I particularly wanted to look at how to find the best swimwear for your body shape after So, a couple of weekends ago I went to explore the Leeds store — let me show you what I found.

My trip to John Lewis was my final stop and they arranged for one of their swimwear fitting specialists to share her experience with me.

I find it disheartening to see a midlife woman wrapped in a kaftan on the beach, clearly wishing the sand would swallow her up. The nonnas are there in bikinis, playing with their grandchildren… mothers with post-partum bellies balance babies on their hips and walk unselfconsciously along the shoreline.

So taking into account the fact that the rest of us are clearly the majority, we can change things if we refuse to take any notice of it. It may take a while but it needs to be done.

10.01.2020 – Continue to 9 of 11 below. I have found the Dana Buchman bermuda shorts from Kohls the most flattering for me. Stretch twill short with self belt Flowy shorts A pair of flowy shorts can be lovely if you prefer the material of your clothing to be loose and not to cling too much to your upper thighs. I styled it for a garden party type event…. Save it on Pinterest!

John Lewis is a good place to start because they have staff to help you find the right fit and, of course, lots of different brands that you can try on in one go.

Swimsuit or bikini? Begin with an assessment of your body shape.

See my edit from John Lewis here. See above and also this selection from John Lewis. Cobalt beach cover-up. In addition to swimwear they have capsules of other things you might need including beach bags, sunglasses, jewellery, flip flops and other ideas so that you can pull together a comprehensive look without spending hours going up and down the escalators.

So, having seen what the swimwear department had to offer, we moved on to look at everything else. The Leeds store is pretty new and is part of the Victoria centre which is a stunning place to visit.

John Lewis is in full swing with summer at the moment and the displays are beautifully themed. Does anyone else still find themselves honing in on things that would once have delighted their offspring?

Pirates… dinosaurs… sharks… cowboys… knights… they get me every time. Travel at John Lewis.

We then went down to the ground floor because I wanted to look at Vita Liberata. Hopefully you can tell from my left hand here, even though the in-store lighting affects the camera.

I bought some to use on my legs which seem to be very slow to tan these days.

I went for the latte colour and I bought the mitt to apply it with too. Refillable perfume atomiser.

Rita on May 7, at pm. Women’s Bikinis Two-Piece Swimsuits discounts on the best women’s two-piece swimwear Oh yes and I have one ancient black swimsuit which is still fine.

My next plan was to look for a dress. Because there are so many brands under one roof, John Lewis is great for this sort of mission.

Now, my stamina for in-store shopping is pretty poor but I have a technique which involves doing a once round of everything and then scooping an armful of things to try on.

So I spec things out…. It was handy because I was able to ask her for her swimwear tips to add to my list. And this really is my kind of shopping because she returned with shoes, bags and chilled Prosecco.

I styled it for a garden party type event….

Poppy dress ; round basket. This was merchandised with green accessories on the mannequin which really made it jump out. Well actually not a dress, a jumpsuit.

This is veering more towards the holiday than the garden party. Flamingos, the motif of the year and guaranteed to provoke endless sheep references from my boys, as you now know.

This came up shorter than I expected. None of the shoes felt quite right with this so I took them off.

Most flattering swimsuits over 40

By this point, all of the Personal Shoppers had joined us. I wonder what the collective noun would be — a glam of personal shoppers… a dream.!

Loop halter bikini top. Most flattering swimsuits over 40 Feel free to leave feedback and other suggestions in the comments.

We were running short of time because the store was officially closing so it was a superfast try on of some of their suggestions:. Floral print wrap dress ; statement necklace ; lace trimmed camisole just seen.

Most flattering swimsuits over 40

I would never have found this top myself and the trousers are my favourite colour but come from a brand that I never think of trying for some reason….

What I will say is that the Personal Shopping experience was a lot of fun. They were all very down to earth and open to working around my personal peccadilloes.

I should add that they have Personal Shopping departments for men too, decked out in a more masculine way but with armchairs so that partners can sit comfortably and enjoy the spectacle.

More details here. It will be a trip down memory lane for me because I spent six months at the university there, exactly 30 years ago.

So until we speak again, have a fabulous Bank Holiday weekend. Can you believe that the weather forecast here is looking better than Spain?! Disclaimer: as with the majority of blogs, products featured on Midlifechic sometimes but not always include affiliate links.

This means that if you choose to make a purchase, you are helping to support the site because a small referral commission may be paid. This contributes towards hosting fees, software costs, site maintenance and other plug-ins.

Midlifechic could not exist without these small payments, so every contribution makes a big difference. The happiest of 50th birthday weekends.

How it feels to be 50 in Capsule holiday wardrobe. A capsule summer city wardrobe. Summer from Hush and Uniqlo — a Midlifechic edit.

A great weekend break and a new drop from Hush. Trying on my Boden order — keepers and returns.

Gym Advice All Over 40s Need To Know

A Spring Smorgasbord — gelato colours. Casual basics — jeans. Spring pick-me-ups.

Quotes about relationships ending and moving on: Most flattering swimsuits over 40

Previous Next. View Larger Image. Look for adjustable bra type straps so that you can achieve maximum lift. See my edit from John Lewis here Droopy breasts A lot of the above applies here as well although both balconette and bandeau styles are worth trying too — they may give you the extra lift you need.

See above and also this selection from John Lewis Small breasts The opposite applies — halternecks are your friend, especially if they have padded inserts.

You may find it difficult to fill cup-sized and balconette tops as they generally come in larger sizes. Be careful with bandeau styles — they may press your breasts even flatter.

Frills and decorative edging will give the perception of added volume. The problem is that not only is a one-piece uncomfortable to wear, but it can also make you look stumpy because you are visually dividing your body into two blocks.

If you have long giraffe legs the balance is completely different. For this reason bikinis or tankinis are your friend because they break the block up.

If you choose a tankini it will work best with a contrasting rather than matching bottom.

Jeasona cover-up. Most flattering swimsuits over 40 I also think the swim shorts are a great solution for those wanting some thigh coverage.

See my edit from John Lewis here If you prefer a bikini, then higher 50s style bottoms will work well, especially if you have an hourglass shape See my edit from John Lewis here Or look for a foldover top that you can adjust to your preference like these or twist top detailing like these.

They are particularly useful for hiding abdominal scars. If you choose an angled, higher cut leg, you fool the eye. Also look out for side panelling in a contrasting colour like this or tie-sides like this which break up the line.

Further tips Be confident — a smile is the easiest way to distract attention from any other part of your body.

Swim Suits for Women Over 40 | MARY MARINO

Never underestimate the slimming effect of an oversized beach bag. Look for: Solid colours, colour blocked panels, geometric patterns, polka dots and stripes.

Details such as contrast trim or mesh panels. They emphasise your rear end. Neons, pastels, metallics, solid white, cutaway panels and lacing down to your navel.

Thongs, shredding and jewelled embellishments.

Most flattering swimsuits over 40 panties

Cover-ups Cobalt beach cover-up Avoid polyester, it never feels comfortable next to wet skin. Think carefully about matching sets — a tonal contrast often looks more relaxed and contemporary.

Refillable perfume atomiser The hunt for a dress My next plan was to look for a dress. So I spec things out…. So, knowing that you like a trying on session, here we go.

Dress number two This was merchandised with green accessories on the mannequin which really made it jump out. Jersey wrap dress Dress number three Well actually not a dress, a jumpsuit.

Chambray jumpsuit Dress number four Flamingos, the motif of the year and guaranteed to provoke endless sheep references from my boys, as you now know.

Flamingo dress Dress number five None of the shoes felt quite right with this so I took them off. Asymmetric dress By this point, all of the Personal Shoppers had joined us.

We were running short of time because the store was officially closing so it was a superfast try on of some of their suggestions: Dress number six Floral print wrap dress ; statement necklace ; lace trimmed camisole just seen Dress number seven This was actually a size 10 and I would have needed the