The Most Flattering Bikinis for Girls With Hips

It’s about this time of year that I have mild anxiety about it being bikini season. My husband can attest. With the 4th of July almost here, I’d be lying if I said I was 100% care free about baring it all this weekend. We’ve had our fair share of Taco Bell runs lately and I’m pretty sure Matt and I are now VIPs at the Yogurtland by our house. I’m all about that cookie dough + Cinnamon Toast Crunch + Vanilla froyo combo, despite the fact I try every flavor, every time!

Matt and I are headed to Cabo San Lucas on Friday to celebrate our wedding anniversary which means beach time! The thought of Mexican food all day (AKA guacamole with a tiny bit of chip) and the ocean outweighs most of my concerns about being in a bikini luckily. But, I still did thorough research better know as “shopping” to prep for our trip.

I don’t have the perfect body. Few do. My hips are wide. Childbirth is going to be a breeze! My torso is longer than my 6’3″ husband’s when we are sitting next to each other. I’m not kidding! Noticed that on our first flight together. Mini dresses regularly make me look like I came straight out of a Vegas club (sometimes, even the scandalous ones)! That’s assuming they don’t just look like a top. Insert not amused face. I have an athletic build and my muscles bulk up insanely fast. Whoever the best linebacker in the NFL is, he should be grateful I wasn’t born male because he’d be out of a job. Point is, we all have insecurities, myself included!

But here’s what I do have: a TON of knowledge and experience on how to flatter my body type. I can’t even count the number of unflattering photos I’ve seen of myself during the lifetime of this blog. We all take them. We just don’t all admit it. With that said, I’m sharing the bikinis that I’ve picked out for myself this summer. I’m talking purchased, tried on (maybe even did a model sesh with Matt who bless his heart, thinks I look great in everything), and decided I actually liked the way they looked. So if you want to save yourself a few frustrating moments in front of the mirror, start here!

Let’s talk strategy. I like to do all my bikini shopping in one haul. I find trying on bikinis to be one of the most painful experiences in life. I might be exaggerating but you get it. The most important thing to realize though is that you have to try on a ton to get one good one. At least, I do. Don’t let it get to you if you try something on and it looks terrible or doesn’t fit. I had this happen about 20 times this season. I swear, swimsuit designers don’t always construct bikinis with real women in mind. It’s frustrating and makes the search a little longer but here’s what I found that is working for summer 2016.

1. I wore this Rinikini crochet bikini on our getaway to Palm Springs this weekend. I love the intricate details and it’s just a really beautiful suit all together! I got so many questions on my snapchat about where it was from so there’s the link ladies!
2. Hands down, the most flattering bikini I found this season was this strappy black swimsuit by Indah. Black is always slimming but I’m obsessed with the number of straps on the sides. It really works to slim down your hips and prevents the suit from cutting into your sides. That’s my number one pet peeve. I would rather order a bigger size than have a suit cut in! The shape of the back of the bottoms is also really working for me and giving me life!
3. Next up is this bright blue two piece by Maaji. If you haven’t familiarized yourself with Maaji before now, do it immediately. I find that I buy at least 2 Maaji suits a season because they are so incredibly complimentary to a curvy girl’s figure and on top of that, they are comfortable. No awkward sliding off and plenty of support. Added bonus? Tons of fun prints and they are almost always reversible. That means 2 for the price of 1.
4. Getting a little more unique, I also opted for this safari-like bikini with a halter neck. After browsing so many pages of bikinis, they started to all look the same and this one really stood out to me not only in design but the fit was really great too!
5. Another bikini brand that I’m loyal to is Boys + Arrows. Last year, I opted for this navy blue number for our honeymoon and this year I’m trying a different cut with a balconet top! The top is like a really comfortable bra and I’m really loving how it holds everything in place. The pastel color is also just gorgeous! I just need a few more hours of sun because I’m pale as can be!
6. Lastly, I’ve been really into stripes especially with the 4th of July almost here! I showed Matt this striped Mia Marcelle bikini online and he vehemently said he didn’t like it. I ordered it anyway knowing full well that he doesn’t always have the “vision” I do when it comes to clothing. It’s a gift, right ladies? Although it’s a curse too haha! It was also really flattering although I did order a size up in the top because of my long torso!

So that’s it! I did a little something different today by sharing the links BEFORE styling them! If you’re more of the wait and see type of girl, follow along on Instagram for the first peeks this weekend or on snapchat (@jennacolgrove).

Did you see any bikinis that you might want to try? If you have any favorite brands or tried and true styles, please share them with me!