If you follow me on Instagram, then you probably know I've been on the hunt for a swimsuit. I have one I bought a few years ago from Target, and I like it fine, but it's a little bit big, and I'm just in the mood for something new. Now that the internet is onto my search, I am seeing nothing but ads for swimsuits on all my social media accounts. I've checked out so many sites! And I would be up for trying out some of these shops, but I think any store that sells swimsuits online should offer free shipping and free returns. It's so hard to find suits that fit, and I need an easy return process if something doesn't work out.
With that said, I know of course that all body types are different and suits are going to fit people differently, but I thought it might be helpful to share a few of the suits I've tried recently!
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TARGET
I bought this without trying it on when I was in Target and saw it on the model. I got a size Medium. The size was correct, but unfortunately this didn't work for me and I took it back.
PROS:
-Price
-Fun colors and design
-Free shipping + returns
CONS:
-Skimpy butt coverage
-Wasn't long enough in the torso, so it pulled down in the front, even after adjusting the straps all the way.
SUMMERSALT
I first saw this suit when a blogger I follow posted a photo wearing it. I have never in my life spent this much on a swimsuit, but it has amazing reviews, and I figured I could at least try it. I filled out their fit guide, and it recommended I get a size 6, but I bought a size 8, and I'm glad I did. It was a good fit for me. That said, I was super sad this didn't work because I truly loved it.
PROS:
-Extremely easy return process + free shipping back to them
-Love the colors
-The design is fun and unique. LOVE the one-shoulder strap and how the back looked.
-SUPER SOFT. The softest swimsuit I've ever touched.
-Loved how it fit on my upper half.
CONS:
-Skimpy butt coverage (the website says this is a "C" butt coverage, but there's not way that's true)
-No cups built in, so I looked "cold" all the time even when I wasn't, if you know what I mean. Also the white band hits right on the *ipple, so that's a huge concern. I could have lived with the butt coverage, but for the price, I didn't want to be constantly worried about headlights. <-- a few of the reviews mentioned this, but honestly I'm shocked more people didn't have this issue. Or maybe they just don't care?
-Shipping to me cost $8. Boo. Free shipping back, but really $8 shipping is a ripoff for how expensive the suit is.
AMAZON
This suit was recommended by a friend of mine. I purchased a version of the same suit just without the ruffle. I think this has potential! Unfortunately I don't know what Amazon's problem was, but it had been over a week and hadn't shipped, so I cancelled the order because it was coming with something else I needed that wasn't going to arrive in time. I haven't reordered the suit yet, but I still might. It has good reviews and looks promising! Sorry I can't actually review this one, but I know someone in real life who has tried it and loved it! Just make sure and look at the sizing guide. This runs suuuuper small.
ATHLETA
When I posted about swimsuits on Instagram, I had numerous people recommend Athleta, so I figured I would give them a try. With free shipping and free returns, I didn't have anything to lose. And I actually found something to keep! Here's what I ordered:
I ordered a Medium Tall in the Tranquil blue because that color was on sale. The red and black were both $108. I loved the detail on the back, and after the Summersault problem, I was happy this suit had built-in cups. Unfortunately, it was horribly unflattering. I am not a large person, and this suit made me look extremely poochy in the stomach area. I don't understand what kind of photoshop magic they did to the models to make it not look awful in these photos.
PROS
-Price
-Cute detail in the back
-Built-in cups
-Adjustable straps
-Tall options for longer torsos
CONS
-VERY unflattering color and design; I don't think a different color would have looked any better.
-The chest area bunched up horribly and looked silly
-Butt coverage was still not as much as I'd prefer but was ok
I bought these bottoms to go with the top below. They were comfy and I liked the material, but I didn't keep them.
PROS
-Price
-Material
-Design (I liked the little cutouts on the leg; it was cute without being too much)
CONS
-Skimpy in the butt (are you noticing a pattern???)
Heyyyyyy we have a winner! Yes, I kept one finally! Although I had been looking for one-piece suits, I loved the look of this tankini top. It had an athletic vibe without looking like something an Olympic swimmer would wear. Plus, a fun design!
PROS
-Price
-Long enough to cover my stomach even with a longer torso
-Cute design
-Built-in bra (you actually purchase by bra size)
-Adjustable straps
-Fit perfectly!
CONS
-None!
Since I obviously returned the bottoms I bought to go with this top, you're probably wondering what I'm wearing with this. I actually have 2 bottoms that will work that I've had for years from Target. One is a blue bikini bottom. The other is a black swim skirt. It's really cute, and I love that my entire butt area is covered by the skirt part!
And maybe you're thinking I'm a grandma and should calm down about my constant need to cover my butt. But I really don't think I'm asking too much to find a swimsuit with enough material to cover my bottom so I don't have a wedgie after taking 5 steps. I'm going to be bending down to pick up my kids and running to play with them, and I just want my butt covered, dang it! It really should not be that difficult.
I've checked out a number of other options for swimsuits besides the ones above. If you're going to suggest it, I'm sure I've looked at it. But after finding the Athleta tankini, I think I might be good for now. I've burnt myself out on suits for the moment, and surprisingly many of these other sites don't offer free shipping or returns! I already lost money paying shipping for my Summersalt suit, so I'm not eager to repeat that mistake.
All that to say, where is your favorite swimsuit from? What are you the most picky about when trying on suits? What is your preferred swimsuit style?