes. Enter O's crack fashion team, which has performed ultimate swimsuit interventions and chosen the very best (completely affordable!) swimwear of the season. Your mission: Find the right suit for your shape. This cheat sheet will ensure the expedition goes swimmingly.

Tara Grinna swimsuit
Photo: Marko Metzinger/Studio D
If You're Size 12 and Up...
This tankini gets extra uplift from double straps (top, $79, up to size 42EE, and bottom, $67; Tara Grinna Swimwear).

Keep in Mind:

  • Well-structured, solid-support styles don't hide the body—they do it proud. Built-in bras, control panels, and stretch fabrics give firm support.
  • Excess fabric makes you look heavier, not lighter.
  • Stick to solids. If you want to stray, dark to light shading has a lengthening effect (the dark should start on bottom) and diverts from the lower body.
  • The slimming impact of black is key.



Best Brands:

AlwaysForme.com
Athena Pick Your Fit
Catalina
Eddie Bauer
Gottex
It Figures!
Lands' End
Liz Claiborne 
LL Bean
Lori Coulter TrueMeasure: Made to order
Merona
Old Navy
OneStopPlus.com
Silhouettes
SlimPerfect Fashions
Spiegel
Tara Grinna Swimwear
Victoria's Secret
White Stag

Bond-Eye Halter swimsuit
Photo: Marko Metzinger/Studio D
If You're Big on Top...
This halter-neck maillot gives a discreet glimpse of cleavage ($165, up to size 40F; Bond-Eye).

Keep in Mind:
  • Solids are always a good bet, but geometric designs can also counter fullness.
  • Springy fabrics, like nylon and Lycra, lift breasts, making you look leaner all over.
  • Halters emphasize shoulders.
  • If you want to minimize, choose a darker color.
  • Sturdy straps and real underwire built right into the suit provide the best support.
  • Always, always, always go for a wide strap.

Best Brands:

Aerin Rose
Anne Cole Collection
Athleta
Bond-Eye
Christina Swimwear
Eddie Bauer
Fantasie
Freya
Jantzen
J.Crew
Lisa Curran
Liz Claiborne Swimwear
Moontide
Old Navy
Miraclesuit by Swim Shaper
Panache
Tara Grinna
Victoria's Secret

LL bean swimsuit
Photo: Marko Metzinger/Studio D
If You Have a Wide Waist...
Strategic color-blocking shapes your figure while the modest style keeps you covered—ideal for playing with the kids at the beach ($75, LL Bean)

Keep in Mind:
  • A demi-cup bra builds cleavage, and details at the bust capture the eye—no scrutiny on your bottom half!
  • Belted styles create a shapelier profile.
  • High-cut legs make you longer and leaner.
  • Slimming patterns (such as diagonals) make less of your middle.
  • To give the illusion of a smaller waist, choose a suit with a deeply V-necked halter and vertical bands of color.

Best Brands:

Aerin Rose
J.Crew
Lisa Curran
Magicsuit by Miraclesuit
Old Navy
Victoria's Secret
J Crew Swimsuit
Photo: Marko Metzinger/Studio D
If You're Bottom Heavy...
Rows of ruffles act as a bust-builder on this sweet, retro-looking maillot. ($76; J.Crew)

Keep in Mind:
  • Shapely bra tops even out wider hips.
  • Bandeau tops broaden the chest and balance your figure.
  • The right fabric matters—better quality like Shapewear holds you in.
  • Forget teeny bikini bottoms; think swimdress (link to swim dictionary) with no seams or lines.
  • Not a skirt person? High-cut styles that show a lot of leg can make thighs appear longer and leaner.



Best Brands:

Anne Cole Collection
Athleta
Eddie Bauer
Fantasie
Freya

Malia Mills for Martin + Osa
Photo: Marko Metzinger/Studio D
If You Have a Long Torso...
Classic halter with deep vees in front and back is universally flattering ($99.50; Malia Mills exclusively for Martin + Osa, MartinAndOsa.com).

Keep in Mind:
  • Your body will seem more in proportion if you break up the hip-to-shoulder line with a two-piece suit.
  • Bikini bottoms that cut straight across the waist are to be avoided; they emphasize the horizontal in an unflattering place.
  • Strategic gathering of fabric and a plunging V-neck draw focus to the center—where you need width.
  • A square neckline adds the breadth you need up top.
  • Two-tone suits (one color on top and another on bottom) counteract the length of the torso and make the waist look smaller.

Best Brands:

EQ
Karla Colletto
Lands' End
Malia Mills
Newport News

Mossimo for Target bikini
Photo: Marko Metzinger/Studio D
If You're Small on Top...
This grown-up polka-dot bikini has padded cups, removable straps, and generously cut briefs ($36; Mossimo for Target top, $18 and bottom, $18; Target.com)

Keep in Mind:
  • A bright color and some extra shaping and you're all set.
  • Bandeau-style and halter-neck suits can make the under-endowed look voluptuous.
  • Padding adds curve and verve, while gel-filled demicups enhance cleavage.
  • You can do lingerie! A boned Moulin Rouge-style top instantly makes you look better endowed.
  • Tube tops and horizontal stripes make chests look fuller, and built-in bras and halters make the most of natural resources.


Best Brands:

American Eagle
Anne Cole
Elizabeth Hurley
EQ Swimwear
Eres
Etro
Girls4Sport.com
Hermanny by Vix
J.Crew
Kathleen Cook Swim
La Perla
Lauren by Ralph Lauren
Mossimo for Target
Nautica
Norma Kamali
Shoshanna
Speedo
TYR
Victoria's Secret
Vix
Zimmermann

One shoulder green MiracleSuit
Photo: Marko Metzinger
And If You Want to Take Inches Off...
This one-shoulder maillot—very trendy—is seriously spandexed to make you look ten pounds slimmer ($129; Magicsuit by Miraclesuit).

Best Brands:

Avenue
Inches Off
It Figures
Lands' End
Magicsuit by Miraclesuit
Miraclesuit
ShapeFx
SlimPefect Fashions
Slimsuit by Carol Wior
Swimwear 123

Ready to Shop? 11 of our favorite suits that won't sink your budget

From the June 2009 issue of O, The Oprah Magazine

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