FIRST TIME COMPETING? START HERE
Your First Competition Suit Doesn't Have to Be a Guessing Game
Preparing for your first competition is exciting—but choosing a competition suit can quickly become overwhelming.
What cut do you need? How much coverage? Which top? What size connectors? Will that color look good with your competition tan? How will the fabric look under stage lights? And how are you supposed to know any of this if you've never worn a competition suit before?
That's exactly why we created this guide.
At OMG Bikinis, we work with first-time competitors every day. You don't need to know all the answers before you start shopping. We'll walk you through the decisions that matter and give you the tools to make them with confidence.
Let's start at the beginning.
1. Know Your Division
Before choosing a suit, make sure you're shopping for the correct division.
Bikini, Wellness, Figure, Women's Physique and Fit Model have different requirements and different approaches to suit construction, coverage and styling.
Your federation matters too. NPC, IFBB, OCB and other organizations may have different rules, so always check the current requirements for the organization and division in which you're competing.
If you're unsure about a particular suit requirement, ask us. We'd much rather answer the question before your suit is made than have you discover an issue on show day.
→ Explore our Competition Suit Design Guide
2. Consider Starting With a Posing Suit
This is one of the recommendations we give first-time competitors during our consultations.
Before investing in your competition suit, consider getting a posing suit in the same type of cut you'll eventually wear on stage.
Why?
Because pictures can show you what different cuts look like, but wearing one on your own physique teaches you much more.
A posing suit gives you time to practice posing while becoming familiar with competition-style coverage and fit. You'll learn where you prefer your side connectors to sit, how much front and glute coverage feels right, how the bottoms move while you pose and what you may want to change when it's time to order your competition suit.
It also gives your posing coach an opportunity to see the cut on you and offer feedback.
Your competition suit is an investment. A posing suit is an inexpensive way to learn what works for you before making that investment.
And after your competition suit arrives, you'll still have a dedicated suit for posing practice and check-ins instead of repeatedly wearing your stage suit.
→ Shop Bikini and Wellness Posing Suits
→ Shop Figure and WPD Posing Suits
3. Find Your Color
Color is one of the most exciting decisions—and one of the hardest to make from photographs alone.
The same fabric can look surprisingly different depending on lighting, camera settings, competition tan, stage lights and even the color of the stage backdrop.
Start by thinking about colors you naturally feel good wearing, but don't be afraid to explore.
OMG Bikinis offers Virtual Try-On on our website so you can upload your photo and get a better idea of how different suit colors may look on you.
It's a fantastic visualization tool, but remember that a virtual image is still a virtual image. It cannot perfectly reproduce the exact color, texture or reflectiveness of a physical fabric.
That's where swatches come in.
4. When in Doubt, Get the Samples
We can't emphasize this enough.
If you're deciding between several fabrics—or you're trying to match a very specific color—order fabric swatches before choosing your suit.
A computer or phone screen cannot show you exactly what a fabric looks like in person. Even photographs of the same fabric can vary considerably depending on lighting.
With a physical swatch, you can see the actual color and texture yourself. Look at it under different types of lighting. Hold it against your skin. If you already have your competition tan, compare it with that as well.
The same applies to crystals.
If you're particular about your rhinestone combination, want to compare different crystal colors or finishes, or simply want to see the sparkle in person before making your decision, rhinestone samples are available too.
This can be especially helpful when you're choosing between similar shades or deciding how a particular crystal combination will work with your fabric.
Virtual Try-On helps you visualize.
Fabric swatches and rhinestone samples let you see the actual materials.
Use both when you need them.
→ Order Fabric Swatches
→ Order Rhinestone Samples
5. Understand the Fit Before Choosing the Details
Competition suits are small garments—which means small differences can have a surprisingly big visual impact.
Top style and placement can change the appearance of your chest and neckline. Front coverage affects the overall shape of the bottoms. Glute coverage changes the look from the back. Connector width and placement can influence the visual proportions of the hips and legs.
This is why we offer choices rather than using one standard construction for everyone.
You don't need to become a competition-suit expert before placing an order. That's what our Competition Suit Design Guide is for.
It explains our top styles, bottom cuts, coverage options, connectors and other design elements in much greater detail, with visual examples to help you understand the differences.
Take a little time to explore it before ordering—especially if this is your first competition suit.
→ Open the Competition Suit Design Guide
6. Take Your Measurements Carefully
A custom suit can only be as accurate as the measurements we receive.
Always take current measurements rather than using numbers you remember from several months ago or measurements from an old clothing order.
Competition prep changes your physique, sometimes significantly.
Follow our measurement instructions carefully and don't intentionally make measurements smaller because you expect to lose more weight before your show. Give us accurate measurements of your body at the time you're instructed to measure.
If something doesn't look right or you're unsure where to place the measuring tape, ask us before submitting your measurements.
A two-minute question can prevent a much bigger problem later.
→ View Our Measurement Instructions
7. Now Comes the Fun Part: Choose Your Suit
Once you understand your division, have an idea of your preferred fit and coverage, and have narrowed down your color, you're ready to start looking at competition suits.
Don't feel like you have to find one design where you love absolutely everything.
Our designs are starting points.
You may love the crystal layout from one suit but want it on another fabric. You might prefer different connectors, more or less coverage, another top style or a completely different crystal combination.
That's the advantage of having your suit custom made.
Browse our designs for inspiration, then make yours yours.
→ Shop Bikini and Wellness Competition Suits
→ Shop Figure and WPD Competition Suits
→ Shop FIT MODEL Competition Suits
8. Give Yourself Enough Time
We are known for fast manufacturing, but that doesn't mean we recommend waiting until the last possible moment.
Our regular manufacturing time for custom competition suits is approximately 10–14 business days, with rush manufacturing options available when our production schedule allows.
But manufacturing time isn't the only thing to consider.
You may want time to order swatches, compare options, ask questions, receive your suit and try everything on well before competition day.
Your first suit involves decisions you've never made before. Give yourself enough time to enjoy the process instead of turning it into another source of peak-week stress.
9. Still Unsure? Talk to Us.
You are not expected to become a competition suit expert just because you decided to compete.
That's our job.
If you're unsure about your color, coverage, top style, connectors, sizing or any other part of your suit, schedule a complimentary competition suit consultation with Anna, owner and designer of OMG Bikinis.
We can talk through your division, physique, preferences and concerns and help you understand the options that make sense for you.
Sometimes ten minutes of conversation can answer questions you've spent hours trying to figure out online.
→ Schedule Your Complimentary Suit Consultation
One Last Piece of Advice
Don't choose your first competition suit based solely on what looks beautiful on another athlete.
Her physique isn't your physique. Her proportions aren't your proportions. Her skin tone isn't your skin tone. And what makes her feel amazing on stage may not be what makes you feel amazing.
Use other competitors for inspiration—not as a formula.
Practice in your posing suit. Explore your options. Try colors virtually. Get physical fabric or rhinestone samples when you're unsure. Learn the basics of fit. Ask questions.
And then create something that works for you.
Your competition suit is one part of months of preparation, but when you finally walk on stage, we want it to be the part you don't have to worry about.
We'll help you get there.
— Anna
Owner & Designer, OMG Bikinis
