Trying them on depends on what kind of store you go to. If you walk into a big-box sporting goods store like Sports Authority, you can grab them off the rack and go to the fitting room and try them on sans anything - no one is likely to notice, much less care. If you go to a swimmer's specialty store, they will usually ask you to either try the swimsuits on over underwear, or provide you with special tissues made of the same material as those that sanitary toilet seat covers are made of that you can put in your suit.
Each of the major suit manufacturers (and I'm assuming you're going for a serious athletic suit here) like Nike, Speedo, Tyr, and Dolfin have their own distinctive cut. All of them will work fine, but you'll probably find that one of them simply fits a little better and looks more flattering on your body. The only way to find out is to try them on.
You'll need to select a fabric:
-Nylon/Lycra spandex suits are the softest, stretchiest (and most forgiving size-wise), and most comfortable, but also the least durable. If you're not swimming that regularly or that much, one of these may work for you, though over time, they will fade and loosen up to the point where they're baggy and become somewhat transparent.
-The new polyester-blend suits (i.e. Speedo Endurance or Tyr Durafast) are almost as comfortable as the Nylon/Lycra suits. They aren't quite as stretchy and they won't loosen up much over time, so you need to nail the size more closely. They wear like iron, don't deteriorate, are completely colorfast, and last basically forever. I have pairs several years old that I still wear, and I'm a masters swimmer who spends a ridiculous amount of time in the pool every week.
-Nylon suits are basically obsolete, though they're still available, and the water polo crowd wears them because they have to be concerned about suits being grabbed and even torn off their bodies during games. They have zero stretch, so you have to nail the size perfectly. These suits tend to sag because the material itself doesn't cling like the other stretch fabrics - the drawstring in the waistband and the elastic in the legs and waistband is the only thing that holds them up, which is why they're a poor choice for swimmers. They can also fade pretty badly, though the material itself is durable and strong.
As far as color, get whatever you like. All the major suits are lined, and any talk of their being see-thru is bullshit and wishful thinking - the athletic swimwear manufacturers aren't clueless. They only way this would be an issue is if you wear a Lycra suit until it's see-through which would take a lot of time and a lot of swimming, and then, a decent coach would ask you to get a new suit or double-up, assuming you're to tasteless or dumb to figure this out for yourself. A light-colored suit (which in today's world means red or royal blue) will show curves and bulges a little more than a dark suit, if that's what you're looking to do, but that's about as good as it gets.
As far as size, try the suits on and pick one that gives you a snug fit - neither too loose or too tight are good. If you're lean, then the waist sizing will probably be pretty close. If you're tubby, you're probably going to have to size up, or you're going to have binding at the legs and flab squeezing out the top, which is neither sightly or comfortable.
Buy a suit, go swim, have fun, and don't worry. Nobody at the pool is going to care about you in a Speedo. The talk about bulges and boners is mostly wishful thinking - between the cold water and the exertion, it isn't likely to be a problem.
Each of the major suit manufacturers (and I'm assuming you're going for a serious athletic suit here) like Nike, Speedo, Tyr, and Dolfin have their own distinctive cut. All of them will work fine, but you'll probably find that one of them simply fits a little better and looks more flattering on your body. The only way to find out is to try them on.
You'll need to select a fabric:
-Nylon/Lycra spandex suits are the softest, stretchiest (and most forgiving size-wise), and most comfortable, but also the least durable. If you're not swimming that regularly or that much, one of these may work for you, though over time, they will fade and loosen up to the point where they're baggy and become somewhat transparent.
-The new polyester-blend suits (i.e. Speedo Endurance or Tyr Durafast) are almost as comfortable as the Nylon/Lycra suits. They aren't quite as stretchy and they won't loosen up much over time, so you need to nail the size more closely. They wear like iron, don't deteriorate, are completely colorfast, and last basically forever. I have pairs several years old that I still wear, and I'm a masters swimmer who spends a ridiculous amount of time in the pool every week.
-Nylon suits are basically obsolete, though they're still available, and the water polo crowd wears them because they have to be concerned about suits being grabbed and even torn off their bodies during games. They have zero stretch, so you have to nail the size perfectly. These suits tend to sag because the material itself doesn't cling like the other stretch fabrics - the drawstring in the waistband and the elastic in the legs and waistband is the only thing that holds them up, which is why they're a poor choice for swimmers. They can also fade pretty badly, though the material itself is durable and strong.
As far as color, get whatever you like. All the major suits are lined, and any talk of their being see-thru is bullshit and wishful thinking - the athletic swimwear manufacturers aren't clueless. They only way this would be an issue is if you wear a Lycra suit until it's see-through which would take a lot of time and a lot of swimming, and then, a decent coach would ask you to get a new suit or double-up, assuming you're to tasteless or dumb to figure this out for yourself. A light-colored suit (which in today's world means red or royal blue) will show curves and bulges a little more than a dark suit, if that's what you're looking to do, but that's about as good as it gets.
As far as size, try the suits on and pick one that gives you a snug fit - neither too loose or too tight are good. If you're lean, then the waist sizing will probably be pretty close. If you're tubby, you're probably going to have to size up, or you're going to have binding at the legs and flab squeezing out the top, which is neither sightly or comfortable.
Buy a suit, go swim, have fun, and don't worry. Nobody at the pool is going to care about you in a Speedo. The talk about bulges and boners is mostly wishful thinking - between the cold water and the exertion, it isn't likely to be a problem.
Last edited: