Over the last month I’ve covered bathers for some of the different body shapes. First we covered the ‘A’ shape and then the ‘X’. And as I’ve mentioned before it’s not just your silhouette that you are dressing/fitting but also your age, colouring, proportions, height, weight, and body variations, such as: a full or rounded mid section, thighs and or buttocks, a large or a small bust, and perhaps slopping shoulders also.
Let’s look closely at the ‘O’ shape as this is quite a common shape, particularly for the post menopausal woman. Let’s recap on what it means to be an ‘O’ shape person.
This shape belongs to the fuller figured woman with beautiful feminine curves. The ‘O’ shape woman will lack waist definition, and was most likely the ‘H’ shape before some weight gain. As stated, this body shape is unlikely to be seen amongst women who have not yet been through menopause.
The horizontal proportions of the shoulder and hip line are usually the same width but not always, and the mid-section tends to be just as wide. The shoulder width can often be slightly narrower than the hips, especially for those with a sloping shoulder line. Queen Latifa is a great example of the ‘O’ shape woman – see images throughout this post.
When it comes to swimwear try to follow these principles as much as possible throughout the detail in your bathers.
The goal for an ‘O’ shape is to refocus the attention from the middle area and up to your face, while creating vertical lines where possible!
To start with, choose bathers with a built in under-wire to really support and lift your bust if you feel you need to.
Bathers with a deep wide V-neck will also minimise a bust and help to elongate the torso – the V-neck is a vertical line which moves the eyes up.
Wear a chunky necklace which also helps minimises the bust – wear one in a harmonising colour to your eyes, bathers or both to bring attention to your face.
Wear swimwear with built in waist support and contouring to minimise and create some shape throughout your middle.
A bathing suit with a built in empire line will lengthen your torso while highlighting your narrowest point just under the bust.
Boy leg bottoms will offer more cover.
Some soft rouching or fabric draping across the mid-section with help hide a rounded tummy.
Wear dark colours for the most receding and slimming effect.
A one piece bathing suit with a small all over pattern or print with a dark background will camouflage mid-section issues.
Wear bathers in non shiny fabrics and more matte in their texture.
Bathers with vertical or diagonal details will elongate and create a more slimming look.
A sarong will give great cover if you’re a bit conscious of your figure.
A light long sheer shirt/jacket will look elegant while giving great cover and a long vertical elongating effect.
