The Best Swimsuits for Boyish Figures

A ruffled bikini helps create curves by visually enhancing the bust and hips.
... Frazer Harrison/Getty Images Entertainment/Getty Images

Make swimsuit shopping an enjoyable experience by learning what styles and design details flatter your boyish frame. Women with a straight or boyish shape can celebrate their naturally small curves by wearing a teeny string bikini, or can choose a suit that creates the illusion of a more shapely figure.

1 Curve-Enhancing Details

To enhance your naturally small curves, look for bathing suits with bra-inspired tops. Features, like padding or an underwire, give you the appearance of a larger bustline, as do other details like ruching, ruffles and bright colors or patterns. A one-piece swimsuit with cut-outs along the sides -- sometimes called a monokini -- helps create more of an hourglass figure by drawing attention to your waistline.

2 Celebrate Small Curves

Women with a boyish shape can enjoy wearing slinky swimsuit styles that don’t always work well for curvier ladies who need a little extra support. Flirty string bikini bottoms or bandeau-style swimsuits, for example, work on your body like a charm.

Katherine Mitt has been contributing to online publications since 2009, focusing primarily on fashion and style topics. She holds a B.A. in English from a small liberal arts school.

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