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Summer is going to get whatever body I’m giving, and that body will be wearing a bikini when I head to the beach.

Now, some may criticize my decision to wear a bikini because I’m a plus-size girl, but I’m not letting that hold me back anymore. At one point in my life, I was so apprehensive and self-conscious about showing my body at the beach that I wore jeans instead of a regular cover-up. A few years ago, though, I felt brave enough to try on a two-piece and wear it to the beach. I only felt comfortable enough to do that after seeing other big girls slaying in their bikinis online. They looked so well put together, and I lived for the aquatic fashions! Admiring what they could do is one thing, but working up the nerve to do it myself was another. Once I did it myself, nothing was the same. Now, I’m probably never going back to one piece suits again and that’s for a few reasons.

  1. It’s Hot. It’s entirely too hot for me to pretend that a two-piece bathing suit does not provide better ventilation. A two piece opens me up a bit more to getting caressed by the breeze.
  2. Bikinis are More Comfortable and Flattering. One thing I like about about a bikini is that I can mix and match the sizing for tops and bottoms as needed. I don’t have to decide between favoring my booty or my bust like I normally would with a one piece. The way my shape is set up, I need to go up a size for my lower body and wearing bikinis allows me to do that. As an added benefit, I get better support with bikini tops than I do with a regular one piece swimsuit. Not only that, but bikinis are more convenient to wear if I need to run to the ladies room while soaking up some sun and enriching my melanin.
  3. Bikinis Are Versatile. There are too many cute bikinis on the market to pass up, and I get to decide how much or how little I get to show off. On the days I’m feeling particularly brave, I can opt for a mid rise bikini. If I want to look a bit more sleek, I can go with a high-waist vintage two piece. Truth be told, vintage suits are more flattering to wear, and they give me the silhouette I want. That’s not always true with one piece suits, no matter how cute they are.
  4. I’ve Worked For This. It was not easy to work up the courage to go out in a bikini the first time I wore one. For the longest time, I thought that I would never be able to wear a bikini because I have a fuller figure. I worried about what people would say about me, how they would look at me for daring to bare some belly at the pool or on the beach. It took a lot of work to commit to the idea that my body and my style are my business. I have to feel good about what I’m wearing and how I’m looking. No one else has to like it but me.
  5. I Want To. It’s a pretty simple reason, but this is the one that matters the most. I would honestly rather wear a bikini than a one piece. With my hard-earned confidence, I know that I’ll rock whichever suits I decide to wear this summer.
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