#10daysofbeauty- Day Three: High Waist Swim Bottom Tutorial

I was planning my 25th birthday cruise to Bahamas with my boo and  I couldn't find any cute swimsuits. The full on bikinis were too daring for my style, and the one-pieces all looked to mothery. I searched for months before deciding that I would just make my own.

Then came the hardest part, getting the fabric, finding a cute pattern, and making the darn thing. I searched and searched and couldn't find anything that matched the vision in my head.  I wanted something sexy, yet flattering.. Something I could be comfortable in! As I was packing for the trip, I  came across these control-top panties that I forgot I owned, and a lightbulb went off!

So this is so simple, it almost doesn't require a tutorial, but here goes :)

1.     Find a pair of control top panties made out of lycra. Lycra/spandex is the same stuff swimsuits are made of. I just happened to have had one from when I was bigger laying around the house that worked perfectly. If you're going out to buy one, buy it a size larger so you don't feel like your actually girddle'd up lol..

2.     Get some buttons. Again, I made these as I was packing to leave for my trip the next morning, so I used what I had. I found these sailor buttons at a fabric store in Chicago years ago, and I'm sure I paid less than a dollar for a whole cup full. 

3.     Get needle and thread, or be lazy like me a use safety pins. I was sleepy, and I knew I would probably want to change/add buttons when I got a chance to find the perfect ones, so safety pins were a perfect solve and worked just fine.               

4.     Position the buttons on your bottoms. I chose three buttons on each side, with the rustic in the middle. You can add more or less, depending on what look you want. I would suggest the buttons with the holes on the back instead of the ones that have the button hole through the entire button. It just looks better with bigger, sort of hanging buttons.

5.     Safety pin/sew those suckers on, and you're done! I matched my bottoms with a red bikini top I got from Marshalls and gold accessories for a really cute sailor/wonderwoman look LOL. I got a TON of compliments on my swim suit and it was super easy (and cheap!) to make.

Do you plan on making your own swim bottoms? What ideas has this inspired for you? I'd love to hear your thoughts!

In Pearl Island, in Bahamas, New Providence  after snorkeling for my 25th Birthday.