FabSugar

Fab Body Guide, Part Three: The Ideal Swimsuit For Your Special Quirks

FabSugar — Wed, 02 Jul 2008 10:00:22 PDT

We all have our special quirks. Some of us are self-conscious about having broad shoulders or maybe still working on that tummy. Don't fret, there are a lot of options to choose from to camouflage the areas you feel funny about and compliment the parts you love. Fab's here to help you find that perfect swimsuit.

To learn what kind of suits are best for broad shoulders, wide hips, the tummy conscious, and more,

Broad Shoulders: While adding a pop of color, bright, wide banded bottoms will also balance and detract attention to shoulders. Avoid creating a v-neck silhouette by opting for a square neck top.
Athletic Shape: Show off a boyish figure in a halter top with feminine detailing. Prints, ruffles and side ties will add some girly curves and avoid wearing plain and solid suits.
Tummy Conscious: Tankinis and retro swimsuits can work wonders for the tummy conscious. Both styles conceal the tummy area and are fashionably cute. Stay away from solid colors and tiny bikinis.
Wide Hips: Darker bottoms paired with lighter bikini tops will detract attention from the lower half of the body. Make sure to buy a close fitting bottom to avoid adding unwanted volume to the hip area.

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Fab Body Guide, Part Two: The Perfect Swimsuits For Petites

FabSugar — Mon, 30 Jun 2008 07:00:22 PDT

Being petite can make finding the perfect swimsuit quite a challenge. Don't get me wrong, having a petite figure can be lots of fun! Smaller bodies can get away with loud prints and fun cuts. Avoid wearing solid colors and stay away from too much fabric.

To learn what kind of suits are best for a small bust, waist, or short legs, and to see my swimsuits picks for petites,

Small Bust: Colorful patterns, stripes, and ruffles can add an extra boost to your chest area. If you'd prefer a bigger lift, look to padded bikini or bandeau tops and avoid wearing too much fabric on top.
Small Waist: Add some curves to your figure by drawing attention to your waist. Banded and embellished bottoms will add extra volume to your waist creating an hourglass figure. Avoid wearing solid colors and stripes.
Short Legs: Look for high cut swimsuits, such as the monokini, that will elongate the legs. Avoid boy shorts or embellishments that will cause attention to the lower half of the body.

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Fab Body Guide, Part One: The Best Swimsuits For Full Figures

FabSugar — Wed, 25 Jun 2008 16:00:22 PDT

Ah, the quest for the perfect swimsuit. After trying on numerous bikinis, one pieces, monokinis - you name it - what was once a fun shopping expenditure can sometimes turn into a disheartening experience. Believe me, I know how it feels.

Regardless to what you may think, full-figured women have a lot of different options to choose from. Complement your curves with a sexy one piece or dare to bare in a bikini. The key: Try to avoid suits with little or no support.

To learn what kind of suits are best for a large bust, bottom heavy, and plus-sized figures,

Large Bust: If you're plentiful in this area, look to halter-style bathing suits. Wide bands around the midriff will give your girls much-needed support and lift while showing off some of that sexy décolletage.
Bottom Heavy: Minimize a heavy tush with a bikini bottom that has a wide set band or opt for a short, skirted version. Avoid string bikini bottoms and boy shorts.
Plus-Size: Swim dresses are flattering to plus-sized figures. Look for darker colors and prints with longer or shorter lengths to conceal or reveal as much as you please. Avoid baggy fits and bright colors.

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Best Swimsuits For Your Body Shape: Maximize Your Bust

Noria Morales — Fri, 06 May 2011 13:20:26 PDT

We're kicking off swimsuit season 2011 with a five-part guide to picking the best swimsuit to flatter your body shape. Whether you want to maximize your curves, minimize a belly, or support a big bust, we'll pick the best suits and tell you what to look for. First up: small-busted women. You're baring all in a swimsuit, and having a little something up top enhances your curves, makes your waist and belly look smaller, and saves you from being the butt of pre-puberty jokes. Here's what to look for:

RUFFLES: A ruffle-trimmed bikini top adds much-needed volume. The flatter you are, the more ruffles you can add.

UNDERWIRE: Underwire does two things: it defines your breast shape, regardless of your shape, and it offers lift and support. Everyone's breasts are different, and an underwire bra helps mold them into a full, round shape. This is best on women with an A or small B cup.

PADDING: Padding doesn't have to be that obviously fake stuff. Some bikinis have ultra-thin padding that adds just a bit of volume without changing your appearance drastically. If you want to add volume, but are turned off by the girliness of ruffles, padding lets you choose more minimal styles.

AVOID: Too much coverage (it can make you look smaller) and bikini tops that are too big (you don't want it to swim on you, no pun intended).

Click through our slideshow to see our swimsuit suggestions, and click to buy!

Our Ultimate Swimsuit Guide - Get the Best Fit For Your Body

Hannah Weil — Fri, 25 May 2012 16:22:49 PDT

Finding the perfect Summer suit can seem like an impossible task, especially when you don't know quite what you're looking for. We're putting an end to all that with our ultimate guide to getting the right fit for your body. With the help of swimwear fit and style expert Audrey Jimenez over at Everything But Water, we're breaking down the best fit tips for every body type and the best styles to shop for your figure all right here. From curvier frames to athletic body types, we're helping to make sense of the endless swimwear options out there and narrowing down all of our favorite options that were made to fit and flatter your frame. Want to know what you should be looking for? Get the expert's quick-hit dos and don'ts, then click on to find your perfect suit - and resolve to never hate swimsuit shopping again.

Dos

Do try on lots of different suits. Swim styles change all the time, so look outside of your comfort zone and you may find your new favorite silhouette.
Do go with a smaller size if you are not sure. Swimsuits expand when wet.
Do use ties and adjustable straps to fit the suit to your body. Go tighter than you think. Once tied, lean forward and adjust until your bust is covered and stays put.

Don'ts

Don't choose a trendy silhouette if it doesn't fit you well. Great style begins with a great fit, so it's more important to find the silhouette that best flatters your figure.
Don't assume a size larger or more fabric will give you more flattering coverage. Many women purchase suits that are too large, and as a result, the fabric gaps and the suits don't support properly. If you want more coverage, find a style that offers more coverage.

Lauren Conrad: Swimsuit Guide

Lauren Conrad — Thu, 17 May 2012 14:01:48 PDT

We are thrilled to share this story from Lauren Conrad! The TV personality, writer, designer, and style maven has started LaurenConrad.com, a social networking site that features daily posts by Lauren on all of our favorite topics - fashion, beauty, food, party planning - and Lauren will be sharing her latest fashion finds with Fab every month. This week, she's sharing her swimsuit picks.

Now that we are all getting in tip-top shape with my Bikini Boot Camp Plan, it's time to start actually shopping for the perfect swimsuit. I usually like to snag a new suit before Memorial Day since I almost always end up on the beach or at the pool… What about you?

But before you shop, make sure you check out my swimwear guide on how to pick the right swimsuit for your body. That way you will have a better idea as to which cuts work best with your shape. Once you've pinpointed a style that works, get shopping!

Here are 10 of my favorite swimsuits for summer 2012:

Keep reading to find out where to shop Lauren's picks.

Best Swimsuits For Your Body: Slim Your Belly

Noria Morales — Wed, 11 May 2011 09:06:37 PDT

Six-pack abs not your reality? Don't worry. We're focusing on how to slim your belly with the right suit in part two of our swim guide. We've done the research on the best swimsuits to minimize that pesky - or cute, depending on how you look at it - belly. Here are the key tips:

Ruching: That gathering of fabric is an ingenious slimmer. The gathers create volume and texture, so you can't see extra bulge. Ruching is a totally feminine detail that provides automatic slimdown.

Banding: It's rather easy to trick the eyes, particularly with bands of color or well-placed piping. Look for suits that create the illusion of a slim waist (vertical lines, usually curved inwards toward your belly button) or with multicolored banding that separates bust from waist, with a darker color on the bottom.

Side ties: If a spare tire is what gets you, try a side-tie bikini, where the ties are thick. That bundle of extra fabric on the side helps create proportion to whatever extra you have on the sides.

Tankinis: It's the friendliest style, particularly if you look for looser tankini tops. There are plenty of styles that have sexy busts so you can still show off your curvacious figure. Look for tankinis with ruching or billowy shapes. Added bonus: you can always roll them up when you're sunning.
Click the slideshow to see our picks for the best suits, and click to shop.

Best Swimsuits For Your Body: Pear Shapes

Noria Morales — Mon, 16 May 2011 11:55:27 PDT

The pear shape is like an exaggerated hourglass figure: slim on top, with wider hips, rear, and upper thighs. If you have a pear-shaped body and want to minimize your widest part, while highlighting your most slender parts, here are the things to look for:

SKIRTED BOTTOMS: There are all kinds of skirted bottoms, from sexy, ultra short fitted ones to swingier versions. The skirted bottom, as opposed to bikinis or briefs, simply covers up your widest parts. You can choose a fitted skirt or a loose version, whatever is more comfortable for you.

DARK BOTTOMS, PRINT ON TOP: Since you're smaller up top, use a print to draw attention upwards. Keep the bottom dark and solid, and it will perform an amazing trick of the eyes and make you look smaller overall.

We found suits for all types of styles, click our slideshow to see our picks, and click the links to shop.

Lauren Conrad's Beach Day Basics

Lauren Conrad — Thu, 21 Jul 2011 06:00:49 PDT

We are thrilled to announce our new partnership with LaurenConrad! The TV personality, writer, designer, and style maven started LaurenConrad.com, a social networking site that features daily posts by Lauren on all of our favorite topics - fashion, beauty, food, party planning - and Lauren will be sharing her latest fashion finds with Fab every month. First up? We get the skinny on Lauren's beach day basics.

The sun is shining and the seagulls are singing (or more accurately, combing the beach for your sandy leftovers)-it’s summertime! You may have your swimsuit du jour squared away along with the perfect pair of sunnies, but the question remains: Are you really ready to hit the beach?

In addition to my door side “go” bag (see In the Bag: Prepped & Ready for all the details), there are a few key fashion items I keep around for hanging beachside…

Classic Cut Offs
Every gal needs a good old pair of cut off jean shorts. For me, denim cutoffs will always be a summer staple. They are as timeless as they are California cool. Lately, I’ve been wearing Levi’s because I like the looser fit and higher set waist. The Levi’s 501 cut works well with most body types. Other cute cut offs I found online include Madewell’s cuffed Midi Shorts or Urban Outfitter’s Urban Renewal Shorts.

Neutral Sandals
I cannot stress how important it is to have a great pair of neutral sandals. Your wardrobe choices are exponentially multiplied when you’ve got a pair of shoes that go with almost everything in your closet. A few of my favorites are the sandals I designed for my LC Lauren Conrad line for Kohl’s, Tory Burch’s Emmy Flats, Topshop’s Hoopa Sandals, and Aldo’s Dauster Flats. And for those of you who plan on treading into the sand, I suggest keeping a pair of Havaianas Slim Flip Flops handy (I like the sand grey and light golden color combo).

Keeping reading . . .