If you have decided to enter a pageant where swimsuit is a scored area of competition for the overall title, there are important tips you need to know. Don’t make the mistake of thinking you can run out to the mall and successfully buy a swimsuit off the rack the week before the pageant. You will be very disappointed when you arrive and see what the experienced contestants are wearing.
Everyone has an opinion about the purpose of the swimwear competition in a beauty pageant. For me, it was the perfect motivation I needed to get the baby fat I had accumulated off my petite 5’ 3” frame. I had my three daughters within four years and my last girl weighed 9lbs. 5oz. I was depressed and felt like I had completely lost touch with “Rhonda”. I was adjusting to my role as “mommy” but I didn’t like the way I looked or felt.
The second I paid my entrance fee for the Mrs. Ohio America pageant, the countdown clock had begun. There was no more “well, when the kids are older, I’ll get back into shape” or “when I’m not so tired, I’ll have more energy to work out.” I made the decision to invest the money to do the pageant; and the date was set in stone as to when I would have to stand on stage in a bathing suit. I was not about to waste my money nor be publicly humiliated. So the workouts began as did my hunt for the perfect bathing suit.
The cut and style of your bathing suit will either hurt or enhance your physical fitness appearance. You should go to the store and try on every cut of top and bottom you can find to see which one is most flattering on you. Take photos of everything. You can instantly look 10lbs. heavier or thinner by the cut of your bathing suit. So let’s talk swimsuits.
- For pageant competition, you will want to choose a bright, solid colored suit. Stay away from pastels as they get washed out under the lights.
- You are looking for a matte lycra material that has a heavy lining.
This is a great photo from the Jayme Shaw website. It’s a perfect example of the rich colors you want your suit to be. I would stay away from a white suit unless you are very dark and your suit is double lined. Please note how the fabric is smooth across their bottoms without being pulled either too tight or sagging. There is enough coverage but not so much fabric that it makes their butts look bigger than what they are. The top of the trunks slightly scoop down giving a slimming visual shape where the French cut leg elongates the leg from both the front and back views.
Here is a Jamye Shaw suit from the front. Notice, the top has an underwire and soft natural padding to lift the breasts up and in. There is enough coverage to keep things from “jiggling” when she is modeling but enough exposure to show her figure. The trunks scoop at the top, which help elongate her torso and create more of an hour glass shape. The leg cut lengthens her legs.
Here is another Jayme Shaw suit straight on so you can see the lines better. You don’t want metallic or shiny fabrics. Shiny fabrics increase your size and will show any slight bump or bulge that you have. Prints draw the attention to the swimsuit and also make you look bigger than life. You want the attention to be on you- not the suit. Keep it simple with a cut that helps bring your body into proportion. It’s the hourglass shape that you are shooting for.
Here is a Jayme Shaw one piece swimsuit. In my opinion, this color is too pale for the stage but it has a nice leg cut and flattering top.
Here are examples of Lady M swimwear. With the Starlight II style, I would go with a higher leg cut in the front. With it being this straight across on the bottom, it will widen your hips, unless that is what you’re trying to do. This scoop back view is very flattering for a one piece. The cinching on the top helps to add fullness to a small bust.
Here is a popular Winnwear Swimsuit style 600T and 600B. I would remove the tie on the side as it is a distraction. Be careful when considering contrasting fabrics or embellishments. You don’t want to draw attention away from your face or your figure. That’s also why you want to wear only earrings and simple strappy shoes with your swimsuit.
As always, check with your director for the swimwear rules. Some pageants may specify a particular color of suit and shoes, but “fit” principles are always the same.
The advantage of ordering your swim suit from a vendor who specializes in pageant swimwear is that the quality of the outer fabric and the lining is a heavier grade material. Thicker material will hold you in and stay in place better than any suit you can buy off the rack. The colors are brighter too.
You can, also, buy your tops and bottoms separately (very few people wear the same top and bottom size).
If you’re having your suit custom made, allow 6-8 weeks for it to come in. Once you receive it, there may be more alterations needed to make sure it fits perfectly. Again, check with the director of your pageant. Some fashion forward pageants allow accessories and more bling to their suits. As a general rule, the suit needs to bring attention to you. The attention of the audience and the judges should not be on the suit, your shoes or the accessories you are wearing.
Winnwear style 300T and 300B.
