Swimsuits Prints by Season

Swimsuits are one of the most difficult pieces of clothing for women to buy. Standing in the mirror with basically nothing on is an emotional experience and can bring all sorts of self doubt. The saving grace of the swimsuit is that it generally comes in such fun prints and colors. This year, instead of focusing on your emotions, focus on design. To make it easier for you, read on for a guide to what prints and colors you might look for in each season. Once you know your best prints and colors, then you can move on to the best swimsuit styles for your body type.

Swimsuit Prints and Colors

When it comes to prints, I have found that people definitely have a seasonal preference. The custom color palettes that I previously provided my clients always included a swatch of prints with the distinct characteristics of the season. When I look at the prints for each season, I honestly only like the six versions for my season. Due to this, I used to worry when I showed my clients their prints that they would hate the swatch, but to a person, every client has liked the prints of their own season. Before my color analysis, I didn’t have very many prints as I never felt that comfortable in them. The problem wasn’t prints, but rather the prints I was choosing. I love prints now that I know what to look for and you can too, so read on to find out what swimsuit prints to look for in each season.

Swimsuits for Springs

Springs are often the “girl next door’ type and can be described as light, bright, and radiant. The key to their colors is clarity, so they should look for colors that are clear and patterns that are light and bright. The prints they look best in are floral, tropical or impressionistic, but there needs to be space in the print and the flowers should be distinct rather than blended. They are also the only season who can wear whimsical prints like little birds, bows, or other such details. Examples swimsuits are a bright tropical floral print, flirty yellow bikini, and super fun seersucker pattern with flowers. 

Blue Floral Swimsuit (Target) | Yellow Swimsuit (Target)| Seersucker swimsuit (J Crew)

Swimsuits for Summers

Summers are blended, diffused, and restful and their prints should match this quality. Like Springs, Summers look great in floral prints; however, their flowers should be more indistinct to gain the softness that is key to Summer colors. Blended prints without a lot of space also provide the complexity that Summers wear well. In addition to florals, Summers look beautiful in paisley. Example swimsuits are tiny flowers in some of Summers deepest colors, a soft, muted dusky blue, and a blended pattern in a soft yet bright summer palette. 

Small floral print (J Crew) | Dusty Blue Bikini (Target) | Light Blue Print (Target)

Swimsuits for Autumns

Like Summers, Autumns are complex, so they don’t need much space in their prints. They look fantastic in paisley, nature prints, ethnic prints, and animal prints. Autumns are vivid, dynamic, and intense while the key to their colors is tonation, so there should be a toasted quality to the colors they choose. Example swimsuits are the deep, toasted palm tree print, tiered olive tankini, and sexy toasted rose bikini.

Palm Tree Print (J Crew) | Olive Tankini (Target) | Toasted Rose Bikini (Target)

Swimsuits for Winters

Winters are elegant, dramatic and striking; and therefore, they actually don’t wear prints very often. When they do, they tend to have contrast as that is the key to their colors. The prints that work best for them have a simple design and are uncluttered. There should be some space in the print – abstract and geometric often work well for Winters whereas they are too stately for whimsical prints. Examples include this old Hollywood bathing suit, intense red one-piece, and boldly striped tankini. 

Gingham Print Bikini (J Crew) | Red One-Piece (Target) | Striped Tankini (Target)

Swimsuit Styles for Your Body Type

Just as there are particular prints and colors that work well for each season, there are certain styles that work better for each body type. Pairing the right color and style for you will not make the dressing room experience any better, but it should make you feel more confident in your swimsuit this season. I provided a guide to choosing a swimsuit for the six different body types in Color Crew, so check it out!

What are your favorite swimsuit prints and colors? Do you tend to go bolder or brighter than your normal attire?