I developed rapidly as a teen and by my 16th birthday I was a 30FF. Finding swimwear that fitted properly was almost impossible, which annoyed me because I loved swimming. I would make do, by buying the closest sized swimsuit or tankini possible, usually a 32 E/F, and then use the family sewing kit to bring it closer to my size! As you can imagine, it didn’t support very well!

At 16, it was established that bikinis were a bad idea because I knew I would fall out as soon as I dived under water. I remember saying “I can’t wear bikinis, they’re just not practical!”. In 2009, my Grandma took me to her local Bravissimo. Gran was a busty lady herself and for the rest of my 20s I never went to a bra fitting without my Gran being present - it just became our thing. My size had changed to a 28G, and I managed to find a swimsuit that fitted me properly that day. I still have the swimsuit that Gran bought for me 10 and a half years ago on my first Bravissimo visit!

In the summer of 2019, I decided that it was a bit silly to only have one swimsuit…! So, I browsed Bravissimo and decided to experiment with bikinis. I tried on the Barbados bikini in marigold, (taking inspiration from a photo I found of mum in the 1970s wearing a yellow bikini). Imagine my excitement when for once a bikini finally worked for me. I did “the jump test” and a hand stand (sort of!), so I knew I wouldn’t fall out of this bikini while swimming, the colour was perfect, and I looked in proportion. For the first time in my adult life, I felt comfortable in a bikini. I wore it in the swimming pool, and I didn’t feel paranoid in the slightest - everything was where it should be. I’m sure Gran would have loved it if she saw it.