Board shorts for the aerodynamically curvaceous?

February 12, 2007 6:24 AM

BigBootyFilter: Is there any brand of women's board shorts that is cut for curvy, hippy girls?

This question got me thinking that perhaps I should give board shorts another try. Previous attempts were stymied by my aerodynamically curvaceous booty -- board shorts that are big enough for my backside are usually way too big in the waist. Sadly, it seems that even women's board shorts are cut for 12-year-old boys.

If there are any similarly bootylicious board-short-wearers among you, please clue me in on what brand(s) you found that works, and where you got them. Hawaii MeFites, please feel free to suggest brick-and-mortar stores on Oahu, but bonus points for brands I could purchase online.

posted by somanyamys to clothing, beauty, & fashion (12 comments total)

So weird...about 15 minutes ago a co-worker was raving about these board shorts. She has the same fit problem, and loves these, and has several prints and solids, and she says to tell you that the prints are adorable and that they sit below your waist so there's no gap thing going on.
posted by iconomy at 7:07 AM on February 12, 2007

I don't even know what board shorts are, but if you are in the market for jeans, Gap sells "curvy fit." Quite nice for those of us with birthing hips.
posted by sneakin at 7:50 AM on February 12, 2007

You might have some luck with Title Nine. I've never bought anything from them, but I get the impression from the catalogs they keep sending me that their clothing is meant to fit "real," curvy, active women. (Once they described their heaviest-duty sports bra by saying - and I'm paraphrasing slightly here, but this was the tone - "It won't look pretty, but we guarantee those things won't bounce.") I'm pretty sure I remember seeing board shorts in there. Sorry I can't be more specific, but hopefully that gives you a place to look.
posted by vytae at 8:03 AM on February 12, 2007

Thanks for the recommendations. Just to clarify, I have a large back porch compared to the rest of me, but I'm not quite plus-sized. My fit problems are more about proportions than size.
posted by somanyamys at 8:27 AM on February 12, 2007

My Powder Room board shorts fit perfectly -- I'm otherwise thin-ish except for junk in the trunk. The sizing runs small, though.
posted by thisjax at 8:47 AM on February 12, 2007

I second looking at Title Nine. I have bought board shorts from them and I love them-terrific fit. They definitely realize that most women aren't built like 12 year-olds.
posted by bolognius maximus at 9:28 AM on February 12, 2007

I have a pair of No Boundaries Juniors XL and they're roomy enough in the butt/thighs but have a drawstring/elastic doinker thing that means I can cinch the waist up and they fit well. They're on the short side, but they're perfect for looking decent over a swimsuit. They are also longer than these which is all I was able to find when I was trying to google the model that I have.
posted by jessamyn at 9:29 AM on February 12, 2007

Have you tried Birdwells? As a dude, I can't speak from personal experience, but I was a beach lifeguard for many years, and knew many female guards of varying shapes and sizes who swore by them. They also happen to be the best boardshort in the world, bar none.
posted by saladin at 9:52 AM on February 12, 2007

for cheap ones, every summer old navy sells a decent pair.
posted by fillsthepews at 10:30 AM on February 12, 2007

If you're worried about proportions, steer clear of both the knee length shorts and the ultra short shorts. I find the ones that fit best on my not so well proportioned butt sit just below halfway between my hip and knee. The best pair I've got at the moment are by Volcom.
posted by cholly at 2:50 PM on February 12, 2007

Looks like the ones that iconomy recommended are not what you're looking for. You want ones that hit on your hips, not above your belly button!

Other than that...yeah I have the exact same body problem and not any good solutions. My suggestion is just to try on TONS. Once I had a pair from Gap that I loved. Go for low to semi-low rise, long but not too long. Good luck.
posted by radioamy at 7:04 PM on February 12, 2007

Thanks all for the suggestions. Still haven't found the perfect fit yet, but at least I have lots of new places to look.
posted by somanyamys at 8:07 PM on March 1, 2007