In my continued effort to banish body shaming, I have decided to embrace the high waisted bikini this summer. This is a huge deal since I haven’t worn a two piece since high school, and my stomach has never been my favorite body part. In fact, my annual shopping excursion with my mother for a bathing suit usually resulted in tears. Nothing fit. I had huge boobs, and what I perceived to be a stomach (oh, what I wouldn’t give for that stomach now), and most bathing suits just made me feel overly boobilicious and awkward.
But today, swimsuit manufacturers have gotten smart. They now sell tops and bottoms separately which means that there are a lot more ways to camouflage your less favorite body parts with a bikini than you might think. My current favorite is the high waisted bikini bottom. It hits above the navel which hides a myriad of sins. Many also have buttons, zippers or seams that squeeze and shape your derriere and abdomen into a 1950’s pinup shape. Pair it with a skimpy top if you have small boobs or an underwire top if you need a bit more support.
Really, wearing one of these high waisted bikinis will get you in touch with your inner Marilyn Monroe or Jane Mansfield. Leaving that little strip of skin exposed underneath the breast draws the eye from your legs to your boobs. It can actually be more flattering that a whole piece. And if you don’t like the idea of your thighs exposed, both Malia Mills and Lonely Label do a high waisted bikini skirt.
Here are some of my favorites:
Designer High Waisted Bikinis
High end designer bathing suits have gotten crazy expensive, yes, but if wearing one makes you feel confident and sexy, aren’t you worth it? I think so. Mara Hoffman high waisted bikinis are really fun. I love, love, love the terry cloth striped bottom with the sexy rash guard top (though the one on the left is better for small breasts). It combines two of my favorite things — stripes and great sun blockage.
Lisa Marie Fernandez high waisted bikinis are friggin fantastic. I adore the Genevieve seersucker high waisted bikini bottoms with the either the zipper or the buttons. So flattering!
Malia Mills was one of the first designers that I can think of to design tops and bottoms for curvy girls. The majorette shorts just make me want to grab a baton and march….
Affordable High Waisted Bikinis
Despite that fact that some of the designer suits may have fancier fabrication, there is really no reason to break the bank on a bathing suit. Especially when you have labels like J. Crew. Their high waisted bikini bottoms are seriously darling. And you can mix and match colors and patterns to create something completely unique. I am sure that it won’t surprise you to know that I am partial to the seersucker.
Lonely Label is a new one for me and I gotta say, love their philosophy. They celebrate the strength of women by using actual women as models. One of their goals is to foster positive body image. Always a plus in my book. The Lonely Label high waisted bikinis are definitely lingerie inspired (the company also designs lingerie) and feel the most “vintage” to me. Adore the Edie High Waist Brief in black and white zig zag. Wouldn’t it be fabulous paired with a colored top in red or coral? Ooh, that might be the one for me….
