I hope that you’re enjoying our Curvy Swimwear month so far! I’m going to change gears slightly from curvy swimwear sewing to current swimwear options available in ready-to-wear (RTW). It’s been nearly two years since our last post on RTW swimwear (see The Wonderful World of Curvy Swimwear), so I thought that it was time for an update on this topic.
While putting together this post, it was refreshing to see how many more options us curvy women have for swimwear than we did just a few years ago. Let’s take a look at what’s available for us in 2016!
Most of us are probably familiar with Modcloth as an extended size-friendly online retailer who specializes in cute, retro-inspired dresses and clothing made from fabrics with fun novelty prints. Modcloth also carries a fairly sizable line of swimwear, including a good selection of swimsuits that go deep into their extended size range. I picked two designs from Modcloth that jumped out at me.
Beach Blanket Bingo by Esther Williams (available from Modcloth)
Available in sizes 16-26.
I’ll start off with a curvy classic–the Beach Blanket Bingo swimsuit. I own this swimsuit, and I know that several other of my fellow CSC editors own or have owned this suit at one time. It’s got a cute design and decent coverage without making you feel like you’re hiding everything. The retro design is fun, but not over-the-top vintage styling. I can personally verify that the suit holds up just fine, coverage-wise, to casual swims in a community pool with your preschooler. The only downside to this one is the halter-style straps, which get a bit heavy on your neck after a while, if you’re large-busted.
Beach Blanket Bingo suit, photograph by Modcloth
Sunbeam Me Up! by Jessica Simpson (available from Modcloth)
Available in sizes 1X-3X.
High-waisted two-piece styles look great on a curvy figure. I like this one from Jessica Simpson for the clever peek-a-boo mesh inserts that add a bit of sexiness while still giving this suit enough coverage to make it practical for casual pool use. Unlike a lot of suits these days, this one features a racerback, which helps prevent strap slippage and avoids the neckaches that come along with the halter-style that’s common in plus sized sizes.
Sunbeam Me Up! suit, photograph by Modcloth
For the unfamiliar, Bravissimo is a clothing retailer out of the UK that specializes in clothing, lingerie, and swimwear for large-busted women. The swimwear carried by Bravissimo provides plenty of bust support and offers options for D-cups all the way up to HH/J cups in some styles. Unfortunately for those of us shopping online and trying to figure out how a given suit might look on our own figures, Bravissimo’s models don’t tend to be particularly curvy. However, if you live in or are visiting the UK, you can always visit one of Bravissimo’s brick-and-mortar stores.
Riviera Tankini Top and Swim Brief by Free (available from Bravissimo)
Available in UK sizes 30D-38HH.
The Riviera Tankini jumped out at me because of its slightly-sweetheart-ish neckline, a neckline that tends to be very flattering on those of us with larger busts. Other curve-friendly features include a concealed bra-back fastening (no halter ties!), adjustable shoulder straps, underwire cups, and a wide range of cup sizes. And you can’t go wrong with being able to choose individual sizes between the top and bottom portion of a tankini.
Riviera tankini, photograph by Bravissimo
Premiere Ultimate Silver Sports Swimsuit by Speedo (available from Bravissimo)
Available in sizes 30E-38K.
If you’re looking to do some serious lap swimming or other water sports where keeping everything in place, this suit by Speedo appears to be a good choice. It’s a full-coverage suit with built-in underwires and a back clasp fastening.
Premiere Ultra Sports Swimsuit, photograph by Bravissimo
At a significantly lower price point than some of the other retailers featured in this roundup, Target carries a wide variety of plus size swim options. Bonus for those of us who live in the US: We can actually go to a brick-and-mortar Target store and try these suits on. In my experience, the suits that I’ve bought from Target have tended to be a bit more supportive than some of those that I’ve bought from other discount retailers (e.g. Old Navy).
I will lodge one complaint about this season’s selection of plus swimwear from Target: a huge proportion of the bikini and tankini tops have huge ruffles/flounces hanging from the bust. Now, I know that I view the world through large busted goggles, but I can’t see those giant flounces hanging right and looking nice on those of us who are more endowed in the chest region. Both of my selections from Target omit the boob flounce.
Plus Size Swimdress by Aqua Green (available from Target)
Available in sizes 18W-26W
Okay, this suit offers a bit more coverage than most of my choices AND it has the dreaded tie-halter-straps, but I’m including it because it’s cute as heck. This is a swimdress that you can wear without looking like you’re likely to be eating dinner at 4pm at a Coco’s for the senior special. With the little drop-waist skirt, this suit would be a good option for someone who is short-waisted (like me), as proportions will help elongate your torso.
Aqua Green swimdress, photograph by Target
Blurry Striped Bandeaukini Swim Top by Dreamsuit (available from Target)
Welp, you know that anything made by a “Dreamsuit” or a “Miraclesuit” is going to be focused on minimizing certain body parts. And we here at the CSC are all about celebrating our bodies as they are…BUT this is one eye-catching suit. And if you are looking to minimize your midsection, this suit claims that it will help you do that. Bonus: pick any of the many suit bottoms from Target to complete your swim look.
Blurry Bandeaukini top, photograph by Target
For the unfamiliar, Torrid is a popular retailer with both online and brick-and-mortar shopping options for curvy women. Their swimwear styles trend towards bombshell styles that celebrate curves, but instead of the retro-inspired prints that you’ll find on Modcloth, Torrid’s styles tend to reflect their youthful customer base with prints inspired by tattoos and other trends.
Cherry Floral Twist Bikini Top and Swim Bottom (available from Torrid)
Available in Torrid sizes 0-5.
With a padded underwire top, convertible straps, and a hook-closure in back, this bikini top would be super cute if the underwired cup size works for your figure. I like this one because it’s got a bit of a retro look to it, but you’re not constrained to dealing with a halter-tie closure like many bombshell suits have. Depending on your personal preference, you can either choose a swim skirt or high-waisted bikini bottom to complete this look.
Cherry Twist bikini, photograph by Torrid
Floral Skull One-Piece Swimsuit (available from Torrid)
Available in Torrid sizes 0-5.
Like the bikini top posted above, this one-piece suit features padded demi-cups and convertable straps (no halter tie, again!). The black side panels combined with the print front should provide a torso-elongating effect for this suit.
Floral Skull One-Piece Swimsuit, photograph by Torrid
Final Thoughts
Unlike a few years ago, it seems like now there are swimsuits available in extended size ranges to suit just about any woman’s taste. While it seems like many suits veer towards the retro/bombshell trend, this probably isn’t surprising, given that this style tends to look particularly good on a curvy figure. However, if bombshell retro isn’t your thing, you’ll still have quite a few options from a variety of retailers.
Lingerie Plus Size
http://www.ebay.com/itm/272273324542?ssPageName=STRK:MESELX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1555.l2649
Any suggestions for racer-back style RTW suits? I’ve looked high and low and can’t find any. I’m looking for something that will cover my back, but not be a t-shirt.
Junonia is an on-line store that specializes in plus-sized active wear, including swim suits. I’ve been buying my suits from there for years as I lap swim 3 – 4 days a week. They have various styles, including styles that have a shelf bra, which I prefer. I find Junonia suits to be supportive and a little more modestly cut, which I also prefer.
Unfortunately, their variety has drastically shrunk over the last 5 or so years, and they seem to be having trouble with either suppliers or shipping, not sure which. For my most recent suit I ended up de-constructing an old Junonia suit and making a pattern as I couldn’t find what I wanted on their website.
Nice round-up of some available options. I’d like to add an option for those who prefer modest swimwear styles. I do not wear pants at all, and I also always wear sleeves, usually long ones. I used to have to wear men’s rashguards and an exercise skirt for my water activities, but now I get some really pretty and fun swim wear from Hydrochic.com. Good for those who need sun protection as well as those who prefer more modest attire.
Great to see – although it is winter down here 8 deg C in southern Victoria Australia. Such a good range, must check out what we have available down here, as on line fit problems have plagued me before… sigh! I do have the fabric and pattern for bathers and really must get sewing again in readiness for summer in December unless I go north to visit Queensland where it is summer all the time 🙂
Thank you once again I do so enjoy reading the posts. Sam
Wow! I didn’t realise there was quite the range of swimwear for curvy ladies. My swimsuit of choice for the last 10 years has been a singlet top over a horrid halterneck bikini top to keep the girls up in the general vicinity of where they started and pair of swim shorts! I’m going to have to do some digging around to see what’s available down here in NZ. Although while it’s banging on zero degrees I don’t think my range of options are going to be too large! 😀
I have several “torrid” bikinis and can attest to their size range, good support and cuteness. For reference I have a 38 H bust. I have also ordered from “swimsuits for all” before but wasn’t too impressed with the support provided. I’ve ordered one tankini from “bravissimo” before and the support was great but the overall fit wasn’t…very tight around waist so kept creeping up.
For people in Canada, Additionelle has some really nice one- and two-piece swimsuits in sizes up to 4X that are very reasonably priced. http://www.additionelle.com/en/plus-size-swimwear#sz=12&start=60. Modeled by plus-size models too!
I have a high waisted bikini from Swimsuits for All that is just fantastic (got it last year, but it’s similar to this one http://www.swimsuitsforall.com/Swim-Sexy-The-Diva-Fragrant-Forest-High-Waist-Bikini), and a tankini top from the Cacique line at Lane Bryant (bra sizing!) (again from last year, similar to this onehttp://m.lanebryant.com/products/21404c21430p219043) and two pairs of matching bottoms from Swimsuits for All (they also coordinate with my bikini, so I sometimes mix and match). I tend to wear the tankini more, just because I can move a little more in it, play with kids, etc. I used to stick to one piece suits, because I felt like I could get more coverage, but I’ve found that with two pieces I a) have more options (no more “this one is great, except that it’s too high cut in the leg”, b) get better support because I am different sizes on top and on bottom.
I was just about to mention Lane Bryant! They have some really nice selections and some go as high as”H” cups!
The plus of having a tie halter on a swim top is you could sew it into a cross back if the ties are long enough!
Beautiful suits,but I am to chicken to sew with the fabrics.
You can do it! The fabrics can be slippery, but a basic suit wouldn’t be a bad place to start.
These swimsuits are great (and cheap!) The bottoms are supportive and comfortable, and stay up. The tops are more hit and miss, the halter-tie ones especially tend to be cut too small. This super supportive one is especially comfortable. I have two from last summer that held up to a week long camping trip, a 5 day Mexico resort trip and my honeymoon, 50% of which was spent in a hot tub.
https://www.amazon.com/Angerella-Swimsuit-Beachwear-Bathing-BKI032-R2-5XL/dp/B018TRKM2G/
Also, I have that beach blanket bingo suit as well, and what I do for it and all the rest of the halter suits is cross the straps and then stitch them down in the back, giving me support that won’t slip off my shoulders. Life is too short to spend pool days managing straps and/or neck pain. 😉
Thanks for the roundup. I am also in UK and wandered into and out of a Bravissimo shop yesterday as all the designs seemed unattractive to me. I don’t want a plain black swimsuit but equally my bikini days were over about 30 years ago! I have just ordered 2 costumes to try from Ample Bosom (great name!) a very reliable online UK business. I have bought bras from them and they are really helpful. The cosies are both by Fantasie. We’ll see. I can’t imagine sewing one though do have good stories about knitted ones!
Great round up Michelle, thank you. I’m sure I’m not the only one that looks at off the rail styles to get inspiration for hacking or even drafting my own patterns. I’d happily wear a number of those swimsuits which is a huge change from when I brought my last swimsuit 8 or 9 years ago and even that was a lucky right place, right time buy! All the others in a UK 18-20 were pretty plain and not very flattering at all. I think soon as I need to think about replacing my swimsuit I’ll be looking at making my own.