Best Flattering Swimsuits for Women Over 40 & 50

Cute Bathing Suits for Boomer Chicks - Chic Color, Fit, and Style

Mar 17, 2010
Christina Gregoire

Best Swimsuits Women Over 50 - Matalan 2011

2011 UPDATED: Hard to find swimwear with good fit, cool color, and right neckline to show off your assets? Baby Boomer women need swimsuits that are slimming and chic.

What are the best swimsuits for women over 40 or 50? Well, this is one of the scariest questions that anyone, even Boomer Chicks, can ask. But, life goes on, and on and on, and what the heck? There are a lot of fun places to go, in this world, and those fun places require bathing suits.

Best Flattering Swimsuits for Women Over 40 & 50

Can a woman avoid Kaanapali Beach forever? No. And, what girl, of any age, is not tempted by those sparkling turquoise swimming pools on Caribbean cruise ships, when the sun feels so good on her vitamin-D-deprived body? Oh fiddle-dee-dee! Forget about pride. Forget about perfection. Adult women have had babies, raised families, worked hard for the money, and now it’s time to get down, once again, to the business of having fun. So, here are the options.

Bathing Suits for Your Body Type

No matter how skinny a chick was in the 60s or 70s, she’s going to need to put more thought into what she wears to the beach, in this brave new world. Fortunately, women have the helpful internet to see them through this ordeal. Now, instead of facing the lovely salesgirls at Nordstrom’s or Neiman’s, a gal can try on swimsuits in the dead of night, with most of the lights turned off, in the privacy of her own home.

So, check out these (and other) specialty swimwear sites.

SwimsuitsForAll.com

Go to their “Fit and Flatter Solutions” and choose from their helpful list:

Enhance Your Bust
Slim Your Tummy
Long Torso Swimwear
Minimize Rear & Thighs
Hides Your Hips
Support Your Bust

CyberSwim.com

This site is the mother lode of Miraclesuits. Well, there are so many miracles, and so little time; so click on their “Shape Solution” section for these shopping searches:

Minimize Waist
Tummy Control
Accentuate Bust
Minimize Bust
Support a Full Bust
Slenderize Hips
Minimize Thighs
Elongate Legs
Elongate Torso
Minimize Backside
Add Curves

These two sites are not the only stores with this fab search feature, but many women like to start here and then look around for similar styles, better prices, or higher-priced swimwear. No, that’s not a typo. For some women, searching out designer styles and “paying the price” is worth it. (This is especially true for California girls and women who find themselves “suddenly single”.)

Swimsuit Style Tips

It is extremely important to get swimwear in a good color that flatters one’s skin tone. Brilliant blues (electric blue, cobalt blue, teal, perky navy) and deeper, darker pinks (magenta, fuchsia, coral) are almost always flattering. Both black and white can look sickly against pale skin, but they are often great colors once a woman gets a bit of a tan.

A swimsuit's fabric must be good. Anything shiny will show fatty bulges, while a good camouflaging print (floral, swirl, leopard) will hide many flaws. Or, a gal can try hiding tummy imperfections with ruching or slightly-textured fabric.

After 40, most women need swimsuit tops that provide good support. Large breasts need a bathing suit with a built-in bra and thicker straps. Smaller breasts need a perfect fit and, sometimes, a built-in push-up bra.

Swimwear Necklines

When a woman reaches a certain age, the neckline of her swimsuit becomes more important than ever. It’s easy to cover oversized hips, stomachs, and backsides with sarongs, when out of the water. Quickly.

Deep V Necklines: Good for almost all women, one exception is a seriously wrinkled décolleté.
Halter Necklines: Flattering for most women, will draw the eye up to the face, fabric must cover the outside of breasts.
Bandeau Necklines: Best with small breasts. (Flamenco Miraclesuit 2011 - Juste Moi)
Boat Neck, Halter Top, and Racer Back Necklines: Give the illusion of wider shoulders to balance pear shapes.
Scoop or Square Necklines: Good for “inverted triangle” bodies to create the illusion of narrower shoulders.
Sweetheart and V Necklines: Great for drawing the eye upwards, away from problem areas.

There are lots of options out there. Most La Blanca (one piece) swimsuits seem designed for Boomer Chicks. Miraclesuits can work miracles, though skirted swimsuits are tricky. (If one is truly set on a skirt, look for something that is sexy in the bust.) Victoria's Secret is a great source for tankinis that fit. Parrot Heads can find tropical prints. Preppy gals should go nautical. Just, remember that all Boomer Chicks are in this together. Be kind.

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Tina in the South of France, photo Raymond Gregoire

Christina Gregoire - Christina Gregoire writes about divorce, fashion, and baby boomers. Her forte is explaining complex ideas in simple language.

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Comments

Jun 13, 2010 3:33 PM

Guest :

I'm wondering why I can't find swimwear for small yet large breasted women like sizes 4-6 / DD-DDD? Not every older woman gets larger with age. surely I'm not the only woman to have this dilemma

Apr 23, 2011 12:21 PM

Guest :

Why can't I find more colors in swim fashion? It seems as if the best styles only come in black.

Apr 23, 2011 12:28 PM

Christina Gregoire :

Dear DD,

I have never had your problem. Would you like to exchange bodies?

Well, if I can find information that might help you, I will either write an article or put the info in a comment. Finding the right bathing suit is such a beach.

Have you tried getting a two-piece tankini? You might be able to take in the non-bra part of the top or the tankini top might fit just fine. If the tankini is long enough, it looks just like a one-piece swimsuit.

Apr 23, 2011 12:36 PM

Christina Gregoire :

Dear Colors,

I agree about the colors. Black does not always look good on pale skin. The high contrast between the color black and one's white skin often leads the eye to high-contrast points, like the hips or the bulge between one's breast and one's arm. I think that a flattering color is just as important as fit.

Actually, although they can be less chic if the pattern isn't great, printed swimsuits with a dark (black, navy or midnight blue, dark chocolate brown, etc) can look much better than solid black. I also would like to see more textured fabrics used for larger sizes.

Anyway, I totally agree with you about black. Many women look good in black, but not all. I cringe when I think of an Irish redhead with pale skin wearing a black swimsuit. (I am thinking of a friend I went to high school with. Black did not suit her even when she was 16.)

May 17, 2011 6:19 AM

Guest :

Designers need to make Boomer Bathing Suits with Junior Styles! Just because we are over the age of 40 doesn't mean that we don't like fun fashion on our suits! Suits tend to get "frumpy" for a lack of better terms. I am so over flowers, polka dots, ruffles, stripes and solids. What about those cute junior prints like the 20 somethings have (i.e., beach patterns like dolphins, flip flops, palm trees w/the sun and more patterns too long to list here?). If you know of a website that has FUN patterns for size 14 +, that would be great to see too! Bring on the FUN in patterns out there for us Boomer Chics, designers, you will be glad you did!

May 21, 2011 8:14 PM

Christina Gregoire :

Dear Guest,

Actually, I like mixing prints so I like polka dots because they go with almost anything. However, you are right. Some swimsuit manufacturer will make a fortune if they give us cute prints. Yeah, a flip flop pattern or palm tree pattern sounds so freaking cute. I'm not big into dolphins but I would wear that if I like the colors.

I'm not sure what website has this sort of suit but I think it would cost the same for a fabric manufacturer to make a cute fabric as it would be to make a boring fabric. I say that the designers should look to Europe. European clothing is often chicer. I Hope your comment gets someone's attention.

May 21, 2011 8:18 PM

Christina Gregoire :

I keep thinking about boring prints. I would love a swimsuit that had tropical fish against a deep blue background....maybe even in a blurry watercolor style. Oooooh. I wish I were a fabric designer. That would be the best job in the world.

Jan 6, 2012 3:07 PM

Guest :

well now -im 47 5foot5 and weigh 100lbs with a breast size of 32a and yes i have a pot belly from 3 children-i have not worn a bathing suit since i had my first child.theres nothing out there for me-first i have to tackle the breast option then the size of the suit and oh yes and the tummy tame problem.miracle suits dont come in my size.bakinis forget it-pot belly and stretch marks dont mix. ibe tried every possible suit known to mankind. and i own a inground swimming pool that ive never been in. ill dip in the pool the day i find a suit. my husband bugs me year after year to go on vacation with him.but im still waiting for that bathing suit.ive commented on many sites and have got loads of responses on where to find one but they all have not panned out.i want a grown up bathing suit that fits.im all dried up.

Jan 6, 2012 8:13 PM

Christina Gregoire :

Dear Guest,

I want to help you but I don't know what size you would be. I have a somewhat similar body but I have a bigger chest and I weigh more. My first impulse is to suggest La Blanca swimwear because that brand is usually good for me. If that doesn't work, try a tankini. If the fabric beneath the bra top is large enough it will camouflage your mid-section. And, you can get a high-rise bottom (mine is black) that goes under your tankini. Pull that up to your navel, like I do.

However, since you are only 100 pounds, you might be too small for a size 4. I'm going to look around to see if there is something in a size 2.

Jan 6, 2012 8:13 PM

Christina Gregoire :

Jan 26, 2012 7:55 AM

Guest :

im 47 weighing in at 100lbs 5 foot 5 size 32 a breasts. yes always been this small.its a life long thing.i have had 3 children and have not worn a bathing suit for 25 years. why cant find one. oh yes and i have a small baby belly.the only thing that i can find is bikinis. tried all the stores ypu mentioned and then some -ive been out of town shopping and have put hundreds of hours on the internet looking for one- i would like a tankin or swimdress. something that would not flatten my small breasts but flatten my baby belly.im also looking for choices . i doont want here i found one like it or not. most bathing suits for people my age the sizes start way too big.i find there are thousands of sites telling you how to choose a bathing suit for your body but i dont seem to fit in any catergory.did i metion i own an inground pool ive never been in. every year i watch family and freinds enoy the pool. so if your up to the challenge.any suggestions would be well ????

11 Comments