We definitely feel like we took one for the team, trying on dozens of bathing suits in the dreary days of mid-March, in poorly lit dressing rooms in many, many stores. You’re welcome! Our focus is on one-piece suits and ones that are appropriate for women “our age” who aren’t in it to show more skin than necessary. We applaud you if you are still in the two-piece phase of life, but we aren’t focusing on those here! In fact, some of our choices are made with sun protection in mind as skin cancer, and wrinkles, are no fun!
These stand-alone stores (frequently in malls) are a good place to shop when you want to try on a lot of different suits. Jo spent a morning doing this, and recommends the ones below (except the first one!). Note: Swimsuit sizing is all over the place. I’m usually a 6-8 in clothing and I wear a 10-12 in bathing suits. And, every manufacturer sizes differently and you have to try on a lot of suits in a lot of sizes to find the right one!
These suits promise to make you ‘look 10lbs lighter in 10 seconds’. Pulling on these suits takes about 10 minutes! I’d rather look 10 pounds heavier and have an easier time putting on and taking off a bathing suit!
I really liked this suit, but thought the cut-out might be too much for my age! Hmmm maybe not?
I liked this suit. The ruffle is a good add and it comes in a lot of fun colors.
Kind of a Hunza Z. (see below) type suit with puckered material. This was a winner! Love the bright orange and pink.
This was another good one – ribbed material, underwire bra, adjustable straps, and easy to wear.
I bought this one. It didn’t look great on the hanger but it was flattering in all the right spots. That ruching really adds a little something!
Other brands to consider:
This brand is definitely trending this spring. Former Lululemon product developers formed Left on Friday to provide super soft fabric suits that don’t fall off (helpful!) and make one feel powerful. The Double Scoop Suit looks like a great one!
This line of one-size-fits-all, puckered material suits is still trending this year. It is hard to believe that it’s possible for one size to fit all – but it does! And they have come out with some new styles that have more coverage/are not cut as high which is nice. Joanne has tried them and gives the brand a thumbs up! Their Coverage one piece is a great basic cut, and the Domino with added ‘buckles’ on the top straps is fun.
Looking for a solid-colored suit in a classic fit that feels great on? These are their top sellers. Chrissie loves her one-piece Malibu suit (and so do 1.4k others who give it 5-star ratings) as it’s snug yet flexible, can be snapped up or down for adjustable sun coverage (and has a higher back for good sun coverage as well), and it comes in 12 color options. You can shop for suits by neckline, bust support, bottom coverage, torso length and more to get your perfect fit.
Jo is a big fan of their suits, especially the Island Goddess. With a variety of neck-lines you can be sure to find something that ‘suits’ you.
We both recently got a suit from Quince that we both love. It’s similar to the LaBlanca “Island Goddess” that Jo also loves (but doesn’t have the rouching), at a little bit lower price point. The front cut is flattering the back doesn’t scoop down too low which is nice. Plus the material isn’t too thick (which can make even a suit bulky for packing and hard to dry quickly), but is thick enough for coverage/to hold you in a bit. Quince also just launched a suit that’s very similar to Chrissie’s favorite Andie Swim’s suit (with a zip instead of snaps) at half the price. There is also a great-looking one-shoulder option, and for two-piece people you can buy tops and bottoms independently.
Great suits for water activities, Athleta lets you choose from low, medium or high coverage and you can also sort by what type of activity you’ll be doing to find what’s best for you.
J.Crew is always a great bathing suit resource, and recently the company has been hitting home runs with their styles. Whether you want basics, suits with rouching or smocking, a one-piece or two-piece, solids or patterns (they have more than most do), they have you covered. You can also sort by how much ‘coverage’ and support you want your suit to have.
Their one-shoulder Sidestroke is what put them on the map (comes in solids as well as multi-colored options) and Jo’s daughter loves hers. Their Ruched Backflip is also great looking (comes in patterns and solids), and their collab with LL Bean for women, men’s and kids suits is still going strong!
Known for their distinctive scalloped-edge design, these suits have become a classic. We especially like the Palm Springs Maillot and the Santa Barbara Maillot.
These suits typically feature a ruffle or flower detail that is so pretty! We especially like this one-shoulder with floral applique.
1 thought on “Swimsuits 2025”
I love Jo and Chrissie’s “swimsuit issue”. And thank you Joanne for taking one for the team and trying them all on. What a fab selection. 🙂
Linda