Everyone is in love with the convenience of online shopping, but when it comes to buying swimwear, most people often prefer going to brick and mortar stores. Reason- they say they have to try it on first. They have a good point. It is hard to shop for bikinis that fit your unique body, especially online, where you can’t try it to see if it fits or not. A swimsuit that looks phenomenal on a model might look just so-so on your body structure. And sometimes you think that you are ordering the correct size, but reality turns out to be too tight/baggy/small/short/. No doubt, buying swimwear online has its own set of difficulties. However, it does not mean finding a swimsuit that complements your body is an impossible feat.

Shopping for swimwear online has several advantages as well if done right. You can avoid hideous changing room lighting, an overwhelming store collection, the pressure to pick right then and there, a judgemental salesperson (at least in your head), and more. And for this, you need to keep the universal principles and practices in mind that manufacturers swear by to ensure every body type has perfectly fitting swimwear. To give you a nudge in the right direction, here’s a quick measurement guide for a bikini; continue reading!

Sizing bikini top

Bikini tops follow the same sizing technique as observed in sizing a bra. Like bras, size labels for a bikini top are made up of a combination of numbers and letters corresponding to a particular cup size and underbust measurement. For example, you must be familiar with bra sizes like 32B, 36C, etc.

Now that you know how sizes of bikini tops are labelled, you must be thinking about how to measure your size. Before you get your hands on the measuring tape, give a few more minutes and read some tips on measuring it correctly.

• Take a reliable measuring tape and wrap it around your body. You can also use a cord or a string to wrap around and measure the length afterwards with a ruler. 
• If possible, take the help of another person.
• Inhale briefly and hold your breath while measuring and make sure the measuring tape rests horizontally and loosely.
• The tape or string whatever you are using should not press into the skin; otherwise, there are chances you end up buying a size that is too small. 
• Similarly, measure your underbust measurements and round it off to the following even number to find your band size.
• To know your cup size, you will have to subtract the underbust measurements from your bust measurement; the resulting answer will correspond to your cup size. For example, your bust circumference is 34, and your underbust circumference comes to be 32. The difference is “2”, which means B cup will fit you snugly.

Sizing bikini bottom

Bikini bottoms are labelled as standard or classic clothing sizes. They are usually marked by values based on waist and hip circumference measurements. However, a few swimsuit brands use international sizing systems (for example- small, medium, large, etc.) to classify their bikini bottom sizes.

Measuring the size of bikini bottoms is not that difficult. All you need to do is measure around your nave first and then measure around the widest point of the hips and bum. Depending on your measurement, you can choose any bikinis bottoms- tanga, hipster, panty-style, shirt, front bodice briefs, hot pants, or swim shorts. Don’t forget to check the brand’s size chart before placing your order. This is because the sizes can vary significantly from one brand to another. One brand’s extra-small size might be equivalent to a medium of some other brand.