Five Types of Swimsuit Shoppers

All deceptions in this blog post are by my opinions alone. I am not trying to offend. 

It is that time of year for vacations and low self-esteem. The hunt for the perfect swimsuit—if you need one or not—is on. I mean, it is not your fault. The desire to get a new swimsuit is all over the place; from advertisements to your neighbors.

To note, I am in the South, where Florida beaches are only a couple hours away. If you don’t live near the ocean shores, you still might need a swimsuit. I also work in the ladies’ swimsuit section at the retail store. I engage with many customers who are going on cruises and vacations to Florida’s beaches.

 I am trying to say in a complicated way is that I have observed many swimsuit buyers. In my work adventures, I found five types of swimsuit shoppers. In turn of telling you my findings, I will provide some tips when you are on the hunt.

The unsure one

The unsure shopper may wait and wait to get a swimsuit because of reasons, but something will happen. They really need to get a swimsuit. The shopper will walk around the swimsuit aisles picking at swimsuits and looking a little queasy. When questioned if they need any help, they will say they are just looking and is not sure what they are looking for. The shopper will flip over tags to see the price or try to see if they like anything in the sales racks.

My tip

 Ask for a recommendation from the Sale Associate because they should know what other customers have told them or what has been selling. It is okay to be uncertain when shopping for swimwear, but I always tell people that comfort is more important than style or color.

The confident shopper

The confident shopper just knows what they want. They might have done their research online for the best swimsuit or looked in a shopping catalog. They come in the store looking for that perfect suit, determined. If the suit they are looking for has been picked clean, they might lose some hope but will find something else that will work just fine. If they find the suit, it could feel like you achieved something big because let’s be honest, swimsuit shopping is worse then going to the doctors.

My tip

 It is great that you feel confident in your body and you come into the experience positive. I always hear a woman talk about themselves in a negative light. It is good to remember that the store you are going to might be out of the suit you are looking for and if you might find something that could be an alternative.

The tornado

This is the worst shopper of all when it comes to swimwear. The tornado will come in as an unsure shopper and look around each rack of swimsuits. The tornado will bring ten plus swimsuits in the fitting room and buy at least one or two. This shopper leaves a tornado in the fitting room, with inside-out swimsuits on the floor and hangers hanging up on the chair/stool or hooks provided in the room. If they tried on clothes at the same time, the clothes are in the pile on the floor with the swimsuits.

A mild condition that The tornado leaves in a dressing room.

My tip

I get it. You need to find the best swimsuit that will fit you and serve your needs. I think it is okay to bring a lot of swimwear in the fitting room because of certain reasons, but it also helps to put the swimsuit back on the hangers. When you hang the swimsuits, you are giving common custody to the other shoppers and to the Sales Associates working at the store.  If you can’t find the room on the hooks, then drape them on the stool or chair provided in the fitting room. If you really want to help, you can hand the swimsuits that did not work over to the Sales Associate so they can put them up for you. It is their job, but they are not your housekeeper.  

The body-shaming one

For the body-shaming shopper, the idea of taking off their clothes and putting on a polyester skinsuit makes them want to not leave the house at all. These are people will come to the store with a negative attitude toward the idea of swimwear. The shopper might not want to admit to themselves that they need a bigger size because they are comparing the swimsuits they got in the past. They might also think they are too old for a Bikini, but too young for a Tankini set. When they check out, there is a sense of dread when seeing the total and fork over the money in defeatism. The common saying from the body-shaming shopper is: “I wish I didn’t need a swimsuit. I hate swimsuit shopping.”

My tip 

There should be nothing to stop you from picking out a swimsuit. In some cases, it is a necessary item to have in your closet, but it should not be a reminder of your self-esteem. It makes me speechless when I see an older woman swiping their credit/debit cards while telling me that they hate their body. It is your body and you need to feel great in your skin. You should not feel like swimsuit shopping is a chore that you have been putting out for a while.

The returner

The returner is more common then you think. Well, where I work, it is common. This is a recluse version of the body-shaming one. The returner will purchase two or more swimsuits sets and take them home with them. They might not have time to try them on in the store or feel more comfortable doing it at home. In the end, after a few days and other people’s opinions, they will bring back the swimsuits that did not work. Some returners are the online shopper who judges the pictures and are disappointed that the swimwear was a waste of money.  They will say that the item is too small or just did not work out. After the experience, they are reluctant to try on the swimsuits in the store.

My tip

 I grew up with a mother who told me to try on everything in the store. It saves you money and time. When you take something home or order something online, you are not sure how the item fits when you get the chance to try it on. For online shopping, I am not saying it is bad, but it can be a risk, especially if it is a swimsuit. If you are confident on an item, then do not let me stop you. Remember, there are no shortcuts when it comes to swimsuit shopping.

In good humor, I want to address this to you, reader. If you need a swimsuit, just take the time and get one. It does not matter how you get it, but just make a sure search with confidence and positivity. No one is going to care what you look like in a swimsuit. You need to feel comfortable in the swimwear and feel like a queen or king in your skin.

Good luck on the hunt.

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