Swimwear 101: Plus-Size Gals Celebrating Their Curves

I'm about to head off on a last-minute (much needed) vacation to Hawaii with my husband.  The first since we were married in 2009.  When he told me we were going I was first very excited thinking about the hot sun, warm sand and cool blue waters.  Then I realized, thanks to a substantial injury and a lack of self-control when it came to chocolate, that I didn't have a swimsuit that fit me anymore.  All of a sudden my shock and awe at the good news was blown to bits by my worry over having to swimsuit shop for myself.  Sure, it's much easier to help other people show for swimwear.  I'm a wardrobe stylist, I'm supposed to know how to do this- which I do.  But the pace I had made with my thighs was on shaky ground when I knew I wasn't going to be able to hide them in clothing all the time.

So I set about to find myself a plus-sized swimsuit.  I'm one of those weird body shapes that is not plus-sized everywhere, but my bust has grown so much over the last year (38E) that regular misses sized suits let my cups runneth over (Psalm 23:5).  After an exhaustive online search of plus-sized swimwear, including ordering and truing many of them on myself, here are my favorites...

Personal Shopper Picks:

OneStopPlus.com $79.99

This is the little number I will be sporting this week.  The little ruffled skirt hides the top of my thighs, but not so much that it looks like a dress.  It actually has a cute vintage feeling to it.

Monif C. $118

Who says plus-sized has to nothing but a swim dress?  I think this ruffle is great, and would nicely play up your bust line to proportionally minimize the size of your thighs.

Torrid $34

Have a top that you love, but a bottom that you don't (I can't help but laugh at the pun)?  These shorts are great because they will match pretty much any top you already have, and they are adjustable via the draw strong cords on the sides.

OneStopPlus.com $49.40

A not-so-fitted tankini is a great way to hide any lumps and bumps in your midsection.  It's also a good option for those of us with longer torsos.

Lane Bryant $119.95

This large print will keep the eye moving and won't linger over any spots you don't want seen.  The ruched sides also help disguise and bulges.

This summer I vow:

...not to hide my curves under a matronly swim dress.
...to go beyond black and wear colorful swimwear.
...to celebrate my curves by not hiding in my clothes all summer.