Another year has passed by and once again it’s time to put on your swimsuit and head to the beach or pool, whichever you prefer. Only, there’s one problem: the swimsuit that fit you so perfectly last summer seems to be fitting a little too tight this time around. What happened? Surely the problem is that the swimsuit shrunk or something, not that you gained weight, right? Right?!
Unfortunately, this is a story that too many people can relate with, myself included. It doesn’t help that after years of lockdowns due to COVID, many of us have gained weight from stress-induced comfort eating. So now your bikini bottoms or swim trunks are squeezing you uncomfortably, creating a muffin-top look that isn’t very appealing, and you don’t have time to lose the weight you put on during the holidays. What can you do in the meantime?
In this article, we will discuss how to hide love handles in a swimsuit. To give you a little preview, some solutions are: wear the right type of swimsuit, wear darker colors, wear a cover-up or wrap, look for ruffles and frilly designs to draw attention away and cover you up, pick splashy prints or small patterns, and much more.
How women should hide love handles in a swimsuit
Pick the right swimsuit style
First, you need to decide whether you want to wear a two-piece or one-piece swimsuit. There are ways you can cover up your love handles for both types. I think it should be quite obvious that love handles will be more prominent in a bikini, especially if your bikini bottoms are particularly tight.
One piece swimsuits will cover up your midsection, and when combined with the other tips in this guide (e.g. wearing a darker suit or getting one with vertical lines or small patterns) can make you look slimmer.
In a similar vein, tankinis are like a hybrid between a one-piece and two-piece swimsuit, and tankini tops can also cover up your midsection, hiding any love handles. Just make sure you are getting one with the right patterns to help you look even slimmer.
Get a swimsuit with vertical patterns
To help flatter your figure, we recommend getting a swimsuit with certain patterns instead of just a solid color (though that can work too if you’re sticking to darker colors; it just looks more bland).
We recommend getting a swimsuit with vertical lines. It doesn’t have to be a perfectly straight line. Furthermore, avoid thick vertical lines; we’re not trying to look like a referee here. But something like a tiger stripe pattern or some sort of tasteful, multi-colored stripes can make you appear taller and slimmer.
Now, we are not saying to avoid horizontal patterns. Thin horizontal lines can help accentuate your curves, creating the illusion of an hourglass figure. The problem is, once again, with thick horizontal lines that can make your torso look wide, and some horizontal patterns may also make you look wider in the wrong places.
Choose darker colors
Wear darker colors and avoid light colors. Darker colors seem to have a slimming effect, particularly black and navy blue hues. If you’re looking to hide a few pounds, stay away from white swimsuits.
Look for smaller prints
Another pattern to look for are smaller prints. Large prints or patterns, such as geometric prints or floral patterns, are not as flattering and can make you appear larger (it’s also why you should avoid any designs with thick lines). Smaller prints also seem to have a slimming effect, helping to give the illusion of a streamlined figure.
Look for designs that are not entirely skin tight
We aren’t suggesting you wear a swimsuit that doesn’t fit you snug; rather, you should look for swimsuits that feature designs which give the appearance of not being skin tight.
For instance, if you look for swimsuits with ruching (a ripple-like effect), it can make your tummy area look flatter while accentuating your other curves.
In a similar vein, look for swimsuits with ruffles around your midsection. Basically, any design with extra fabric can obscure your body, and the frilly designs themselves can draw attention away from your midsection.
Wear a cover-up or wrap
Cover ups are a comfortable and fashionable way to, well, cover yourself up while you’re out on the beach. In addition to providing coverage, cover ups are a great way for you to enter stores with your bathing suit on while still looking socially acceptable. No more having to change out of your swimwear just to enter a random convenience store or the like.
How men should hide love handles in a swimsuit
Get the right size
If your swim trunks or swim briefs are squeezing you a bit too tight, then you will need to go up a size or two. While it’s true that swimwear should fit snug, a tight-fitting one can accentuate that muffin-top shape which is undesirable.
You should not feel restricted by your swim trunks in any way, nor should you feel like your blood flow is getting restricted by how tight it is. Basically, if your swim trunks or briefs are making an indent on your skin, consider sizing up.
Wear a rash guard
Next, wear a rash guard shirt to cover your midsection and the rest of your torso. Rash guards are a great way to get protection from the sun’s UV rays. They are also stretchy, comfortable, and quick-drying, so it won’t feel like you’re wearing a soggy t-shirt.
While there are some very form-fitting rash guards, you can also get one that is somewhat loose. Try to get one that is neither too tight nor loose so that you don’t get waterlogged while simultaneously hiding your love handles.
Another great thing about rash guards is how many colors and cuts you can get them in. You want short-sleeved, full-sleeved, tight-fitting, loose-fitting, solid colors or patterned, your options are practically endless. As a result, you can also apply some of the tips we discussed in the women’s section regarding darker colors, vertical lines, and smaller patterns to help you look slimmer.
