Slim shark or curvy mermaid? Dressing for your shape on the beach

By Lizzy Pudner, Marketing Director at StarBlu  luxury resort wear

Whether it’s in Cornwall or California lots of us will be seeking out sunny beach destinations this year. But revealing a body that’s been hidden away from the sun’s rays for months is a pretty daunting prospect even for the most honed and toned women. The good news is that you don’t have to resemble a tanned Swimsuit Illustrated model to look beautiful, or most importantly to feel confident on the beach.

To start with, get familiar with your basic body shape and then think about which bits you want to flaunt and which you’d rather cover up.

We all fit roughly into these categories – sporty or ‘shark’ (think Kate Hudson’s boyish and lean shape), hourglass, the mermaid in beach fashion terms (a curvy Kim Kardashian type), or more pear-shaped, ‘the shrimp’, smaller up top but with a rounded bottom (like Rihanna). The good news is there’s a bikini or swimsuit to suit every shape.

If you’re a slim shark…

Sporty, athletic shapes or ‘lean columns’ as they are sometimes known, can wear most things but need to create curves and accentuate the bust, so a horizontal print bikini <http://www.starblu.com/cancun-bikini>  with stripes or colourful detailing works best. Bikinis that have padding in the bust are a must to create a softer, more feminine shape (which is flattering in photos too).
When you want a bit more cover or dignity, a feminine, floaty maxi dress softens the lean look. Equally, the new big thing in resort wear for 2012, the beach jumpsuit softens those angular lines by pulling in at the waist but giving added volume at the bust.

If you’re a shrimp…

A pear-shaped or triangular body shape should accentuate the top half of the body, so choose swimwear that emphasizes the bust and minimizes the bottom and hips. Anything bold or patterned on the top is good, which is handy as this season is all about strong colours and striking patterns. A colourful tankini will also draw the eye to the top half. Team our swimwear with a cover-up like our Tuscany kaftan which with its structured A-line cut is perfect to hide the less than perfect bits!

If you’re a mermaid…

Neat hourglass figures are the most balanced of the body shapes.
Mermaids tend to have great waists so show them off in bikinis. If you’re big up top, a halterneck bikini is good for hoisting you up and giving support and definition to the bust.
Mad Men style structured all in one swimming costumes also look very sexy on an hourglass shape.
And when the sun goes down try a becoming, low cut maxi dress that goes in at the waist but shows off a great bust.