BE HONEST: DO YOU KNOW WHAT BRA-SIZED SWIM EVEN IS?
We’ve arrived at the point in the year where winter is seriously working our last nerve, and we’re more than ready to pack a bag and leave it all behind. That calls for a swimsuit.
And since any true vacation by another name involves rest and relaxation, part of our escape plan involves leaving behind any insecurities we might otherwise hold about how our bodies—our capable, beautiful, strong bodies, yes, but also our pallid, soft, stressed and tired bodies—look in a bathing suit. Along with the snow, we’d like to leave behind all considerations related to our boobs while we’re at it.
To make sure your biggest worry is about which beverage to order, we enlisted swimwear buyer Megan Puma to fill us in on the greatest invention since sliced bread or Wordle: bra-sized swimwear. Because if you have a bra you love, you’re really going to flip over their aquatic equivalent.
Let’s get into a flattering, supportive new swimsuit and get out of town. Long overdue, wouldn’t you say?
WHAT EXACTLY IS BRA-SIZED SWIMWEAR?
It’s swimwear that supports your chest above all else by functioning as an actual bra. For the most part, an underwire is base of your support system. These suits go so far beyond the stretchy, flimsy nylon you’ll find off the rack, it’s not even a fair fight. Other features you’ll find include inner slings for added lift, power net linings in the cups, side stays to keep you front-and-center, and straps you can adjust, convert or even remove.
Bra-sized swim has become a lot more common, making it easier to get exactly what you want on all fronts, from shaping bottoms to cutting-edge designs. Megan casts a wide net to bring together suits you want to wear that don’t look like your bra went to the beach—ruffles, gingham, animal prints, textures, bold solids, arty prints. Our bra-sized collection even includes sustainable fabrics made from recycled fishing nets and (get this) wire-free bra-sized swim tops that still lift and lock. So yeah, it’s pretty easy to find a great suit that just so happens to be really well built.
WHO IS BRA-SIZED SWIMWEAR MEANT FOR?
Have breasts? Bra-sized swim is for you. “It’s for anyone of any shape and any size,” says Megan. “Whatever your build, you can still want the shoring up and the lift that an underwire provides.”
Bra-sized swim also delivers a more tailored fit than your standard XS-S-M-L-XL. At Bare Necessities, bands range from 28-40 and cups go from a B to a UK-size K. “Instead of five sizes to choose from, we’ve got 63 in some cases,” Megan says. “If you’ve ever had to buy a bigger suit just to get enough chest coverage, try bra-sized swim and let the suit do the work for your body instead of the other way around.”
When you start out by fitting your upper body, you stop dreading swimsuit shopping, says Megan, because you can always find a bottom that will work. (Our exclusive Birdsong one-pieces come in dress and cup sizes so you can get as close as humanly possible to swimsuit perfection.)
WHO MAKES BRA-SIZED SWIMWEAR?
These days, both bra brands and swim-only designers offer bra-sized swimwear. The key brands at Bare Necessities to start with would be Birdsong, Fantasie, Freya, Panache, Sunsets and Pour Moi. Uber-popular Miraclesuit does bra-sized tops and shaping bottoms.
HOW DO YOU FIND THE BEST BRA-SIZED SWIM FOR YOUR BODY?
Take your bra size as your starting point. Then, just like with jeans, you’ll want to try a few different styles, brands and sizes to find out what works best for you. (Even from the same brand, a triangle top, for example, is going to fit differently than full-coverage underwire cups.)
What’s smart about bra-sized swim is that even when going by your size, you can still tweak a suit to get your perfect fit, be it with a halter tie or multiple clip positions on the band.
WHEN AND WHERE IS BRA-SIZED SWIM GOOD FOR?
You know we’re evangelists over here about getting the right bra fit but think about it: Who really sees you in your bra?! Lots more people see you in swimwear than your skivvies, so it’s great thing for the beach or pool. If you love to swim as exercise, hit up the water park with your family, play beach volleyball or any other water sport, bra-sized swim is your new best friend. That said, you’ll also want to check it out for vacations, when it’s totally a thing to go from the beach to the bar or throw on shorts with a bra-sized tankini before heading out for a day of exploring.
WHY TRY BRA-SIZED SWIM?
Because struggling to find a swimsuit is no fun, and neither is blaming your body. There’s no reason for it—not when there are hundreds of options intended to make you feel confident. Not when a superior fit is totally attainable.
We’ll make it even easier: Our Bra Fit Experts know these suits inside and out, so they can take most of the guess work out of the equation for you. We can’t recommend reaching out to them strongly enough to save yourself time, aggravation and returns. Find them at 877-728-9272 x4 or online chat. If you’d rather go it alone, barenecessities.com lets you shop by bra size and brand. Visit How to Measure or our Bra Finder to get you started; we’ll save your size and convert it for you if necessary.
Then all you’ve got to do is pack.
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