What bikini should I wear?

Introducing different body shapes

So it’s time to talk body shapes. This will give you a clear idea about which garments will look best on your body. So take a good look in the mirror and let’s get down to business.

1. Bikini for apple shape

The apple body has:
Wide shoulders, large bust, less defined waist and narrower hips. Sometimes slim legs.

What to look for:
Swimsuits and bikinis that give you a waist, designs that accentuate your cleavage and your gorgeous slim legs. Remember to go for suits with support for your chest. Stick to V-neck suits like a halter neck style which is flattering and draws attention upwards and away from your waist.

Yes, you can still wear bikinis! Just look for bikini tops with support like our halter neck bikinis. This form will support and flatter your cleavage with beautiful wrap details and built-in foam cups. To disguise a wider waist, there are several things you can do. Gatherings at the side or middle, or a tankini will help. See our tankinis that have both gatherings and gorgeous prints. Consider darker colours like navy, dark red and black as these are visual slimmers.

2. Bikini for pear shape

The pear body has:
Narrower shoulders, smaller chest, wider hips and larger bottom and perhaps also larger thighs. Over half of us are pears so you’re in good company.

What to look for:
Swimsuits and bikinis that draw attention to your upper half. So if you’re looking for a bikini, go for one with lots of top detail. Consider padding at the chest to create more curves here.

A bandeau top is perfect for a pear shape as this type of top serves to widen the upper body, check out our bandeau bikinis . Avoid reaching for a hipster or a thick banded bottom as the extra fabric will draw attention downwards. Look for regular fit bottom instead.

A crop top bikini creates more width at the top to balance out your shape.

3. Bikini for inverted triangle shape

The inverted triangle body has:
Broad shoulders, full cleavage, slim waist and narrow hips.

What to look for:
The key to finding your perfect swimsuit or bikini is looking for bust support and ways to broaden your narrow hips. Wider straps or underwire constructions will give you extra support. Draw attention away from your shoulders and to your neck by choosing a halter neck bikini top – this will look fabulous. Take a look at our bikinis, which also has moulded cups for extra support. Look for high necklines with vertical straps that will help to diffuse the width of the shoulders.

Don’t go for tiny bottoms, in fact you’ll look great in a boyfriend or hipster cut with a wider leg. Look for bikini bottoms with add-ons like ruffles, ruches and ties. This will add volume below and even out your silhouette. Have fun with our Mix&Match range.

A good tip for an inverted triangle would be wearing a solid colour at the top and a printed bottom below which will serve to even out your torso.

4. Bikini for hourglass shape

The hourglass body has:
Big bust, narrow waist and wider hips. Your shoulders and waist are about the same width. You’re pretty symmetrical really.

What to look for:
So let’s highlight those assets and show off that waist. The hourglass has a lot to choose from. Sweetheart necklines and halter necks will flatter your shape and offer support.

Because you’re naturally curvy you can also carry off a bandeau bikini. Look at our bandeau bikinis. Don’t shy away from prints and bright colours, your body shape can handle it. When it comes to bikini bottoms, try shapes with smaller sides that will refine your hips and highlight your natural curves. A high waist bikini bottom will also look amazing.

5. Bikini for straight shape

The straight body has:
Your shoulders, waist and hips don’t vary much in width. Straight body types tend to have a naturally flatter stomach, smaller bust and smaller bottom. Like the name, ruler-shaped bodies are fairly straight throughout.

What to look for:
The key is to enhance the curves that you do have. You can do this with an exaggerated sweetheart neckline, ruched fabric at the waist or a graphic print. These can all help to add some curve to your body.

Suits with less coverage help to create the illusion of a shapelier figure. You can have a lot of fun with bikinis. Look for tops and bottoms with bold prints, ruffles and embellishments. Check out the fabulous print and ruched sides on triangle bikinis.

Remember don’t go for straight-across bandeaus, boxy bottoms or shapeless full-pieces, as this will only enhance your athletic silhouette.

The smaller the swimsuit bottom, the fuller and curvier your bottom will appear. Look for bottoms with ties that enhance your waist.

We’ve covered the basic body types. They were apple, pear, inverted triangle, hourglass and straight. But we don’t always fall clearly into one category. So here we also have added some tips on how to dress specific features like a big bottom or a small chest. Use these tips in combination with our Mix&Match series to create your perfect bikini.

Bikini for broad shoulders

It’s time to play with proportions. Try wide straps that also help to diffuse the width. Halter necks are also a great way to draw the attention away from your shoulders, towards the neck and cleavage!

Bikini for small shoulders

To make narrow shoulders look broader, the trick is to create a horizontal line near the shoulders. Our Prtbarbera bandeau bikini is made up of a horizontal stripe, which helps to create the illusion of more width. A crop top bikini can also help create more width at the top to balance out your shape.

Bikini for broad hips

There’s a celebration of the wider hips going on right now! So which bikini do you choose to bring out the best in those curves? Look for a seamless bottom. Cheeky and high leg styles will help to lengthen your legs. Go for solid and dark colours or a vertical print to make your bottom look narrower like our Prtcancan bralette bikini.

Bikini for small hips

To give a little extra width to small hips, it’s all about adding details. Look for bottoms like our Mixcabel 23 and the Mixhebe 23, which have cute ties at the sides. Also bottoms with ruched sides are an excellent choice for the narrower hipped. Try wearing printed bottoms and you can definitely also go for a wider sides.

Bikini for big bust

For the girls with more on top, look for our larger cup sizes and bikinis with underwire support. Have a look at our bandeau bikinis. This gorgeous two piece can be worn in many ways and features a fabulous print and has removable moulded foam cups. The beautiful Prtmyrtle bikini has moulded cups while also having wider straps that flatter and support your chest.

Bikini for small bust

Take advantage of the fact that you don’t need a swimsuit or bikini with lots of support. You will rock in a classic string bikini. To create the look of fuller cleavage, look for padded bikinis and swimsuits. In this summer’s collection lots of our bikinis have foam cups and most are removable. You can also choose to go for a bikini top or swimsuit with ruffles and ties, helping create more volume on your top half.

Bikini for big bottom

If you have a full bottom, you want to cover it enough that you don’t feel uncomfortable. Look for swimsuits and bikinis with a solid colour at the bottom and printed tops which will help to balance out your silhouette.

Bikini for small bottom

Here’s where all those ruffles and bows come in handy. These extra details create the illusion of a rounder bottom. Go for bikini bottoms with bright colour and prints and remember to show a little cheek.

Swimsuit or bikini?

Which should you choose? Well, when choosing between a one-piece or a bikini, there are two things to consider. The first is what you’re going to go doing in your bikini or swimsuit and the second is how you feel about bearing your midriff while doing what you’re doing! If you are planning to be doing a lot of swimming or jumping into the water from a height, then a swimsuit is the most practical choice.

A swimsuit also covers the stomach, which is handy if you haven’t started your abs training yet. Check out our Prtceltic and our Prtapia swimsuits. If you do prefer a bikini for your summer, then look for a higher neck and more support.

We also have a range of SUP pieces, which don’t have to be used for just supping or surfing. These sporty pieces are flattering and functional with stretch and support where you need it. Check out our Prtgulf and Prtatins 23 bikinis or the Prtadriatic sup suit. The bikini is obviously also a good choice for a tan.

Other tips

• A tummy can be easily be concealed with fabric ruching. Check out our tankinis.
• If you have large thighs, look for a wider leg and hipster cut.
• Remember we’ve got a range of rash guards if you want to protect your skin from those rays. Featuring SPF 50, our rash guards provide stylish protection.
  

Conclusion

We hope this guide has helped you answer the question ‘what bikini should I wear?’. We’ve talked fruit, from apples to pears. Don’t forget the inverted triangle, straight and the hourglass shape. We’ve also honed in on specific areas of the body and how to dress them. We hope this helps you find your summer’s perfect swimsuit or bikini. Dare to try something new and have fun putting together your beach look with Protest.