How to find the perfect-fitting swimsuit

Despite being the other side of forty, I've never worn Spanx pants or any form of control underwear - a pair of accidentally-shrunk-in-the-wash designer jeans are as figure-hugging as it gets. It's not that I choose to let it all hang out it's just that low-key is my natural setting, I rarely wear slinky dresses and never get invited to red carpet occasions, so the thought of being fitted for a body-sculpting swimsuit fills me with fear. Lady Gaga I ain't.

The Speedo 'real women' campaign

Over at the Covent Garden flagship Speedo store, real women in Shapeline swimsuits beam down at me from glossy posters as I'm gently ushered into a changing room. After tons of research and development - body scanning over five thousand women - Speedo have come up with the Shapeline swimwear range; Identifying three main problem areas: the fuller bust, the waist (straight or hourglass figure) and the pear shape. For the ad campaign, three real women were selected for their individual body shapes and photographed by Mary McCartney.

My Speedo fitting 

Out comes the tape measure, my body shape is assessed and off goes the lovely assistant to peruse the rails. I'm nervous. Then, as if by magic, a swimsuit pops into the bright pink, jumbo cord sack on my side of the door. What a brilliant idea. The door remains firmly closed, the semi-naked customer hidden from view, the Speedo Waist Smoother is posted through a giant letterbox (into the jumbo cord sack) and modesty prevails. Hallelujah!

So, apparently I'm more Cameron Diaz than Kelly Brook and this swimsuit is going to cinch in my waist and give my straight-up-and-down silhouette some womanly curves. I struggle - and it is a struggle - into the black one-piece. Blimey, it's a tight fit. The double-layered stomach panel, built-in underwired bra, and tensile strength of Elastane (31%), make it a darn sight snugger than my five-year old Speedo that's done a lot of mileage and gone a bit saggy round the bum. The lovely assistant says I look amazing, but I'm not convinced. If only Dr Linda Papadopolous was here!

The psycholgist/TV presenter is an ambassador for the Shapeline collection, ‘helping women to ‘develop their confidence and overcome body image fears.' Dr P says that we should maintain ‘a sense of objectivity and a sense of humour' when after months of being covered up we take our clothes off to try on swimwear. Even with a sense of humour there is nothing funny about seeing my pasty white flesh squeezed into a black Lycra tube.

But, if you're planning a posh holiday and want to unleash your body in the vicinity of the hotel pool - then this piece of hi-tech swimwear is for you. Cleverly constructed by a team of lingerie experts, the Shapeline swimsuit has multi-way straps and more support than a newly separated Cheryl Cole. At £100, it's not cheap, but you'll look like a movie star. Just avoid that struggle under a towel and get changed in the privacy of your own room!

Shapeline swimwear info

Shapeline swimwear is available in sizes 30B to 34G, sizes 10-20, from www.speedosculpture.com, the Speedo store, London, and selected Rigby and Peller and Bravissimo stores.

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