When I was designing the Cottesloe swimsuit pattern, the most important thing to me was to make sure it was a great fitting pattern, but also…that it was a classic swimsuit to give you guys heaps of opportunity to make it your own! That’s what this post is all about; we’ve got all the ideas you’ll ever need to turn your Cottesloe swimsuit into your favourite piece this summer.

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Instead of keeping to one fabric for your swimsuit, why not try mixing it up?

• Keep it simple and make the top and bottom of your bikini different complementary colours! You can also achieve the same colour blocked look in View A by keeping the top (either to the underbust or waist) in one colour, and the bottom half in another! Pastels look subtle and pretty together where as block primary colours will make a big 80’s inspired statement!
• Why not pattern block (not sure if that’s a term, but we’re going to use it!) parts of your suit?! Either combine a solid colour with a print, or you could even use two prints (loving the floral mixed with stripes!)
• Add in a waist band in a contrasting fabric (like the gorgeous leopard print touch above) or switch up the direction of your print (horizontal stripes anyone?) to accentuate your waist! An added benefit of adding in the extra panel around the waist is it’s a great way to add some structure/shape to your basic one piece.

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When choosing swimwear, I know black is always SO tempting. BUT…we’re so excited to show you how gorgeous these suits look in bright and fun colours! Why not stand out and have some fun?!

• Colourful abstract prints are a great idea for swimwear. Pattern matching isn’t a problem and there won’t be any realistic flora or fauna that accidentally get placed in funny places (trust us…we’ve been there).
• Stripes, stripes and more stripes! You can choose thin, wide, horizontal or vertical stripes in a rainbow or select colour palette…all will look amazing!

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We are extra excited about this pattern because of it’s basic shape and style…it’s the perfect base for you to add all sorts of little details to make it your own!

• Why not add some frills around the low back or across the top of the bikini bottom for a cute little feature.
• A really simple way to create a different look is to create the bikini top with a tie (either faux or real) at the centre bust. Having a little extra pull will lift the bust area and make you feel secure. You could add a matching wrap around the top of your bikini bottom also…great for covering up a tummy or even just as a nice detail.
• We’ve added a tie strap at the back of our View A for those of you who like a little more support around the bust area. It’s functional but also looks great!

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Black and white swimwear will ALWAYS be in fashion…and it’s such a simple go-to suit…we don’t blame you if you head straight for the monochrome swim fabric! If you wanted something ever so slightly different, you could look for a ribbed swim fabric; a black and white stripe or add a simple detail like colourful straps to mix up the look.

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The Cottesloe swimsuit was designed with a more active, sporty wearer in mind. We wanted to make sure you would be just as comfortable lazing on the beach as you would be doing laps at the pool!

• Add in colour blocking to make your active bikini more interesting.
• To mix up a simple black suit, consider adding in sheer panels around the waist or in the centre front of the suit.
• A zip down the centre front of the bikini top and bottom (or indeed part way down the full suit view A) looks super sporty! Make sure to find zips that will withstand the water you’ll be using them in (be mindful of chlorine pools) and we’d recommend a locked zip to make sure it doesn’t slide down unexpectedly!

// LOOKING FOR MORE COTTESLOE POSTS? //

• Pattern Tester Round-up
• Inspiration + Ideas (this post!)
• Where to Find Swimsuit Fabric
• View B Full Suit Construction (+ Optional Lining)
• View A Full Suit Construction with Shelf Bra and Ties
• Views C & D Bikini Construction
• Basic Elastic Insertion for All Views
• Waistband and Underband Elastic Insertion for Views C & D

Don’t have the Cottesloe sewing pattern yet?! Order Cottesloe today! We absolutely love seeing what you make, so don’t forget to tag your creations with #MNcottesloe and @megannielsenpatterns when sharing on social media, and check out what everyone else is up to!

It’s time for our next tester round up and I can’t wait to show you all of the Cottesloe makes! After we finished our tester round there were some important changes we decided to make based on the feedback we received as well as from our own internal testing. The final pattern is bit different compared to the original, but we’re so happy with how it turned out and think there is a lot more versatility in the final options!

You might notice some differences between the tester makes below and the final pattern, but rest assured any changes have made the pattern even better!

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