Summer has officially begun! School is over and that means afternoons at the pool, vacation, and days sunning myself. (Yes, I use sunscreen, but I also like having a brown body and genetics help out a lot with that one.) In the last few years I have become comfortable enough with my own body to not care if my figure is imperfect. If I have a body and it is at the beach, then it is a beach body. Enough said. However, I do like to find swimwear that makes me feel confident, supported on top, and beautiful for strutting my stuff in the sun.
Each year, I try to add something new to my arsenal of swim favorites. Frankly, my swimwear tastes change often, especially when it comes to patterns, and I don’t like when my suits become faded, pilled, or stretched out. This year, there have been some gorgeous retro-inspired styles I wanted to try. I took them all to St. Augustine, Florida for a Memorial Day weekend jaunt. Here’s how everything stacked up. (The price listed for each suit is regular retail price. I purchased each with discounts and coupons.)
Suit #1: ModCloth (On Island Time Bikini: Bottom $45/Top: $55)
As soon as I saw this suit, I fell in love with its retro-vibe, beautiful ribbon flowers, and interesting shade of green. ModCloth always does a great job of creating fun, vintage inspired silhouettes. I originally ordered this suit in a 4X, thinking it would run small. That was NOT the case. It was huge and I returned it. I tried to size down one size, but had to go down two in the bottoms because the 3X was sold out. Both items fit significantly better and I decided to keep them. The suit came with alternate shoulder straps or a halter strap for the top.
The day I decided to wear it, the ribbon holding the shoulder straps broke. It was frustrating, but I knew I could fix it, so I went with the halter and proudly strutted out to the beach. The bottoms were secure and held up while floating in the waves. However, as the day went on, I became increasingly frustrated with the top of the suit. The fastener in the back would not lie straight and kept bunching oddly and the whole top just felt like it was getting bigger and more misshapen all afternoon. I refused to go back in the water for fear of exposing myself to everyone on the beach. Sadly, I wanted to love this suit, but I don’t, and I can’t return it since I wore it. I guess this will be relegated to sunbathing only.
Suit #2: Loft (Floral Keyhole One Piece Suit $89.50
A little over a year ago, Loft started selling plus sized clothing. This has honestly been a game changer for my wardrobe. They sell professional looking clothing that is cut with a plus woman’s figure in mind. I have rarely been disappointed with anything I have purchased from them. When they started offering swim this season, I knew I wanted to try it. I chose a white suit with a floral pattern that would look great with a tan.
From the beginning, I was pleased with this suit. It is well made and soft. It covers my body well and is flattering and supportive. I felt like I could swim, sunbathe, or play on the beach and be comfortable. I am really happy with this suit and would buy another from Loft.
Suit #3: Torrid (Lemon Dot Bikini: Bottom $44.90/ Top $58.90)
The pattern and silhouette of this suit instantly attracted me to it. I am a sucker for polka dots and the lemons were fun for summer. I loved the look the flutter sleeves on the top and the high-waisted ruched bottoms. I have had good luck with suits from Torrid before and knew it would not disappoint.
The suit fit extremely well. I love how supported the high-waisted bottoms made me feel. The top was super cute and flattering. It felt supportive and sassy on the beach. I also received lots of compliments from strangers on the suit. This was definitely the vintage look I was hoping for.
Suit #4: Eloquii (Drama Ruffle One Piece $79.95)
I have seen a lot of bloggers posting about this suit and have seen it in Eloquii marketing. I love how vibrant it is and the ruffle top is just interesting. Eloquii offers things that are fashion forward and really unlike anything other brands are selling. I have seen many plus size celebrities (Aidy Bryant, Danielle Brooks, Chrissy Metz) wear their styles regularly. Though I have ordered many other things from them before, I have never tried their swimwear.
This suit is sunny, fun, and summery. I love the neoprene ruffle that flutters in the breeze. A couple of middle school students walked by and told me that I looked extravagant! I will definitely be wearing this to the Curves and Waves Pool Party.
I am glad that plus size designers are stepping up their swim game. Not every suit is a winner, but there are suits that will make every girl feel like a goddess in the sun this summer. Now take that body to the beach!
Forty Fat and Fabulous 