Key Takeaways
Choosing a swimsuit beyond basic black, at a glance
- Black and white suits Winter essences, but it can create distance for every other season.
- A colorful solid from your palette, such as your Power Color or Romantic Red, brings you to life.
- Prints work when their scale, contrast, and shapes repeat your natural design.
- Details like hardware in your metals and a neckline that follows your jawline finish the look.
Most people learn how to choose a swimsuit by reaching for basic black. It feels safe, and it seems to go with everything. However, black is a color that truly belongs to only one Seasonal Essence. For everyone else, a swimsuit in your own colors will feel lighter, warmer, and far more like you.
A swimsuit is also one of the most exposed things you will ever wear. With so little fabric, the color and print do a great deal of work. So when they match your Color DNA, people see your glow first. In this post, I’ll show you how to go beyond the basics with a colorful solid, an imaginative print, or a detail that belongs to you.
Why Basic Black Isn’t Basic for Everyone
Black and white is the highest level of contrast you can wear. Winter essences carry that contrast naturally, so a black swimsuit can look striking on them. But for non-Winters, black and white tends to create distance and disconnect them from others.
Instead of starting with black, start with your coloring. Your hair, skin, and eyes form what I call your Sacred Triad. Every color in your palette relates back to that triad, which is why your own colors always look connected to you. You can explore how this works in a personal color analysis.
How to Choose a Swimsuit in a Colorful Solid
A solid swimsuit in one of your palette colors is a beautiful first step away from black. Each color carries its own energy, so choose with intention.
- Power Color. This is your color of dramatic presence. Wear it when you want energy and confidence at the pool or on the beach.
- Romantic Red. Choose it for a romantic getaway or a celebration, since it evokes passion and celebration.
- Eye color. Bring it on a family vacation when you want calm, clear communication and balance.
- Optional Colors. These lighter values of your palette colors are perfect for warm-weather clothing. They feel playful and easy, yet they still relate to you.
Meanwhile, consider your natural level of contrast. Most Spring and Autumn essences are medium contrast. Many Summers are low contrast and look best in blended, softer tones. Winters, of course, can wear the strongest contrasts in their palette.
Choosing an Imaginative Print
To me, prints represent the animation of our life force. When you choose them well, they mirror the energy of your personality. Yet a print that ignores your natural design will overpower you. So I look at four elements.
Scale
The size of your head relative to your body, and of your features relative to your face, determines print scale. If you have a small face and small features, choose small prints. A larger face with larger features can carry large-scale prints. In addition, a larger face with smaller features can wear a larger print with fine inner detail.
Contrast
Springs and Summers need lower-contrast prints. When in doubt, they should choose a more blended print. Autumn prints stay in the medium range, while only Winters can successfully wear high-contrast prints.
Shape
The shapes of your face and features should appear in your prints. For example, if you have a round face and round eyes, look for polka dots or circular elements. Likewise, almond eyes might lead you to elongated, tapered shapes.
Season
Your season also suggests a print personality. Springs love polka dots and animated prints, and Summers love flowing prints of feathers, flowers, and leaves. Autumns shine in animal prints in their own colors. Winters, by contrast, come alive in abstract and architectural prints.
Interesting Details That Belong to You
Knowing how to choose a swimsuit also means noticing the details. Your metals can appear in rings, clasps, and hardware. They live in the lights of your eyes and the highlights of your hair, so match their tone closely. Spring essences look for sparkle and soft sheen, and Summers do best with matte finishes. Autumns favor mixed metals, while Winters suit bright silver, white gold, or platinum.
The neckline is another detail worth getting right. In fact, the angle of your jawline tells you which neckline repeats your geometry. Round and oval faces look best in scooped necklines. Square and rectangular faces suit square necklines, whereas inverted triangle and diamond faces suit V-necks.
Completing Your Vacation Look
A swimsuit rarely travels alone. When I coach clients to pack for a trip, I share a simple formula. First, wear a column of one color. Then choose shoes, a handbag, and jewelry in your hair color or your metallic. Finally, top it with a colorful scarf or jacket.
The same thinking works at the water’s edge. A cover-up and sandals in your hair color ground a bright swimsuit beautifully. A Summer might also add a wide-brimmed straw hat and a matching tote. To bring your colors into every part of your wardrobe, read my guide on how to start wearing your colors.
The Mirror Test
When you try on a swimsuit, stand in natural light and hold your gaze for a moment. Ask yourself: Is this in balance with me? Is it too dull, or too strong? Does it drag me down or enliven me?
This simple test is the heart of how to choose a swimsuit. If it feels right, keep it. If not, release it.
What to Do Next
- Look at your current swimsuit. Ask whether it reflects your coloring or simply plays it safe.
- Pick one color to try. Start with your Power Color, Romantic Red, or eye color.
- Measure your print scale. Note the size of your face and features before you shop.
- Match the hardware. Choose rings and clasps in your own metal tone.
Your first step today: hold a swatch of your favorite palette color next to your face and imagine it as your next swimsuit.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is a black swimsuit a bad choice?
Not for Winter essences, who carry high contrast naturally. For other seasons, a deep neutral or a palette color will feel more connected to your coloring.
How do I know if a swimsuit print is too big?
Compare the print to the scale of your face and features. If you notice the print before you notice yourself, it is likely too large or too strong.
What is the easiest way to start wearing color in swimwear?
Choose a solid in one of your palette colors. Then ground it with a cover-up and sandals in your hair color.
