By Maia Botek | March 27, 2024

SMALL BOOBS? 🍒

You Need to Know These 7 Swimwear Tips & Tricks

We've all had those moments: you’re relaxing by the pool or beach and don’t feel quite at ease in your own skin. Whether it’s a bathing suit top that’s too big, uncomfortable padding, or just a swimsuit style that doesn’t feel “right,” it can be a frustrating experience. But it’s time to shatter the idea that cleavage, confidence, and “bikini bodies,” are only suited for a certain figure.

As a member of the #IBTC, you deserve to feel empowered, comfortable, and beautiful. There are plenty of small “hacks” and tips you can try out to find a look that makes you feel incredible. No frills, no crazy techniques, just simple adjustments and considerations as you shop for your next bikini (you can even use some of these tips with styles you have now!).

So, let’s get into it. Feeling good should be just as effortless as laying out for a tan.

1. Experiment With Different Tying Styles

Versatility is key. Try to find a triangle bikini top that has ties around the chest and neckline area. This will allow you to turn one bikini style into 10+ other variations with a few adjustments. When you have a smaller bust, you might find that the standard triangle style isn’t your favorite, and that’s okay! By rotating the fabric and experimenting with the tying style of the strings, you’d be amazed at the difference.

For example, if you rotate the fabric padding upside down and tie the neck strings around your chest (and chest strings around your neck), you may find that the fit is a bit tighter than the traditional tying style. This will naturally bring your breasts together and cinch the area around your ribs.

2. Opt for Silicone Inserts

Not all push-up methods are created equal. If you’ve washed your bikinis and dealt with the less-than-desirable challenge of trying to rotate a flimsy insert back into place, you know what we’re talking about. It’s time we introduce you to the magic of silicone inserts.

Think of silicone inserts as a much more natural alternative to traditional padding. Instead of trying to add a layer of fabric on top of what you’re working with, it mimics natural breast tissue with a much more comfortable look and feel. Silicone inserts, when sewn-in to a bikini, also don’t move around, no matter how much diving, jumping, and swimming you do. Instead, tops with silicone inserts offer stable support near the bottom of your breasts, which naturally lifts and creates that oh-so-desirable cleavage look.

3. Look for Styles With Adjustable Straps

When you choose a style with adjustable straps, you have much more control over the fit and tightness of your top. Remember, versatility is your best friend. Fixed straps are often designed for much larger bust sizes, which can be unflattering, uncomfortable, and less than ideal for us ladies with AA-B cups. You’ll also notice that adjustable straps allow you to fasten the fabric cups in the front, creating a more secure fit and removing any gaps between the cup and your body.

4. Draw The Eyes In With Color

Another pro-tip is paying careful attention to the color of your bikinis, which can be a visual illusion that can accentuate your natural curves (even if they’re small!). In order to find the perfect shade, we recommend color matching, which you can do by looking at your veins in bright lighting (try your wrist for the best visibility) and determining your undertones, which are subtle hues beneath the surface of your skin.

COOL UNDERTONES

If your veins appear dark blue or purple in the light, you likely have cool undertones. We suggest trying colors like deep purples, blues, blacks, whites, and grays, which won’t wash out your skin and will provide a clean, fresh look that complements these tones.

NEUTRAL UNDERTONES

If your veins appear bright bluish-green, you likely have neutral undertones. Navy blue, forest greens, and bolder hues can be effective at complementing and creating contrast between the bikini and your skin.

WARM UNDERTONES

Lastly, if your veins appear green or olive, you’re a warm toned gal. Pastels, pinks, corals, and whites are your best friend. You’ll wait to avoid overly dark neutral colors and opt for something a bit brighter to give you the perfect glow. 

So, take these colors into account when choosing your next bikini top, as it can do wonders for bringing out your natural beauty and adding an accentuating “pop” to your beach look.

5. Choose The Right Neckline/Fit For Your Body Type

Similar to knowing the right colors to complement your undertones, choosing the right neckline and fit for your body type can make a world of difference for enhancing your confidence and overall look.

Everyone’s body is different, but you can get a general idea of your body type by taking into account your rib cage, shoulder width, and overall physical build. Do you find your hips to be wider than the top portion of your body? Is there an even balance between your shoulders and your hips? Do you have a longer or shorter torso relative to your legs?

All of these are important considerations to find a style that accentuates your curves and balances the top and bottom half of your body. Here’s our go-to style guide for each body type.

Pear: Tops with horizontal necklines balance and complement wider hips. Mix-and-match pattern styles (like solid bottoms and a floral top) to draw attention to the central and upper parts of the torso.

Athletic & Inverted Triangle: Solid colored scoop neck tops and patterned, tie-string bikini bottoms help guide the eyes, drawing attention upwards and then down toward the legs.

Apple: A scooped neckline draws attention to your cleavage and higher-cut bottoms draw attention to the legs, accentuating and elongating your torso.

Hourglass: Halter-tie tops and high-waisted bottoms accentuate curves and matching prints provide extra balance.

6. Fixed Distance Between Cups

If you haven’t noticed already, the design of your bikini can be one of the biggest factors in whether or not it fits you correctly and makes you feel comfortable. When you have a small bust, bikini tops that offer a fixed distance between cups will be your best friend.

What does it mean? When fabric cups are attached securely to the ties around your ribs (meaning a fixed distance between them), there’s less room for sliding around, which enhances the fit and shape of the fabric to your body. Now, you’re able to lift and scoop your cleavage without worrying about an accidental wardrobe malfunction.

Bonus tip: when you pair a fixed cup distance with sewn-in silicone inserts, it’s a bikini design so good that it might as well be a boob job (but you didn’t hear it from us).

7. Accessorize With Body Jewelry or Shimmer

Now this is a pro tip, but there are some secret weapons you can take with you on your next beach trip to really up your bikini confidence game. Remember, rocking your small bust in swimwear is all about how you elevate your look and enhance your natural beauty. 

With body jewelry, like waist chains, you can add a sophisticated sparkle that draws attention to your torso and bust without being too over the top. Plus, it’s an excellent way to complement the colors and hues you choose with the perfect combination of silver, gold, and gems.

Body shimmer or highlighter is another alternative that does the trick by adding a bit of sparkle to your look. You know how good it feels to be tan, sunkissed, and glowing, and body shimmer is the perfect addition to your confidence.

Applying These Tips as You Shop

As you can see, feeling confident in your bikini shouldn’t be a challenge: it should be simple, empowering, and exciting. Many of these tips and tricks can be solved by choosing the right bikini design. Sure it’s easy to tag along with the latest trends and name brands, but you’ve got to admit: these styles often aren’t designed for us smaller-chested ladies.

Instead, when you choose a swimsuit that’s designed exclusively for small busts, like SABAL, you don’t have to worry about many of these frustrations and challenges. When you’ve got options with multiple tying styles, adjustable straps, and silicone inserts instead of uncomfortable padding, it makes the search for the perfect swimwear a lot easier! So, get out there and get after it. Remember, confidence radiates from the inside out!

See What Our Customers Are Saying
See What Our Customers Are Saying
"I adore this bathing suit! Not only did it fit perfectly, but it was also comfortable and made my chest look great. There was no awkward gapping, no weird squeezing, just great cleavage. I got so many compliments, especially from my hubby. I highly recommend SABAL!
— Sarai F.
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ORDER NOW! This is the most confident I've ever felt in a bikini! I struggled for years finding a bikini that didn't have awkward gapping in the top, or too much cotton padding. SABAL nailed it! Can't wait to order more colors & styles.
— Lindsey E.
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I love this top!! I feel the most confident in it compared to any other bathing suit I have ever worn, definitely ordering again!
— Kaitlyn T
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I've NEVER felt comfortable in bikini tops, let alone shopping for them online. This arrived today and I tried it on immediately. I am shocked: I feel amazing, the fit is perfect, and the bikini construction is high quality. Even the push up cups are designed so they don't absorb water! Finally, comfortable and stylish swimwear that is made for a body like mine. I feel beautiful and confident. I will be shopping for all of my bikinis at Sabal Swim!!
— Alex
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