Your Swimsuit Questions Answered!

Illustration by Lauren Friedman | STRETCH NYLON TANKINI TOP, $220, MALIAMILLS.COM. STRETCH NYLON BIKINI BOTTOM, …By Jean Godfrey-June, Illustrations by Lauren Friedman, Lucky magazine

Q: Tankinis: Possible to make flattering-and/or chic? -Jen

A: Dear Jen, 

Anti-tankini propaganda is our patriarchy in action: The culture wants us to either be One-Piece (Madonna, not the singer) or Bikini (lady of the night). That's my crackpot theory and I'm sticking to it. But tankinis can be flattering, even sexy, and they are easy and comfy like bikinis and non-stomach-featuring like one-pieces. Three cheers, I say!

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Malia Mills' Cami tankini top is perfect because it does not flare out at the bottom like a dress, nor does it cling like Saran Wrap. And it is a thin, matte-ish jersey, which is key; the big swath of fabric a tankini requires can look cheap super-quickly if rendered 
in a shiny finish. The Cami is also relatively undetailed; it does not scream about itself too much. I keep buying it over and over in 
a '70s sort of brown and pairing it with various striped or floral bottoms. A "fit expert" of yore would definitely tell you to put the stripes or florals on the top. I think the opposite: For one, witness the number of women currently famously sexy who have larger-than-life rear ends. Two, I think there's something to embracing a body 
part that some others (or even a former you) might revile. Dress it up and you might just really love it.





Illustration by Lauren Friedman | STRETCH NYLON TRIANGLE BIKINI SET, $24, VICTORIASSECRET.COM Q: I have love handles but love bikinis. Do you have any tips on what would be most flattering? -Heather

A: Dear Heather, 
 Cindy Crawford once told me that the ultimate, most-flattering-on-everyone bikini shape is a triangle top and triangle bottom, the latter with side ties. In black. The side ties don't exactly dwarf your hips, but at least they compete with them for attention, which is no small thing when you're practically naked. The triangle top pulls up your breasts without underwires (which can look both foundation-garment and overly engineered to me, implying layers of padding beneath).

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If you really hate the love handles, you could completely pave them over with the retro, high-waisted-bottoms-with-bra-like-top look. If they just sort of bug you, I have had great success with a darker bikini bottom with a white band across the top: The white band grabs all the attention, sandwiched as it is between your skin and the darker fabric.

With any of these options, generally err on the side of bigger for the top-which makes you look, well, bigger on top-and small for the bottom (to look like you 
have a smaller butt). Obviously, if you're looking to minimize your breasts and maximize your butt, do the opposite. But note that a too-big bikini bottom looks like a big wet diaper, and 
a too-small top flattens your breasts and leaves them hanging out the bottom.


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