5 Essential Tips for Wearing Swimsuits if You’re Over 50, According to 80s Supermodel Kim Alexis

Summer is the perfect time to slip into a new swimsuit or two. But that means it’s also the perfect time for our body insecurities to make themselves known. No matter what age we are, finding confidence in our own skin and body can be tough especially when you're wearing a swimsuit. While we might get more and more confident with age, it also might get harder to find our groove. What once looked good on us might not fit the same. And after you turn 50, clothing like bathing suits might be harder to style, pick out or wear with confidence.

So, to give you a little bit of guidance if you’re having trouble figuring out how to navigate swimwear when you're over 50, actress and 80s supermodel Kim Alexis is here to help. The 63-year-old spoke to Parade about the best ways to pick out a bathing suit, how to wear one and what to focus on if you’re over 50. Read on to see her tips!

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What are some good bathing suit brands and styles for women over 50?

Swimsuits can feel like a very hard place to hide, which might be what we want to do when we put one on. But for Kim Alexis, picking the best bathing suit has everything to do with what makes her feel the best and what she likes the most. For instance, Alexis shares that she does not like uneven or asymmetrical bathing suits for the reasons most people don’t: weird tan lines. She just loves something simple and comfortable—AKA a one-piece swimsuit.

“I was a swimmer when I was growing up," she tells Parade. "So I'm very much into more of a sporty [look]. I like the solid color. I sometimes can have a flower or something that's bright. But other times a basic black tank swimsuit for me works.”

The model is open to the idea of a tankini suit too, and has tried “pretty much… every type of swimsuit.” But after all her years of modeling them and wearing them for fun, the one-piece suit is her go-to.

When it comes to her favorite swimsuit brands that she suggests for women over 50, she has a good handful.

Norma Kamali

Goddess Mio Swimsuit, $145 at Normal Kamali

“She's got a lot of fun, one-pieces, She's got leopard prints or animal prints, so there's a lot of options there.”

Lululemon

Ribbed High-Neck Longline Swim Top, $44 at Lululemon

“Lululemon has more the sporty [kinds] and the problem is they don't have many colors [in one-pieces]. So it seems to be purple or black.”

Summersalt

The Perfect Wrap One-Piece, $95 at Summersalt

“Summersalt has a couple of good options and they do have some plus sizes.”

J. Crew

Ruffle V-Neck Ruched One-Piece Swimsuit, $118 at J. Crew

“J.Crew is very good also.”

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How do you style a bathing suit after turning 50?

When you have a more basic or simple bathing suit, like what Kim Alexis likes to wear, you can easily accessorize it to work for whatever occasion you’re dressing for. Styling and accessorizing your bathing suits can be a great way to make a look your own. And for Alexis, that means using a cover-up as her main way of styling a swimsuit.

“For me, I think it's important to have a cover-up. I feel much more secure, wearing a swimsuit if I have some type of cover-up," she says. "So for me, it's important to have either a wrap or a cute little sundress that I can pop on top. So that if I want to take it off, I can."

She says that cover-ups give her great options while at the beach or pool and are very versatile. "I just like that security of an extra layer,” she says.

Alexis’s go-to cover-up style is a cotton dress (not “super long) or anything light. As long as she can get it over her head and there are no ties or buttons, she’s good to go. She wants something that’s not going to rub on her skin, in case she has a sunburn or just doesn’t want anything constricting her in the hot sun.

When further accessorizing, Alexis loves to bring a beach bag, specifically one that her son gave her. “It is made out of the material that they use for scuba diving, so I love that,” she says.

NUBILY Beach Bag for Women, Multipurpose Beach Tote Bag 30L Water Resistant Sandproof Neoprene Tote Bags Extra Large Swimming Travel Gym Pool Bag Lightweight Vacation Shoulder Bag

In addition to that, she fills her bag up with her fave things: a water bottle, sunblock, sunglasses and natural lip gloss.

Urban Green Glass Water Bottle with Protective Silicone Sleeve and Bamboo Lid, 18oz, 1extra 304 Stainless Steel Lid with Handle, BPA Free, Dishwasher Safe, Valentine Gift

SOJOS Cat Eye Designer Sunglasses Fashion UV400 Protection Glasses SJ2052 with Pink Tortoise Frame/Pink Mirrored Lens

Alexis uses a natural, mineral sunscreen that isn’t full of harmful chemicals. Her favorite is Badger’s Baby sunblock.

Badger Baby Mineral Sunscreen Cream SPF 40, Organic Toddler Sunscreen with Zinc Oxide, Broad Spectrum, Reef Safe, Water Resistant, Pediatrician Tested Baby Sunblock for Sensitive Skin, 2.9 fl oz

Related: 21 Tummy-Control Swimsuits To Try This Summer

5 tips for wearing a swimsuit over 50, according to model Kim Alexis

Bodies change over time and you might not look or feel the way you did at age 20. But that’s more than okay! Kim Alexis knows this well and has some great tips for any woman over the age of 50 who wants to feel confident in a bathing suit.

1. Know what looks good on you

“There are different options and different body types. There are about five or six different body types, so you have to know where your strengths are and where your weaknesses are because that gives you more confidence and it helps you to pick out what type of suit is good.”

2. Know your personality

“You need to know whether you want to hide. So maybe basic black or if you like to flaunt, and some people love to flaunt even when they're older!”

3. Know your event

“Sometimes you're sporty. Sometimes you're just laying around getting a tan, sometimes you're going out for a swim. So, sometimes, suits need to vary depending on what your event is. Sometimes you just want to look beautiful and you don't imagine the suit getting wet at all.”

4. Accept your body

“You have to be confident in every situation no matter what because people pick up more on that than what the suit is so if you're confident and know that you're doing your best and this is who I am, here we are and I'm enjoying myself. It's very important.”

5. Enjoy and relax

“It's all about just being out there. Nobody's laughing at you. I think sometimes we feel people are laughing at us or, my gosh, you're pointing. No. Everyone's got their own thing going on. So, stop worrying about yourself and just enjoy where you are. Enjoy the people you're with. That's what makes being outside important.”

What is the most important factor for a woman over 50 when she’s choosing a bathing suit?

For Alexis, the most important factor a woman over 50 should think about when choosing a bathing suit is “comfort… over style.” She knows this changes for everyone, but if something makes her feel good and gives her the ability to move about, it’s a win for her. Especially when she can guarantee she won’t have a nip slip or a suit mishap.

But again, it’s all about what makes you feel good, in your body wherever you are. So if that’s a two-piece, bikini or a one-piece, Alexis says that women over 50 look best when they’re feeling themselves.

“There's nothing better than an older woman who's out on the beach and feels good about herself,” she says. “She's not scrunching her shoulders. She's not all covered up with a hat and glasses… just like trying to hide. There's something about just, hey, she's going for it. And this is what she chose and let's celebrate her.”

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Styles change and we do too, but that’s okay!

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Alexis tells Parade that she used to love a high-hip, one-piece swimsuit when she was younger. But now, at age 63, she prefers a one-piece with more hip coverage and more coverage on top. She loves something with thicker straps that she knows is going to hold everything together (and in) and that is all about comfort.

“I don't want things moving around, but I think as I'm aging I find that the high-hip was for younger girls and I want to be appropriate,” she shares. “I don't want to look like I'm 20 because I can never go there again but I'm who I am and what I am. And so for me, a lower hip bathing suit is important.”

Embracing your body as it is, at whatever age it's at, is pretty empowering according to Alexis. And, again, if that includes a two-piece swimsuit for you, then go for it. While it’s hard to walk out in a bathing suit sometimes at any age, remembering that no one really cares (and not caring about the people who do weirdly care what you look like) is a big thing to remind yourself of. Because, as Kim Alexis shared before, no one is laughing at you.

So, with these empowering tips and advice, go off and find the perfect summer bathing suit for you and rock it, no matter your age.

Next up, read about the best habit you need to stay mentally sharp over 50.