Swimwear shopping The revealing secrets & solutions
When it comes to swimwear shopping, one size certainly doesn’t fit all. The Telegraph’s editors share the secrets and solutions of their own bikini drawers
Bethan Holt Shopping for: technical swimwear
Sometimes I wonder why it’s called swimwear: surely “bits of fabric suitable for nothing more strenuous than lifting a piña colada” seems more accurate. But if you want to train for a triathlon (there’s been an 88 per cent rise in women’s participation since 2012), attempt watersports or just do lengths at the lido then you need something more supportive – without sacrificing on style, obviously.
I recently had my first surfing lesson, and wore one of Patagonia’s new Fairtrade bikinis – Nanogrip technology means the fabric clings to your skin so any boob/bum exposure incidents are avoided.
“We test them on professional surfers out in the waves in Hawaii and cut them for grown-up women who want great coverage,” says swimwear product line director Laura Kinman. I’m also a fan of LNDR, a small brand whose new “gym to swim” collection includes modern mix and match sets with UV, chlorine and sunscreen resistance – so they’ll perform during your workout, and look great at the beach bar after.
Kate Finnigan Shopping for: smaller busts
As a smaller breasted variety of chick I could really detest swimwear time. Some may be under the impression that when you have smaller boobs you just slip into a simple triangle bikini top and trip around like Jane Birkin. Ha. This may well be the case if you also have legs like sparrows and the tummy of a 12-year-old. If that’s not the case then you may feel out of fairness to your thighs and tum that you should add a little volume to your upper zones.
Don’t misunderstand me, this isn’t about false advertising. I don’t need to look like I’m enormously well-endowed, it’s simply about balancing the proportions. Underwiring and padding are the obvious way to go in terms of maximising what you have.
You can also add to this the visual trickery of narrow stripes and polka dots and panels of bright colour – the smaller the print or sections the better. Ruffles are pretty and on-trend and beautifully distracting in the same way; ruching is also your friend. Avoid black, plain colour and tube tops. My perfect find this summer is a padded, narrow-striped navy and white bikini top with a dangling bow from Next. Bells and whistles, my friend. Bells and whistles.
Krissy Turner Shopping for: darker skin
I have typical combination mixed race skin: I tan quickly in the sun but also burn surprisingly easily. It’s proved problematic but after figuring out my perfect formula (wearing an SPF30 waterproof oil while tanning with intervals in the pool) I’m keen to make the most of my tan once I have it. Bright swimwear – sunshine yellow, fuchsia and turquoise – are perfect for darker skin tones, but if they are a little too bold for you, burgundy, russet and teal also suit dark and olive complexions and are a great first step into colour. For a week in Dubai last month, I bought a white swimsuit from Asos (ideal if you’d rather try swimwear on at home) and a Warehouse scalloped bandeau bikini in both yellow and pink. I always look for stiffer fabrics to keep me pulled in, since there’s no hiding in a colourful style. It’s inevitable that such vivid shades will fade, and tedious as it may be, washing by hand is the best way to keep bright colours bright – though my yellow Lazul bikini can handle a cold wash tucked inside a pale pillowcase, with a sensitive fabric conditioner to avoid obvious fading. If you can afford to spend a little more, Araks, Lisa Marie Fernandez and Triangl all offer bright colour-block options in sturdy fabrics.
Sonia Haria Shopping for: post-pregnancy comfort
I’ve never been the most confident bikini-wearer but even more so now, nine months post birth, where the thought of swimwear fills me with minor panic. But I have worked out the solution: I need a one-piece with lots of structure and pulling-in at the waist, with underwired cups. It also needs to come in a flattering dark block colour – I find deep blues and reds look best against my Indian skin.
I love swimsuits by Biondi – they’re around the £200 mark but they last for ages, wash well and never lose stretch. The Karla Colletto V-neck swimsuit has clever ruching down the middle, which gives the illusion of a slimmer waist and soft underwiring under the chest. I have it in navy and it made me feel confident on the beach on our recent summer holiday. Oh and the grown-up, wide straps are great when holding Bedecked: ladies in swimsuits, Lake Tahoe, 1959, photograped by Slim Aarons babies – no accidental tugging on a tie-up halter neck. Can you imagine?
Emily Cronin Shopping for: bigger busts
Lesson #1: Bandeaus will never be your friends. There’s no telling when one will give up, ping down and turn family swim into an adults-only situation. Lesson #2: You do not want anyone who looks your way to wonder whether you confused your swimwear and lingerie drawers that morning.
Shopping for swimwear with (let’s call it like it is) an ample bosom is one of the more vexing fashion problems a woman can face. And I’m not saying that in a humblebraggy, “my biggest weakness is that I’m such a perfectionist” sense. As a rule, anything above a D-cup deserves investment; consider the money a down payment on performance.
Malia Mills’ bra-sized swimwear isn’t cheap, but it’s beautiful, with fabric that doesn’t stretch or sag and colours that don’t fade. The fact that the website features models of different ages, skin tones and body types is also useful, not to mention cheering.
Charlie Gowans-eglinton Shopping for: Fairer skin
I don’t tan. Whether you read that as an inability to tan, or an unwillingness, you’re right either way. I inherited my mother’s fair Scottish skin, and thanks to spending my childhood in Australia, was brought up with fear-tinged reverence for the sun. Apart from a short-lived rebellion in my teen years, when I burnt myself to a crisp, hoping I’d look a bit less wobbly with a tan (nope), I’ve stuck to my guns. I never wear less than factor 50, reapply often, and stick to the shade on hot days. Couple that with my love for verging-on-puritanical summer dresses, and it’s no surprise I stay the same shade of blue-white year round. Wearing the right colour swimwear – so that I look elegantly pale, rather than like a Brit on their first day abroad – is crucial, but it’s also tricky, as most swimwear brands cater for tanned,
olive-to-dark skintones with bright colours that are all wrong on fair skin. Bright white is a no-no, and the instinct to pick “flattering” black is one to ignore here. Navy works, and some shades of khaki, but I’ve found that pastel shades – blush pink, icy blue, lemon sherbet yellow – are most flattering on my pale skin. Hunza G and Melissa Odabash both have good pastel options, and if you want a showstopper, Zimmermann’s delicate florals are just the thing.
Caroline Leaper Shopping for: a stomach scar
I have a jelly-textured scar cutting across my stomach and, as such, I’ve never loved baring my midriff. A one-piece is naturally my best swim option, but finding a suit that isn’t polarisingly boring or outrageous usually makes for a painful process. The high street is often tricky territory, as it’s full of highly-strung and cut-to-ribbons suits that would look perfectly at home on Love Island, but act like a mincer for those of us with curves in real life.
While I want something solid with stomach and scar coverage, though, I also don’t want to revert to a dull black one-piece from the “shapewear solutions” aisle. Marks & Spencer has a surprising hit in the Autograph collection by Rosie Huntingtonwhiteley, with a statement, non-cliché print and flattering one-shoulder cut that caters for non-supermodels too. For those with a bigger budget, the Instagrammers’ favourite label is Solid & Striped: its hero one-piece comes in no fewer than 68 prints and colour options.
Sophie Warburton Shopping for: smaller budgets
Wandering around in your swimwear is, in principle, no different to strolling around in public in your underwear. But for some reason – even with this idea in mind – I still can’t quite bring myself to spend hundreds of pounds on swimwear. Maybe its because I no longer try to impress on the beach. Scrap that: we all want to look good in our swimmers. Maybe then it’s because the high street’s swimwear offering is just as good as high end.
& Other Stories is my secret weapon: swimwear that will hold you up, suck you in, won’t sag or stretch. Its cuts are kind, and most importantly, wearable – no cut-out, stringy things here – and everything is under £50.
Next has great variety, and with next day delivery if you order before midnight, it’s a panic-packer’s paradise. Try COS for minimal styles, and Boden for a jolly print, since at these prices, you can afford to buy more than one.