Some Safe Spaces To Buy Swimwear
With a body type and mentality that threatens to read as an opening to a Bridget Jones novel swimwear can be problematic... Here's a few safe options from me and my friends. No meltdown needed.
With a body type and mentality that threatens to read as an opening to a Bridget Jones novel, swimwear can be problematic... Each year I wrestle with the issue that whilst I love summer, I hate swimwear. Have I tried every possible self-help tool available? Yes. But frankly as a childhood product of the 80s and 90s, if I read every single body positive book available I would still be on a ratio of 10:1 on Heat Magazine titles telling me (and perfectly beautiful celebrities) we need to give up bread. I guess my point is - if I feel comfortable in a swimwear garment I think most of you would too…
This post is a long one as Substack limits the amount you can put into an email - to read the whole thing you will need to open within Substack’s app or the web.
For me buying swimwear isn’t an activity, it’s a science. A psychological experience even. I have become so unbelievably picky I feel bad for any new potential entrant into my water-wardrobe. The fabric has to be right, the shape is what makes it, the price needs to explain itself, it has to support in the right places and it better not even think about being too tight anywhere. I’ll spend good money on a good one, but I do not invest easily.
So that this isn’t just my personal experience (which hinges very much on my body type) I have asked the audience on this. By audience I mean my friends who range from long and lithe to short and stumpy (me being the leader in that category). We aren’t girls, we’re women. Our bodies have stories to tell - be that pregnancy, health woes, surgery, size changes… life! But we’re all similar in that swimwear would never be our outfit of choice and we want to feel confident in it.
Here are the brands that kept coming up in our WhatsApp conversations…
Hunza G
Starting with the brand that was deliberated the most in my WhatsApp chat - the original crinkle cuts; British brand, Hunza G. I have owned two, a swimsuit and a bikini. My thoughts were; the one size fits all thing works if by “all” you mean C cup and under in the chest department and probably up to a size 16. That said, different styles cut in different ways and if you have gravity defying breasts then you’d be fine. For me the absolutely brilliant fit is the Sadie. The low drop but wide boob is really flattering and the folded edges as opposed to hemmed edge (like the Jamie high waisted bikini) works really well for me and my derriere.
Are they the only crinkle option? No. But do I think they’re worth the money? Unbelievably give the price tag, I do think so. This fabric needs to be well made to last (on that note, always - I repeat always - rinse and dry your Hunza if you want it to survive) and only Hunza has the exact fabric that works as shapewear as much as it does swimwear. I like wearing mine, it’s flattering in a way I didn’t know swimwear could be.
The other good shapes are above and here are some notes: Best bikini for a curvy shape is the Juno, the twist on the chest helps to lift your chest and it looks really nice. Best for am athletic shape is the Jamie, the twist also helps to boost your chest if you are conscious of small melons (although my pregnant friend says the band along the tummy stops it being pregnancy friendly, FYI). The hoop detail on the Hallie and the Celine styles means it’s better for smaller cup sizes, although the pants with the Hallie are really good for wider hips.
If you’re not in their size range do check out fellow British brand, You Swim. They offer two sizing options that go up to a size 26/28.
Cossie & Co
I’m hoping you’ve heard of Cassie & Co, because they deserve to do so well. They have beautiful items and they’re designed (in Britain, by Brits) for “people like us.” Their description is “say no to wedgies, to that ‘can you see my .....’ moment, no to a nip slip, and no to holding in your tummy all day. Say yes to jumping from the boat's top deck, showing off your waterskiing skills, going from beach to bar and only adding a pair of shorts and lots of gold jewellery.” Sounds good, right?
I discovered them last year when two of my friends had their swimsuits on during a girls weekend. They have a particular fabric texture - they call it a honeycomb - which looks super sleek but most importantly holds shape very well. All of their shapes come in a range of colours from the “adventurous” to the “not at all”. My two friends wearing them won’t mind me saying they have totally different body shapes but the swimsuits fitted them both like a glove. As a testament to the (literal) strength of the fabric, my H cup friend was wearing their one shoulder one piece, the Emily. My other friend wore the Edie in cool blue. I think the Ashley is particularly chic.
Boden
Times have changed - buying swimwear from Boden no longer has that “I have given up and lost all sense of myself” air to it. Instead, it’s really good. I have to control myself with Boden as I can get carried away with their wonderful prints - I am trying hard to build a capsule wardrobe. That said, their stuff does re-sell really well on Vinted so if you do succumb, there’s always that option. Swimwear wise they seem to really get a women’s body. Here are my favourites from their newest collection…
I am not one for patterns on bikinis, however, if the “pattern” is lemons, stripes or blue and white I am in. Boden have all of that covered for me. I love the shape of this halter neck style one - actually has straps at the back and is lightly padded (you can remove them if needed). The smocked fabric one comes in a lovely green, blue print and black (again with removable pads).
What I especially like about Boden is their mix and match stuff - the blues in their plain items will match the blues in prints, etc. There are multiple options for tops and bottoms - eg: this tankini can be paired with classic, high waisted or short-style bottoms in a big variety of colours. You could also pair it with bikini tops like this lovely striped one.
For those wanting more support, these options come in cup sizes too. A lot of swimsuits have regular/long options too. Finally for those looking for a little sculpting, the Arezzo panel option is great. At the time of writing, the code D8C7 will get you 15% off, here.
Away That Day
Another British brand (who knew that the country with the least sunshine, has the most swim brands?) with a sustainable focus, Away That Day was founded in 2019. I discovered them as friends own them and love the Palma bikini I own.
The main reason I love it is the tie up back, meaning I can adjust it exactly to my size. They also do a great range of bottom-options - I really like the Fiji as it’s cut really surprisingly well for someone who usually avoids smaller briefs - in fact I’d even wear their Maui style which is testament to the cut. Most of their styles come in at least 5 colours too (my favourites being plum, sapphire and forest).
I’ve got my eye on the Monaco one piece; my friend has it and it seems to have gravity defying powers for the chest, and the Hampton is great for anyone worried about shoulder/arm proportions with the cleverly shaped strap.Also recommend checking out their linen stuff; the little dresses and shorts are particularly good.
Hush
A new contender of a brand and a specific one. If - and this is a big if - you have a large derriere but a proportionately smaller chest - this swimsuit is probably the best I have found on this post. So flattering, great tummy shape and loving on the rear. Hush’s swimwear range is really strong across the board - this shape is great for larger busts too. I’m guessing someone in their design team worked in lingerie previously..
The Riley rib swimsuit is one of the best I’ve tried on too - I love a halter neck shape but they sometimes dont work for me as they don’t lift my chest and then don’t frame my shape under my bra line - this does. I really like it - it looks a lot more expensive than it is. The high waisted bikini here is a great fit for curves, and the colour is brilliant for highlighting a tan.
Straighter shapes might like this star print swimsuit, my friend has it and says the swirls in the print make her feel more shapely - look at it on the model here, the flat shot isn’t the best. Lastly my friend who is breastfeeding recommended this stripe crinkle swimsuit, as it’s very easy and holds shape against the constant up/down of the top (the bikini is the same too, she has both).
Marks & Spencer
I went into M&S last week and tried on most of their swimwear offering. The plan was to share it as a Reel, but the lighting was so bad in the changing I had a meltdown instead. However, I did find some diamonds in the proverbial rough (as have most of my friends this season, it would seem) … One thing I would say is, if you don’t want it to cling into your hips you need to size up on the bottoms. I thought it was just me, but having asked around this seems to be a widespread thing (no pun intended)
One thing I wanted to work for me but didn’t was the scalloped options which I was sad about - I thought it’d be a great alternative to the much more expensive Marysia. But sadly the fabric isn’t heavy enough and all the scallops tilt when on the body. I love the tummy sculpting one piece, especially in the leopard print. It’s shapewear that doesn’t look remotely like shapewear. Equally a big fan of the striped halter neck one, and think their twist front bikini bottoms are amongst the most flattering I’ve seen. Lastly the one shoulder one piece is a direct copy of the Arket number from last year, but £40 cheaper.
Haight
I did not expect to love this brand at all. Everything about them said they weren’t for me, but they came strongly recommended by a friend with the same hang ups as me. They’re from Brazil (not known for curvatures, shyness or lots of fabric) and if there’s one thing I have learnt; do not judge a brand by its homepage. Their Monica swimsuit is my favourite one I own.
I desperately want the bandeau bikini with the high waist, having tried it on I think it’s the only bandeau I’ve found that I’d trust with a dive into a pool… Their classic black bikini is just perfect, and I love this - picture with a taupe linen shirt and/or a big raffia hat.
Do they need to work on their sizing? Yes. I wear a large, which for a 28/29inch waist does feel slightly ridiculous. But my word, if you are in their range you have to try one. Even if like me you wait until the sales (I think mine was 30% off last year), but it’s worth wish-listing it so you can find it quickly when the sales do hit (update - Matches have a great offering on sale here).
AOB: Varley, Iris & Ink,
There are obviously a ton more places you can get swimwear, especially at this time of year. One of my best finds was an Iris and Ink (The Outnet’s own brand) one for £43 in the sale a few months ago. It doesn’t look like much online but in real life it fits like a glove and doesn’t dig anywhere. For that reason, I’ve got my eye on this navy one given my success with the brand (also comes in green).
I have seen Varley swimwear fit friends really well - general consensus is they come up a size small (although I’d nearly always buy a size larger in swim anyway). I particularly like the Dawson swimsuit if you’re someone who wants one thats fitness appropriate but could also be for beside the pool. The Mesa on the other hand is a brilliant piece to pair with shorts for a long, beachside lunch.
Last but not least and going against everything I’ve said about printed swimwear; Zimmermann. Don’t buy at full price, The OutNet always have loads here. To this day I am none the wiser about sizing so always get two sizes - but the pieces I have that have worked are still going 8-10 years on.
Hoping this is useful and gives you a little more confidence in shopping swimwear. Please do comment below with your own finds so we can all enjoy - team work makes the dream work..!