Shopping for clothing isn’t always a fun experience for many women, especially when it feels impossible to find anything in their size. That gets even more difficult during swimsuit season, when any body insecurities are front and center, and finding the right fit is even more challenging.
“Swimwear is the hardest item in your closet to fit, and it’s the most naked you’ll ever be in public, so it’s important to have a suit that makes you feel your best every time you put it on,” says Jo Davenport, founder of La Porte swimwear.
And according to Davenport, social media isn’t making it any easier for us to feel our best in a swimsuit. “I think social media has created a comparative culture which can make for a challenging mentality towards swim, because we are constantly checking ourselves to see how our body might measure up to another, whether it’s a celebrity, influencer or otherwise, rather than embracing our own bodies,” says Davenport. “The key to facing this challenge is positive self talk and loving yourself for more than just the idea of the perfect body.”
When swimsuit shopping, Davenport first suggests focusing on your shape rather than your size and try styles that work with your body type the same way you would with a regular piece of clothing. “Secondly, always be kind to yourself, and never compare your body in a suit to how a suit looks on someone else — everyone is different,” she says. “Do your thing, wear the thong, and don’t worry what other people think, because your opinion is the only one that matters.”
These are seven body positive swimsuit brands we can’t get enough of.
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GabiFresh
Founded by body-positive influencer GabiFresh, this line of super-colorful, fun bikinis and one-pieces come in a range of sizes, from 10 D/DD – 26 G/H.
La Porte
“La Porte, French for the word door, launched the Open Door Policy which allows women to exchange their suits for free up to 365 days from the day of purchase if their size or shape changes at all,” says Davenport. “Our pieces are highly curated and handmade with fabric from Italy because we believe women deserve to feel incredible about their bodies every time they put on a suit, no matter what kind of day they may be having.”
Aerie
Aerie is one of the OGs when it came to promoting body-positive clothing and lingerie, and they continue to slay the scene every year. Aerie offers a variety of bold patterns, styles and sizes, ranging from XXS to XXL.
Nakimuli
Get ready to be seen when rocking a Nakimuli bathing suit — these bright, tribal-patterned one-pieces and bikinis were created by founder Tennille McMillan to help embrace a love of self at any size.
Chromat
Not only does Chromat offer swimsuits up to sizes 3X, but the line also features women rocking cellulite, body hair, prosthetic legs, and breast cancer scars throughout their empowering marketing campaigns.
Alpine Butterfly
With a mission statement including, “ Life is too short to be uncomfortable in your own skin,” it’s hard not to fall in love with Alpine Butterfly. Sizes go up to 5XL with some pretty wild patterns (think leopard print and houndstooth).
Alyned Together
With a main focus on sustainable fashion, Alyned Together offers swimsuits up to 3X in an impressive variety of shapes, patterns and colors. The company believes that every body should look and feel great while rocking sustainable swimwear.
Saint Somebody
The Australian line just debuted in stateside, and like many other Aussie imports, there’s plenty of reasons to snatch up their swimwear. Saint Somebody exclusively caters to sizes 8 to 16 and features seamless fabric technology for sleekness and comfort, creating a flattering and supportive fit in a range of classic and trendy styles and hues.
RAQ
Busty babes know the challenges of shopping for swimwear — most bikini tops just don’t fit, not to mention the lack of support. Enter RAQ, a line specifically designed for D cups and larger. Each top features underwire for extra support and the fit you need
Skye
Skye knows that women come in all shapes and sizes. That’s exactly why their chic swimwear is designed for a variety of body types. The line is all about shape and fit, so they offer swim tops for sizes D cup and up — and plenty of styles to choose from for everyone.
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