By Lisa Miller

Purchasing a bathing suit is a stressful event for moms. Whether you’re hoping to hide “mommy tummy,” c-section scars or a bit of extra weight in the thighs, swimsuits leave little to the imagination. Settling for an unflattering option as a means to cut costs is a bad road that many moms go down. If the true cost of a subpar suit is loss of confidence and feeling uncomfortable all summer, then the price is too high.

When I was young, my mother chose the “affordable” swimsuit option. After witnessing that mistake, I will never make the same one myself. Always in impeccable shape, she never had to worry about finding a forgiving bathing suit, but she needed a little help in the quality category. Unfortunately, cheap suits are also made of cheap material. I remember a red one-piece. She looked like a Baywatch girl in it, and the first couple weeks it was fabulous. Then, it started fading in the sun. Sitting in the community baby pool wore the fabric thinner and thinner until the day she stood up and her friend quickly ran over to wrap her (and her full moon) in a towel.

Fortunately, quality swimsuits can stand a lot of wear making them splurge-worthy. Look for options with shaping panels, ruching, or high-waists. These style details will help camouflage problem areas. Don’t feel forced to stick with solids either. Yes, black is always slimming and flattering, but a good pattern can also go a long way in distracting the eye from a fluffy tummy. Color blocking styles can create a trompe l’oeil effect and the illusion of a slimmer figure. Now that you’re excited about shopping, where should you start?

Start with these mom-worthy styles we found:

[show_boutique_widget id=”277422″]

(Did you like this article? If so, sign up for an email subscription to The Mommy Stylist – on the top right-hand side of the home page. You can also follow The Mommy Stylist on Facebook, Twitter, and Pinterest.)