Women’s swimsuits for all body types quick picks
Tankini: Universal Standard The Surf Tankini
Bikini Top: Abercrombie & Fitch Curve Love Tie-Strap Underwire Bikini Top
Leakproof: Knix Cinch Leakproof Shaper One-Piece Swimsuit
One-Piece: Andie Swim The Bells One-Piece
As the body positivity movement grows in the fashion world, there are more and more brands that make excellent swimsuits for women of all body types. Even so, many major women’s clothing companies (check out Brandy Melville’s “one-size-fits-most sizing”) still shun inclusivity, limiting their sizes to a select few body types. But you won’t find those brands in this expert-approved guide.
In compiling our list of the best swimsuits for women of all body types, we spoke to size-inclusive advocates, plus-size models and stylists to ensure that we recommend swimwear that everyone can wear. Before we dive into our recommendations, we’ll quickly explain how to choose the right swimsuit for your body type so you can look your best this summer.
How to choose the right swimsuit for your body type
Size-inclusive consultant and model?Gessiqua Pugh?said it best when she told us to “wear what you feel comfortable in and accentuate a part of your body that you like most.” Once you get your new suit, she advises you to practice wearing it around the house to “get comfortable with how the swimsuit looks on you and how it moves around your body so that you don’t have to worry about any wardrobe malfunctions.”
Celebrity stylist?Kelvin “K.J.” Moody agrees. “Swimwear is like underwear — it hinges on how you feel about yourself (and your aesthetic) in that moment,” he says. “If you love what you are wearing, you are good to go!”
That said, fashion stylist Sarah Nearis has a few tips for complementing hourglass, athletic and pear-shaped body types.
- Hourglass: If your bust and hips are around the same size, you likely have an hourglass body. “The goal for choosing a swimsuit for this body type is enhancing and embracing your curves,” Nearis says. Choose form-fitting, supportive swimsuits that elongate your legs.
- Athletic: Women with a more rectangular shape — when your bust, waist and hips are similarly sized — should strive to create the illusion of curves. “Lean toward styles that tie or cinch at the waist, have feminine necklines to enhance the bust and choose a bottom that accentuates the bottom,” Nearis says.
- Pear-Shaped: Nearis says to “play up your bust/top features and balance out the difference of proportions” when you’ve got hips that are significantly wider than your bust.
Regardless of your body type, we’re confident you’ll find something flattering on our list, which features some of the sexiest and most inclusive brands in fashion, including Universal Standard, Nomads Swimwear and Summersalt.
Bikinis and two-piece swimsuits
With sizes up to 40, Universal Standard makes the most size-inclusive swimwear on the market, says Lauren Chan, model, entrepreneur and size-inclusion advocate. Though the brand’s swim collection launched last year, it recently added this on-trend Surf Tankini — essentially a zip-up swim shirt. “I’d wear this with swim shorts on?days when I feel like having more coverage (or a burn, oops!), though you can also wear it with the?matching bikini bottom,” Chan says.
“[Nomads’] commitment to size inclusivity, offering sizes from XS to 5XL, is something I deeply appreciate. It’s about time everyone got a chance to feel fabulous in swimwear,” says Michaela Leitz-Aslasken, a size-inclusive fashion expert and the founder of Confidence & Style. She’s particularly fond of this Nomads top, which comes with a matching bottom.
Abercrombie & Fitch is quietly becoming one of the best places for people with larger busts to get bikinis. One editor, who is a 32H, ordered this Curve Love top in a medium and it fit better than any other bikini top she’s ever tried.
Though the brand is better-known for its activewear, Nearis “fell in love” with Vitality after they released a swim collection. With a thong back and high-cut design, the top-rated Tropica Mini Bottom is sure to draw attention at the beach, especially when paired with a matching triangle top.
One of our favorite lingerie brands,?Cuup, has a swimwear line?and we couldn’t be more excited. Like the bras and undies we’ve come to love, the bikini line beautifully combines comfort, support and style, no matter which fit you choose. This balconette style is definitely one of our faves from the collection and is made to fit sizes 30A to 44H.
A bikini for under $30? Sounds too good to be true, but one of our staffers tried this suit and was seriously impressed. “There is definitely a reason this is rated so highly among people with all body types,” she says. “Having a pear-shaped body, I usually must buy separates because I need to order a size up on the bottoms, but a size 4-6 fit me well.”
If you love loud patterns, this high-cut bikini bottom will impress you with its range of fun prints, from Y2K Stripe to Shortcake. But of the 43 different prints, Leitz-Aslasken can’t get enough of Strawberry Lemonade. “It’s like they bottled up summer and turned it into a swimsuit,” she says. While sizing varies per print and color, most are size inclusive too, ranging from XS to 3X.
If you need full-coverage sun protection or simply prefer not to show much skin while you lounge out, opt for this swim tunic, which you can also grab the matching hijab for.
One of our favorite — and comfiest —?silhouettes in Cuup’s bra line, the Scoop swim top is available in all sorts of pretty colors, but best of all, it’s created to fit a wide range of bust sizes, from 30A to 44H.
If you like the extra support provided by underwire bikinis, this tie-back coffee-colored bikini top from Berlook is a ultra-chic choice for the beach or pool. Though the top has a push-up effect, the cup padding is also removable if you find it to be too much.
Those of us who are a bit more busty deserve a plethora of swim top options too. We have our eyes on Lively’s Busty Bralette that’s made from 80% recycled nylon for sizes D through DDD. Pair it with the brand’s high-waist bottom that is available in sizes up to 16.
Summersalt has quickly risen to the top of our swim favorites because the quality is out of this world. If your goals include toeing the line between sexy and sophisticated, you seriously can’t go wrong with the brand’s Plunge Bikini Top. Pair it with the High-Leg Mid-Rise Bikini Bottom that’s available up to size 22.
Another Underscored-editor favorite, this suit has been a lifesaver for Rachel Lubitz, our former senior lifestyle editor. “Finding a bikini that properly fits my larger chest is one of my life’s biggest struggles,” she says. “Because of the billowing fabric, the top miraculously covered and fit everything. I got a medium in both the top and bottom, and I never once worried about popping out.”
Give yourself a one-shoulder moment with this Halo Bikini Top by Jade Swim. How cute is this top paired with the matching Most Wanted Bottom?
We can’t think of a sweeter bikini than this one. The square-neck top is available in sizes XXS to XXL, and it’s got hundreds of 5-star reviews.
Elegant and delicate, this patterned bikini is sure never to go out of style. It features a high-cut leg that flatters and provides shape, and you can grab a matching top in a triangle or scoop-neck cut (or both if you’d like).
Aerie is one of our go-tos for the optimal combination of comfort and style for swim. For example, this high-cut bikini bottom features a crossover waistband that’ll suit any body type.
If you prefer a sportier look that might provide support similar to a sports bra, look no further than this number by Left On Friday. Reviewers rave that it’s great for larger-chested women and is “super supportive.” Pair it with the brand’s Hi Hi Bottom.
Influencer?Gabi Fresh?partnered with Swimsuits for All?to create a swimwear collection with curvy girls in mind, inspired by her love of the 1970s. The collection, another favorite of Pugh’s, is the perfect combination of minimalism and maximalism, like this top that includes underwire and side boning for extra support.
One-piece swimsuits
“If you’re in the mood to be abso-fricking-lutely?snatched at the beach, this is the suit for you,” Chan says. The swimsuit lives up to its “Cinch” name, thanks to its lace-up back corset and shaping fabric, she adds. “It’s great for days that you want to feel super sexy, get your content, then throw on wide-leg, light-wash jeans with point-toe black heels and head to dinner.”
“I’m absolutely in love with this black swimsuit from Reformation — it’s like stepping right into a scene from a chic Italian ’60s movie,” Leitz-Aslasken says. If that isn’t enough to convince you, know that the sustainable fashion brand makes this swimsuit using regenerated nylon. It’s great for your figure and the planet.
Andie Swim sells the best black one piece in the biz, Nearis says. This swimsuit, part of a collaboration with actress Mindy Kaling, prioritizes comfort and coverage with adjustable straps, sculpting fabric and underbust elastic. What’s more, XXL and XXXL sizes come with extra-wide and supportive straps for even more support.
“I love this suit because it is flattering on most body types and especially great if you have a long torso,” Moody says. Chan is also fan, calling it one of her “favorite swimsuits of all time.” Despite already owning the Sidestroke in three colors, she’s adding the limited-edition strawberry color, which is part of Summersalt’s collaboration with L.L.Bean.
This “accentuates your curves like nobody’s business,” says one reviewer who loves this wrap one-piece by Aerie. Another shares the same excitement after purchasing it to support their postpartum bod.
Andie Swim designed this to make you feel like a million bucks. Featuring a full-coverage bottom and light chest support, this suit, available up to size 3X, is sure to help you feel confident as you lounge in your chaise.
“Created by California surfer sisters, this brand knows how to create a suit that is made for women with real bodies and an active lifestyle,” Nearis says. What’s great about the Genevieve is that you can wear its extra-long halter ties in a ton of different configurations: straight, crossed at the neck, halter style and more.
If a major “Baywatch” moment is on your agenda this summer, look no further than Andie Swim’s The Tulum. It’s everything sporty and chic, featuring a sporty crisscross back, supportive fabric and removable cups that’ll hold you in all the right places.
We’re obsessed with the ruffles cascading from the neck and shoulders down the back on this one-piece by Eberjey. Even better, reviewers share that this is a slimming suit, if that’s what you’re looking for in your next swim purchase.
Nomads Swimwear is another top pick by Pugh, and it’s easy to see why: The brand’s Wave One-Piece is love at first sight. Available in sizes up to 5X, this colorblocked number is made of a super-soft, sheerproof double-lined fabric that’ll accentuate each and every curve.
Sport a fun and flirty look with this flutter-sleeve one-piece from Albion. With a removable waist tie, front and back V-cuts and an eye-catching pattern, this suit is sure to earn you tons of compliments. And the added 45 UPF will help you prevent unwanted sunburns too.
Belted swimwear? Sign us up! It was that accessory that drew us in, but we stayed for the high-stretch fabric, padded support and flattering straps of this one-piece swimsuit.
“Riot Swim is a swim brand for the girl that wants to stand out, feel young and fresh and have a sexy edge to their look,” Moody says. Don’t believe him? Just look at this seductive, body-sculpting one-piece, which comes in seven colors.
The patterned taupe wrap-belt detail against the black swimsuit body is a cool take on a more traditional one-piece. Beach Riot has really outdone itself with this one.
This seriously might be the most stunning one-piece we’ve ever seen. Available in Ivory and Black, this suit has a supportive under-bust band, wide straps and plunge front, which is both sophisticated and sexy. It also comes in a maternity fit.
