If you're not trying to hide body parts, what swimsuits do you get?

[Anonymous]

I want one that I can wear to play in the water with my kids, but all the more functional swimsuits seem .... matronly. Like they're trying to hide body parts as much as possible. I want something that looks great, but not that stuff in Victoria's Secret where you're trying to look sexy but can't get in the water to do anything beyond stand sexily. What is the solution here?

[Anonymous]

I don’t know. Swimsuits are hell right now. 90% of bathing suits are cheeky bottoms and I don’t care who you are, those don’t look good on most of us. Or even if they do, I am a grown ass woman- I don’t want half my azz showing when I’m just at the pool with my kids. Regular bikinis with normal coverage are so hard to find right now. It’s ridiculous.

[Anonymous]

I go for simple one-piece tanks with moderate bottom coverage and secure straps, but with a low back and sometimes a more revealing neckline to keep it from looking matronly. My go-to brands are: Seafolly, Malia Mills, JCrew, Boden, Trina Turk.

I agree with PP that it’s hard to find bikini bottoms with more full coverage and the “cheeky” cut just doesn’t work for running around with kids. With a one piece, I’ve found everything is just more likely to stay put, so I think it’s easier to find a cute, non-matronly one piece than to find a bikini that I’m not going to spend the whole day tugging back into place.

I also realized recently that I’ve always felt this way about one piece bathing suits, even pre-kids when I definitely wasn’t trying to hide problem areas. I think I only ever wore bikinis due to social pressure when I was younger. It was kind of a relief to hit an age where one piece suits are expected and people won’t think you’re a weird prude for wearing one. Plus they’re just more in fashion these days so it’s way easier to find a non-matronly one piece than it once was.

[Anonymous]

Athleta or Title 9, maybe?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I go for simple one-piece tanks with moderate bottom coverage and secure straps, but with a low back and sometimes a more revealing neckline to keep it from looking matronly. My go-to brands are: Seafolly, Malia Mills, JCrew, Boden, Trina Turk.

I agree with PP that it’s hard to find bikini bottoms with more full coverage and the “cheeky” cut just doesn’t work for running around with kids. With a one piece, I’ve found everything is just more likely to stay put, so I think it’s easier to find a cute, non-matronly one piece than to find a bikini that I’m not going to spend the whole day tugging back into place.

I also realized recently that I’ve always felt this way about one piece bathing suits, even pre-kids when I definitely wasn’t trying to hide problem areas. I think I only ever wore bikinis due to social pressure when I was younger. It was kind of a relief to hit an age where one piece suits are expected and people won’t think you’re a weird prude for wearing one. Plus they’re just more in fashion these days so it’s way easier to find a non-matronly one piece than it once was.

I like that one piece suits are in for even the young women with rocking bods and they do actually wear them. I hated being a teen and 20 something in the 90 and 00. Very rigid rules around who should wear what and zero options for anyone outside the right body except for grandma suits.

I don't do low back anything bc I need top support. I do like the athletic 2 pieces and I even like the dreaded tanking but in all honesty my taninkis are more like a one piece, with the parts overlapping, just like the mix and matching option and the better support in the tanks. Have some 1pieces too. Basically it all revolves around keeping my chest up

[Anonymous]

Are you larger than a C cup OP?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I go for simple one-piece tanks with moderate bottom coverage and secure straps, but with a low back and sometimes a more revealing neckline to keep it from looking matronly. My go-to brands are: Seafolly, Malia Mills, JCrew, Boden, Trina Turk.

I agree with PP that it’s hard to find bikini bottoms with more full coverage and the “cheeky” cut just doesn’t work for running around with kids. With a one piece, I’ve found everything is just more likely to stay put, so I think it’s easier to find a cute, non-matronly one piece than to find a bikini that I’m not going to spend the whole day tugging back into place.

I also realized recently that I’ve always felt this way about one piece bathing suits, even pre-kids when I definitely wasn’t trying to hide problem areas. I think I only ever wore bikinis due to social pressure when I was younger. It was kind of a relief to hit an age where one piece suits are expected and people won’t think you’re a weird prude for wearing one. Plus they’re just more in fashion these days so it’s way easier to find a non-matronly one piece than it once was.

Same. Examples from JCrew (my favorite for swimwear):

https://www.jcrew.com/p/womens_category/swimwear/deep-vneck-french-onepiece-swimsuit/L2584?color_name=warm-clementine

https://www.jcrew.com/p/womens_category/swimwear/plunge-vneck-onepiece-swimsuit/G9417?color_name=black (I have this one in three colors. It’s SO comfortable.)

https://www.jcrew.com/p/womens_category/swimwear/ruched-femme-onepiece-swimsuit/B6819?color_name=iris

[Anonymous]

I have a couple of Madewell suits, as well. They’re inexpensive, simple, and cute. A couple on their site now that I like:

https://www.madewell.com/madewell-second-wave-high-neck-one-piece-swimsuit-AM860.html?dwvar_AM860_color=BK5229&cgid=apparel-swim-onepiece#prefn1=isBackroom&prefv1=false&start=21

https://www.madewell.com/madewell-second-wave-spaghetti-strap-one-piece-swimsuit-in-tropical-vacation-NA703.html?dwvar_NA703_color=KF2545&cgid=apparel-swim-onepiece#prefn1=isBackroom&prefv1=false&start=5

[Anonymous]

I wear fitted boy shorts. More coverage but if you are slim and fit they look great.

I will find a link and post an example.

[Anonymous]

Bikini. I have a very long thin torso proportionally to the rest and single suits never fit, and tankinis are too short. I get a completely adjustable bikini and it works.

[Anonymous]

I just got a one piece I love from Albion Fit. I also have some I like from Summersalt, though you have to read the descriptions (I have a somewhat long torso and they don't all work well, though some do).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I wear fitted boy shorts. More coverage but if you are slim and fit they look great.

I will find a link and post an example.

https://www.prana.com/p/raya-bottom/W3RAYA113.html?dwvar_W3RAYA113_color=Atlantic&pos=11

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I just got a one piece I love from Albion Fit. I also have some I like from Summersalt, though you have to read the descriptions (I have a somewhat long torso and they don't all work well, though some do).

P.S. I think tankinis look horrible on everyone unless you have a perfect, flat lower stomach. A bikini looks better.

[Anonymous]

Speedo lifeguard swimsuits

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I wear fitted boy shorts. More coverage but if you are slim and fit they look great.

I will find a link and post an example.

https://www.prana.com/p/raya-bottom/W3RAYA113.html?dwvar_W3RAYA113_color=Atlantic&pos=11

And these do not get saggy at all or loose or have extra material once they are wet. They stay fitted. I have tried other "shorts" options and not liked them because of this. These do not make me feel like grandma.