FIT CHECK

Ihave booked a short break in a nice hotel with a pool. And although I don’t see myself parading poolside in a di erent fabulous head-to-toe ensemble every day, I want to make more of an e ort and have at least two complete outfits that can take me from my sun lounger to lunch, and maybe even to an early cocktail at the pool bar without having to return to my room.

Like most of the women I know, swimwear shopping is not high on the list of things I enjoy doing, so, on a friend’s recommendation, I booked myself in for a deluxe swimwear fitting at Amelie’s Follies (they work by appointment only). It was a little daunting to go to a boutique that requires you to book just to enter it, but as Catherine explained (the owner, and my fitter that day), It means that no one is hovering on the shop floor while you are being served, meaning you get the full attention of your fitter, as well as more privacy.

After a few pointed questions (what kind of holiday are you going on? Are you a sunbather? Will you be running after little people? Bikini or swimsuit?) Catherine started bringing in swimsuits (I have never been a bikini wearer) that fit me very well. I am a size 16 to 18 with a 36H bra size, so finding suits that fit me all over is no mean feat. I was pleasantly surprised by the amount of choice in my size, but also by the diversity in prints and colours available. Whoever decided that big girls should wear black and navy on the beach has obviously never met Catherine! She explained that as I was very fair (I barely change colour even after a two week holiday) should go for punchy, vivid colours. Black can be very draining, especially if your hair has started turning to grey.

After about 30 minutes of trying, I had a handful of good contenders, but I spotted a really nice pineapple print on the shop floor… Could I not try that one? A rather firm: ‘No, this isn’t for you’ took me aback. But She went on to explain that although they stock over 55 di erent sizes of bras, swimwear doesn’t always come cup-sized. The luscious pineapple print suit comes in a C cup only, so even the size 16 will not fit. This is something I had never really considered before, but she was right of course. A lot of swimwear, especially on the high street, will come sized Small, Medium, Large, rather than bra-sized, so going up a size in the body usually doesn’t work if that garment hasn’t been designed for the right volume up top. All this knowledge is what you get when you shop in a small independent boutique. "We know our stock, and endeavour to only give you the stu that we think will fit you and your lifestyle but also make you feel good about yourself. We know how hard swimwear (and bra) shopping can be, so there is no need for you to try on all the stock that won’t fit. We do the running around; you do the trying," they say.

I settled on a couple of suits, one with underwires, the other without, but both with great support, plus a beautiful flowy long kaftan as well as a shorter kaftan.

All in all, I thoroughly enjoyed my swimwear fitting session. This kind of service is exactly why we should use our local boutiques more. And not just for swimwear. ameliesfollies.co.uk