Ah swimwear season. It can make you cringe, cry real tears in your summer sipper, or vow to stay completed covered for the duration of the summer. Well, it’s too hot to opt for complete coverage, so I went on Great Day Houston recently to share swimwear trends and how to find suits for different body styles. No more hiding behind your adorably trendy inflatables (thanks Shop the Manor for lending us these fun versions!)!

Finding the Perfect Swimsuit Personal Stylist Natalie Weakly Great Day Houston TV Segment

Click through for segment video + fit tips we didn’t have time to cover on air + where to find these great pieces!


Swimwear Trends and Finding the Right Style for You


Swimwear on Great Day Houston

Tassel Trend + Straight Frame

Finding the Perfect Swimsuit Personal Stylist Natalie Weakly Great Day Houston TV Segment - Straight Frame

Tassels are very-nearly THE trend of the season (no offense off-the-shoulder tops). Here they are great for helping the traditional string bikini look a little less revealing. Great for creating visual interest and for those with straight/petite frames – the ties make it easy to adjust sizing.

Style Tip: When choosing your cover-up, while monochromatic always looks great, try finding a cover-up in the minor color of the suit (in this case the fuschia) for maximum color impact.

Model is Wearing
Blue Tassel Bikini Top | Bottoms | Earrings | Rachel Zoe Necklace – similar | Cover-up | Sandals

Post-Surgery Options

Finding the Perfect Swimsuit Personal Stylist Natalie Weakly Great Day Houston TV Segment - Mastectomy Friendly

Kudos to my sweet friend Kara for being willing to model swimwear after having a double mastectomy this spring! I know she’s not alone in her challenges and am happy to show some options for hiding fresh scars, avoiding underwire, and still showing off her figure with a one-piece style. The mesh is so on-trend and the placement makes for a flattering waistline.

If you have a short torso, are short-waisted, or are petite – this suit (or one’s like it) is great for elongating the torso, keeping the waist well defined, and drawing the eye up. Appearing taller = appearing slimmer! A win when wearing a swimsuit. ;-)

Model is Wearing
Black Mesh One-Piece | Earrings – similar | Elizabeth Gillett – Riki cover-up | Wedges ( <$40!)

Sport Style

Finding the Perfect Swimsuit Personal Stylist Natalie Weakly Great Day Houston TV Segment - Athletic Trend

Make way for sporty spice! Those of you have been longing for more coverage – the athletic trend has arrived. Offering protection from the sun and from baring those I-haven’t-worked-out-in-months arms, rash guards are a great. With the rash guard, it’s best to wear with a bikini top to give you proper support.

Model is Wearing
Rash Guard | Bikini BottomsSneaks

Tummy Troubles

Finding the Perfect Swimsuit Personal Stylist Natalie Weakly Great Day Houston TV Segment - Tummy Troubles

Between the fit, color, and fabric details, we all wanted to take this suit home with us. The ombré effect helps draw the eye upward, while the ruching slims the frame of the body. This suit also has underwire, which is essential for women who are busty on top.  Choose color effects, patterns, ruching, and tummy control panels to best minimize tummy issues.

The best part – this petite model (5’2″) thought only tall frames could pull off a flattering one-piece. Not true! See pic above. ;-)

Model is Wearing
Shirred Ombre Suit | Earrings found @ Raspberry Rose | Elizabeth Gillett London cover-up | On-air Bag and tassel (on air) | Shoes – her own, similar

Sizing Tip: Swimwear sizing really is a bit different. Size up when shopping – all of the models here are wearing one size up from their usual sizes. If the number bothers you, cut it out or black it out with Sharpie! A correct fit, regardless of the number, is always more flattering and slenderizing.

Once you’ve found your perfect suit – don’t forget to complete the look with the perfect pair of shades!

Finding the Perfect Swimsuit Personal Stylist Natalie Weakly Great Day Houston

HUGE THANKS to Elizabeth Gillett for the lovely coverups, Swim ‘n Sport for most of the swimwear, Shop the Manor for the fun set decor and inflatables, and Debbie Porter for capturing it all!

What are your hangups with swimsuit shopping? Which look was your favorite? Comment below or join the conversation on Facebook and Instagram (where I just showed how to make an easy outfit out of your cover-up!).