Yay! Summer is here! Slip n’ Slides, pool parties, summer concerts, tanning, hitting the beach with my…… oh shit.
… bathing suit [eeeeeep!]

When I was 13 and had shed some lbs., I tried on my first bikini. I’m not sure which was worse – the look of horror on my face or my baby fat on display in the mirror looking back at me. Settling for ugly one pieces, I always thought, “Maybe next year..”  Well ladies, that year is here!

This was my first year really following Full Figure Fashion Week, and there seemed to be a big focus on swimwear of all kinds, but something new really caught the world’s eye. The Fatkini.

For this summer, bodacious blogger Gabby Gregg, aka GabiFresh, decided to start a BIG movement, and many mainstream designers followed – the FATKINI. You heard right – BIKINIS for FAT chicks. Unthinkable, right? Well take one look at these and reconsider:

Cute, right?? The high waist bottoms create a perfect hourglass and come up high enough to cover your belly insecurities (or in my case, belly stretch marks, ugh) and the bralets are very flattering. Different designers, make different rises, and some designs are slimming with black panels on the sides. Great for pear, triangle, rectangle, and hourglass figures – apples beware, unless you love your body the way it is and are ready to turn many heads at the beach (not in a good way). You DON’T want to end up like this:

MY tip: don’t buy online – go to the store and try it on. Bathing suits NEVER look the same on the hanger as they do on you, and they are usually non-returnable. When trying on, focus on what it does for your body (nips the waist, boobs look awesome, you feel sexy) rather than the “bad parts.” If you’re not comfortable with it, then don’t feel pressured to get one. Personally, I’m going to wait till next year to see if the style takes off, as well as what improvements they’ll make for next year. I’d love to have shapewear incorporated into the bottoms, and also more designs with a skirted bottom to hide the belly bulge.

My Curves And Curls has a fabulous guide to plus size swimwear and Fatkini shopping.

Stay curious and keep curvy. Happy Shopping!