Designer Tips 2

Finding the right fit in swimwear is not just about knowing your chest, waist and hips measurements, it is also about a measurement called the ‘body loop’. This is taken using a tape measure starting from front shoulder point, in between the legs to the back and joining at shoulder point. If you have a long body, consider sizing up from your normal dress size as a larger size will be longer through the body and the stretch will accommodate your body shape. The same applies for a shorter body, sizing down.

Don’t be concerned when putting on your swimsuit, it is fitted to be snug against your body so you might have to pull the suit past your hips to get the suit in the correct position. . You don’t want lots of fabric wrinkling around the neck and arms as this means the suit could be loose or not in the right position.

Areas to determine correct fit:

1. Leg Height

Lets start at leg height – determine what the leg height is - check on the swing ticket. Just to see if its high , low or medium . Position the suit at the correct leg height and then move the suit into position so there are no wrinkles and the suit is sitting comfortably on your shoulders.

See if the leg height is right for you.. high leg visually elongates the leg and is more cutaway at the back, medium leg is the most common leg height as it makes the suit stable and secure especially if you want the suit to stay in place.  Low leg provides more coverage around the whole leg area.

2   Body Length

If the suit feels tight on the shoulders, it means the suit length is too short. Look for suits with adjustable straps that will give a more customised fit, being able to tighten and loosen the straps. If the suit is sitting away from the body around the small of the back, this can also mean the suit is too short. We would recommend to try a larger size. If there are lots of wrinkles across the body, this could mean the suit is too long, Try a smaller size.

3. Armhole

The armhole should fit closely around the body  - if it is gaping at the side, it is not fitting correctly. Think about the style – whether it has been designed to have a deep armhole or sit closely around the armpit – hold the suit up and look at it to determine how it should sit.

Front neck and armhole should be comfortable but should not allow the water to get in – especially important for training swimwear. If the armhole is sitting to closely into the armpit, move the arms forward and back – if it feels like the swimsuit is touching the underarms, this could mean the suit may chafe the underarm.

4. Front Neck

The Front neck area should sit flat against the chest – if it is gaping/open it is not fitting correctly. There are many variations of neckline – v neck, round neck and high neck. If you want to train in a suit, make sure the suit is sitting higher at the chest so the water does not get in.

These are the key things you should be looking for to find the right fit!

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