About a month or so ago I decided to try on my bathing suits from last year and found that none of them fit me or made me feel comfortable. So, instead of thinking I needed to punish myself or head down a road of diet culture or negative thinking, I decided to go on an adventure of finding a suit (or three) that would make me feel good in the skin I’m in. And I did!
I’ve had a lot of self discovery in the past year and it really started in learning to love myself more, deep inside. Not a condition of my pants size or weight or how “perfect” I could look in a photo, but me in the skin I’m in at any point in time. It has been hard and freeing at the same time. I am working on buying clothes that fit and feel comfortable now, as well as eating intuitively and moving my body in a way that brings me joy. It has honestly been a journey. but I am seeing a light at the end of a tunnel and working through some therapy and reframing how I think about myself. I just feel really great.
Which brings me to bathing suits and looking for ones that made me feel good right now. Bodies fluctuate and change and I wanted a couple suits that honored where I am in this moment. I also don’t like to spend a ton of money on bathing suits as I like to buy a few (I like options!) and who knows what I might like next season? I also bought more one pieces than I ever have before…I used to only wear two pieces but felt I wanted to try something different, and I did. Long story short, here are the suits I ordered and I’ll share sizing and what I kept and what I sent back. Let’s go!
*For sizing: I am 5’5″, wear a size 8-10 in clothes, and have a long torso with short legs.
This was the first suit I ordered and tried on, and the second I put it on I KNEW I would keep it! I love the ribbed fabric, the color, and how I felt in it. I didn’t need to pull or tug or adjust anything and I still felt a little sexy in it, you know? I also liked how the back was low with criss crossing straps and may honestly go and order another color. I’m basically obsessed.
I love how all you need with a one piece suit is a pair of shorts and you are good to go! Why did nobody tell me this lol? These shorts are great, they have a mid rise and I size up one size and then once I wash and dry I spray them with a little water while on and they loosen up perfectly and fit like a dream. I have them in both the back color and the acid wash.
I was drawn to the colors of this suit and the cute cutouts, but once I put it on I didn’t love the fit. I think the size up would have been too loose and a size down would have been too small, yet this size wasn’t right either. Perhaps it was my longer torso, I don’t know, but I tried this after the yellow suit (which I adored) so not having that feeling with this one told me it needed to go back. I returned it.
I was so intrigued by this suit online and by all the reviews, I had to try it! I thought the top was really unique, it is styled to look like a knotted tank and was full coverage which was nice. It would be a good suit with small kids (little kids like to grab onto fabric and pull!) I also liked the bottoms, they pulled up high and were fairly cheeky in the back, especially as I walked around. I don’t mind that but if you like a fuller coverage you might want to steer clear. I ended up returning this color and grabbing another one. I probably could have gone with a medium in the top and a large on the bottom, but it comes in one size for both pieces so you get what you get.
I think I have seen this suit for years on other bloggers and this was the year I tried it for myself. Turns out, it is amazing (as all the glowing reviews on Amazon stated.) It took me awhile to figure out what color I wanted, and after ordering the black and the blue I decided the blue was the winner. This suit felt really good on and I felt really confident in it! I like to feel a little sexy in a one piece and the lower front does that for sure. The lace detailing was pretty and it has a good back and full coverage in the rear. I kept this!
And here it is with a pair of shorts (same as the black ones above, just in another color!), and a kimono I bought years ago from American Eagle. All I need now is a beach vacation:)
I actually just grabbed this out of my mailbox today and tried it on. This was another suit that got a ton of good reviews and I can see why. The bottoms were hight waisted and had shirring so they felt really flattering, I felt the size large was true to size for me. The top was a bit looser, but has a wrap that you tied that could adjust it, and the straps were adjustable as well (you can see it more clearly HERE.) I thought the pink was so fun and for the price point was great. I kept this!
This was another suit that I have seen so many people rave about, so I figured now was the time to try it (and actually bought two different colors which I will share below.) Honestly? I wasn’t a fan of how this felt on me. The wrap felt a little awkward and to feel secure in it I had to tie it really tight, which felt uncomfortable. I love this print, but again, I just didn’t like this suit on me and preferred the other Amazon one pieces I ordered. There are a ton of reviews of this that show it on a bunch of different body types, and looked amazing on all of them, but again, it wasn’t for me.) I returned it.
Here is the same suit in the polka dot pattern, which I think was more flattering on me but I prefer the cheetah (leopard?!) In this pic I have the wrap tied in the back, which I liked, but then there was a lot of extra fabric back there. I also felt like I was a movement away from an embarrassing moment with the way the top fit. I don’t mind showing skin on top, but this suit fit in a way that felt like I could easily expose myself. I returned it.
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