Buying swimwear as a gift – a guide
It can be daunting buying something as a gift for someone else and especially so with clothing or swimwear. But it’s easy when you know-how. Our guide to buying swimwear is specially designed to take the worry out of shopping for a swimwear gift, with top tips on how to buy the right size, colours and styles so you make someone happy with the perfect gift!
Getting the right size swimwear
- Check her dress size
Our top tips for getting the size right is to have a sneaky peek at what sizes are in the wardrobe of your wife, girlfriend or friend. Check clothing labels for a dress size but remember that women can fluctuate in clothing. Our weight can change through the month, so don’t be surprised if you find a couple of different sizes. If the majority of clothing is a size 14 then you can be fairly sure that that’s their size. Another way to find out without snooping in the wardrobe is to bring a conversation topic round to clothing and drop ‘You’re a size 12 aren’t you?’ into the conversation. Remember… be subtle or they’ll guess you’re up to something! Really, the best way to find out is to have a look in their swimwear or underwear drawer.
- Cup size
While a woman may be a 14 in dress size, cup size can vary. They may need a particular cup size rather than a standard dress size. Take your time, check if the swimsuits, bikinis and bras that they have are underwired or cup sized. Women’s sizing can be confusing. The conversion chart below will help to convert European sizes to UK sizes.
Bra sizing Guide
30 = size 8
32 = size 10
34 = size 12
36 = size 14
38 = size 16
40 = size 18
42 = size 20
There’s a huge spectrum of cup sizes. A standard dress size is usually a B/C cup. If they are an A cup or a D cup or over it’s best to go for a specifically cup-sized swimsuit or bikini. Smaller cups need much less support than larger cup sizes – if they are a DD cup, or above, you need to also check for a good supportive structure on top with wide adjustable straps.
Look at Styles
- Look at which styles they like
It’s important to take notice of the different styles that they like to wear and which parts of the body they are comfortable to show off or that they try to hide. The best thing is to look at the swimwear they already have. Is their swimwear modest or more daring? If they like covering up and never wear a bikini then it’s best to stick to a swimsuit or a Tankini. Conversely, if they live in crop tops and little shorts then don’t cover them up in a skirted swimsuit! Do they tend to choose simple, sleek swimwear or can you spot lots of frills or detailing like embroidery or tassels? Just take your time, make some notes and you’ll get it right. If you need an extra hand, you could check out our article ‘the best swimwear for your body shape.
Favourite colours
- Buying the right colour or print
Be led in your buying by what colours or prints they enjoy wearing. What is their favourite colour? If the person you are buying for wears mainly pastel colours then don’t buy them a bright vivid bikini! If they always wear prints – don’t buy them something in a plain solid colour! Every woman needs to feel comfortable and confident in their swimwear.
Keep the receipt in case you need to return your gift
Don’t forget that if for any reason they aren’t 100% happy with their surprise swimwear gift you can always return it. Here at Moontide, we offer free UK returns so there’s nothing to stop you from giving it a go and surprising someone special.