Go to Peacocks - lovely new range of Tankinis and lovely colours and have supported bandeau bikini tops to match.

Best of all price is really good.Bought some last year - I have ample figure and these were lovley so bought them all the colours available

Trust me - don't write them off until you've viewed them - modern and comfy

Take a look and see and let me know how you get on - even if you don't like them

Bikini for me, even though I'm no longer 21, either in age or waist span I just love the feel of the sun on as much flesh as possible.( and there's plenty of it) I like a padded cup - I find the bandeau style rather emphasizes any difference in size. I like a reasonable size bottom half with a high leg. When you're only 5ft - you need all the help you can get with leg length. When the kids used to holiday with us, I used to take a tankini with a tightly fitted bottom for the waterparks.

I had the same dilemma last year. Not huge busted, but ive got enough to be proud of . Everywhere I went, it was the bandana type or halter neck bikinis with no support, neither of which did anything at all for me. Previously I had lost a lot of weight and purchased bikinis (from Next in my bra size) to show it of but I had put a little weight back on and was feeling a little conscious of, as you put it, my "mum tum". In the end, I settled for halter neck tankinis that dont have any bones in them, but plenty of support and do you know what, I love them. I did take said bikinis and also a costume but the tankinis won through and I will be buying a new one (or three) for this year even though I have lost the weight again and can wear my bikinis. With the tankini, you can get your tum out if you want but keep it covered when you are wandering around - perfect for the body conscious

The trouble with shopping for beach wear this time of year is most of the shops are still carrying their winter range. The new clothes start appearing in March/April time maybe even slightly later say in May. You could try Debenhams maybe

I would also say to check out your local supermarkets - sainsburys and asda had a lovely swimwear range last year and all reasonably priced.

(edit for my really bad spelling )

There is a large swimwear range in Debenhams already - many items with matching sarongs.

I like tankini's or all in one swimsuits. suppose i'll be looking at them in 2 months or so.

I'm a bikini girl all the way ! Though I am somewhat challenged in the boob area ( fried eggs on an ironing board !) so I have to have padded cups, the bandau style is perfect for me, hate strap marks, so wouldn't go for the thick halter neck style top. Bottom wise, a high leg is great when short ( i'm just over 5 foot in me flipflops !) but I like the 'boy pants' look too.
I invested in a tankini for our hols last year to mexico for snorkling in underwater caves ( proper cold water ) and will use that this year for waterparks.
Not a lot in the shops just yet, we don't go till mid april, but shall keep me eyes peeled.
I think its a real personal choice, I've seen larger ladies in bikini's looking fab, but I've also seen skinny ladies in bikin'is looking not so good !!

I used to wear bikini's all the time but as I got older, my figure migrated south somewhat and I am bigger round the tum than what I want to be or what I would want anyone to look at....so I graduated to a Tankini...but since now most of my time is spent underwater, I can be found in a wetsuit!
When not in the water, it is usually shorts and strappy t shirt or the Tankini.

I have seen some rather large ladies in bikini's and they do not look good....I would hate people to be looking at me and thinking that i was one of them...even though I don't think I am that big.

Bikini for me, although not too itsy bitsy

I think larger ladies look nicer in a swimsuit and everyone looks better with their top on

Wear whatever you feel happy in though and don't worry about what anyone else thinks

Tankini for me , i had surgery 3 years ago and am left with a noticeable scar and a mummy tummy ,so like to cover that when walking around the pool area, also i am bigger on top than the bottom so all in ones are out , because of my age i aslo prefer short style bottoms , but each to their own and aslong as your comfortable with your body what does it matter.

Me: Put on this sarrong
wife: What Sarrong?
me: Nothing, what's a wrong with you!

I am blessed/cursed with a large bust so buying swimwear is always a nightmare. I tried to buy a tankini at Leia in York the other week (http://www.leialingerie.com/) but none of them fitted right so it looks like I'm back to my trusty old cossies again - bah!

Definitely a bikini. Main reason being I have to buy different sizes in tops and bottoms. I usually buy mine from Next but have also found some nice ones in Tesco.

Despite having a mega amount of spare flesh hanging around my middle I can't bear to wear a swimming costume. I feel all clautrophobic in one and they are not the most flattering of things when they flatten your big chest and leave it down by your belly botton. They are always cut way too high on the leg for me too and dont hide that hidious bit at the top of my thighs either .

I have over the years built up a selection of plain coloured shortie style bottoms that are low cut on the legs but high on the tummy . Well enough to hold in all the loose flesh anyway Please dont get the impression I look wonderful in these either but they make the best of a bad job

I'm also fairly large busted and need a decent bikini top and again have purchased a few from http://www.figleaves.com .
they arnt cheap but well worth it .

Last year figleaves own make did some nice mix & match shortie tops, tankini & bikini tops .I brought the whole set of a Red spotty one + another Freya underwired Balcony top that all matched perfectly and at the same time quite flattering if there is such a thing on me .

I also got a blk/white shortie bottom with an underwired bandaux top with detachable straps . when it came , I thought OH NO it's padded that's going straight back . Tried it on and it was actually very flattering and held the boobs up well. .

They dont seem to have much online at the moment but maybe it's still too early.

Oh the shame . My youngest son is reading this over my shoulder as I type and he just exclaimed "large bust , you mean Fat mum )

lyn

Loving the descriptions on this thread

Chivas have you been to the Marx Brothers school of Comedy ?

I am afraid that being in the much larger bust than bum brigade and somewhat older I am now in swimsuits. Tend to go for black, maybe with somekind of slight trim (boring I know) and something with huge amounts of lycra to keep what we seem to be calling a Mum Tum under as best control as possible.

Quite like a plunging neckline for the double DDs and dont mind the high cut legs that come with swimsuits, you mention Lyn in the vague hope that they give me some much needed illussion of height & if all else fails hope the neckline draws attention away from the even worse bits.

Got some nice things in M&S the last couple of years with kind of crossover bits under the bust and slight support.

Have got a Bravissimo Catalogue with nice things in at the mo, but mega expensive 55 for plainish swimsuit - seems a lot to me, but maybe good quality.

Go for it chris . It will be a good investment . In fact why not treat yourself to a couple . You can say you got them from Ebay for 99p for the 2.

I really like this one (not boring)

http://www.bravissimo.com/products/swimwear/tankinis/panache/tankini-tops/ps74-details.aspx?ck=R7x97WJzYUA%3d

and if I was 20 years younger and 2 stone less this one

http://www.bravissimo.com/products/swimwear/bikinis/freya/fwa2-details.aspx?ck=UwrsMxKe3ZM%3

But would end up with something like this hopeless really.

http://www.bravissimo.com/products/swimwear/swimsuits/speedo/swimsuits/so03-details.aspx?ck=M1Ejc5j8AZQ%3d

LOL would never get away with the 99p ebay stuff Lyn they are too savvy

Well it get's good reviews and is underwired so you wont get the squashed flat boobs but come on girl live dangerously and order the 1st one . I like that one and it will look lovely

Definitely bikinis for me. I've tried tankinis and swimsuits but really don't like being covered up. Won't pay a lot because they only usually last me one year and then get demoted for use in the steam room at the gym.
I buy M & S outstanding value. About £9 for a top and £5 for a bottom.

http://www.marksandspencer.com/Marks-and-Spencer-Underwired-Ruffle/dp/B003FCV23Y?ie=UTF8&ref=sr_1_45&nodeId=43168030&sr=1-45&qid=1296754871&pf_rd_r=0G212CXFTVQN37F0H2DY&pf_rd_m=A2BO0OYVBKIQJM&pf_rd_t=101&pf_rd_i=43167030&pf_rd_p=215570647&pf_rd_s=related-items-3

I don't look quite like that in it though

I buy 2 bottoms for each top as they do fade with chlorine and sun, and I don't wear the tops very often (I don't do growing old gracefully )

This is the set I bought last year
shorts and Tankini.

http://www.figleaves.com/uk/product.asp?product_id=FIG-F107151

They didnt have the top in my size so I got this one to match . It looks nowhere near as busty in real life if you get your right size which is one of the mistakes us girls often make when buying Bra's and bikini tops. I always used to buy a DD until I started to buy decent ones from Figleaves and Bravissimo . Now I buy an F cup which makes me sound enormous but I'm not & it fits perfectly .

http://www.figleaves.com/uk/product.asp?product=Freya-Swim-Carousel-Underwired-Balcony-Bikini-Top&product_id=FBF-AS3000&size=&colour=Reds