Fitting guide: Best swimwear for all ages

Let's talk about growing older. We're all doing it, but it’s not fashionable or easy. Physical changes and challenges can knock our confidence - and, when compounded with perimenopausal and menopausal symptoms, it can be tough on our mental wellbeing.

This is why exercise, movement and being outdoors in nature is so important as we get older. Not only does it help us cope with some of those physical changes, but it also gives us an escape and respite from society's critical eye which has - let's face it - an unhealthy obsession with how women look.

It’s no coincidence that women from peri-menopausal age upwards are driving the growth in outdoor swimming, for example. Outdoor Swimmer magazine’s Trends in Outdoor Swimming report last year found that 77% of their survey sample were women, and a quarter were aged 40 to 49, just over a third 50 to 59 and a fifth were in their 60s.

“My daughter and I decided we would swim all through the winter,” says Lindsay, who started cold water swimming in 2019 at the age of 69. “I cannot explain why I've always loved water, but I now love going in the cold water too. If you see pictures of me, I'm always smiling and that's genuine. It's just this thing that creates laughter.”

So, what’s Lindsay’s advice for swimming women? “I'm not just saying this because Deakin & Blue put me on their website, but invest in a good costume,” she says. “Especially when you're not a teenager without any lumps and bumps, when you've got a bit of shape.”

That’s where we can help. Finding a swimsuit that’s comfortable, fits beautifully and makes you feel amazing is so important - it helps you gain the confidence and freedom to do something that makes you feel good. We recommend choosing swimwear that is:

1. Great fitting If your clothing digs in or squeezes you, it makes you aware of it and that makes you feel self-conscious. You need swimwear to fit you like a second skin.
2. Soft As we get older, the outer layer of our skin (epidermis) thins and becomes more fragile and sensitive. So, you need fabric that feels soft, smooth and luxurious against your skin.
3. Supportive Your swimwear should make you feel held. Look for lift and support for your bust and fabric that’s thicker or double-layered so it doesn’t feel flimsy.
4. Secure Look for straps and gussets that will stay in place no matter how much you move. That will help you enjoy activity with confidence.
5. Stylish There’s no reason why younger women should have all the fun with style

We put together this style guide to help pick the perfect, confidence-boosting swimwear.

1. The Adjustable Plunge Swimsuit

Shape, support, comfort and flexibility – our new adjustable, reversible Plunge Swimsuit is the perfect choice for poolside glamour and stylish dipping. Its plunging neckline gives it a beautiful shape and great tan lines. But don’t be fooled – it’s super-supportive and functional. The adjustable straps and double-layered fabric means that your bust is perfectly lifted and held.

We love: The reversible design – two swimsuit styles in one.

Top tip: Take advantage of the sun-cream resistant fabric by using an ocean-friendly sunscreen such as this one by Green People.

2. The X-Back Swimsuit

A classic favourite, this beautiful swimsuit is well-loved for its supersoft fabric and tailoring that fits your body perfectly. The X-Back Swimsuit is our first choice for swimming lengths and jumping waves. Even though it feels structured and secure to wear, it’s also easy to forget that you’re wearing it at all because it fits like a second skin.

We love: The tailored shape that makes you walk taller.

Top tip: Wash after every swim in chlorine to extend your swimsuit’s longevity.

3. The Essential Swimsuit

An all-time favourite and Essential D&B style, this swimsuit is beautiful, supportive and keeps you a little bit warmer. That’s down to its bonded fabric that feels thicker and more structured that our double-layered swimwear. The mesh around the arms and legs is soft against your skin as you swim.

We love: The structured tailoring and mesh for freedom of movement without chafing and the Tankini two-piece option.

Top tip: wriggling into this swimsuit is trickier on its first try, but persist. After a couple of wears, it’ll mould to your body.

4. The Plunge Bikini

So many of our customers have their, ‘just wear the bloody bikini’ moment in middle age and beyond. For that point when you realise that a) life is too short, b) nobody’s looking and c) you rock a two-piece, we’re here with the ideal bikini. High-waisted comfort on the bottom and a beautifully supportive top, The Plunge Bikini has those adjustable straps for the perfect fit.

We love: This bikini in showstopping Scarlet.

Top tip: Go up a size in your bikini bottoms if you want extra coverage.