ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT

A Deep Dive Into Every One Of The Best Swimsuit Brands

Photo: courtesy of Everlane.
We’ve got a checklist going to make sure we have everything we need to do for the hottest-girl summer on record: stock up on top-rated sunscreen; book the best lake house rental on Airbnb; acquire the most poppin’ swimsuit our budgets can buy. The only thing holding us back from our last initiative is that we’re about 20,000 leagues underwater, thanks to the veritable ocean of cute bathing suits in the swim-o-sphere right now. Do we want something cheap and cheerful or luxe and eco-friendly? (All of the above, please!) Do we need a sporty, covered-up suit that’s going to stay put while we engage in every water sport under the sun OR a mere suggestion of a bikini, for the most optimal tan? If you’re also out to sea on this decision-making dinghy, then you’ve come to the right place β€”Β we’ve done a deep dive (sorry, had to) on all the best swimsuit brands that the internet has to offer. From the affordable one-pieces to the inclusively sized (including people with bigger busts), find the best swimsuit brands on the world wide web ahead.
AdvertisementADVERTISEMENT
DashDividers_1_500x100

Best Affordable Swimsuit Brands

ASOS

If you’ve got minor ducats to shell out on the best swimswuit brands this season, there are plenty of suits in the sea. ASOS is one of our favorite retailers for low-priced bathing suits, and it doesn’t require you to sacrifice style or eco-conscious construction. With their in-house ASOS DESIGN imprint and affordable brands like Collusion and Monki offering recycled-fiber suits in trendy prints, we could spend hours adding to our carts (without breaking the $100 threshold).
Shop swimsuits at ASOS

H&M

The Swedish retailer has nailed the art of all things chic and inexpensive, and their selection of swimsuits is no exception. With a seemingly endless variety of on-trend prints and silhouettes, a size range that runs from XXS - 4XL on select styles, and recycled-fiber options under the brand’s Conscious imprint, there are bathing togs for every type of shopper here β€” especially the frugal ones.
Shop swimsuits at H&M

Target

It should come as a surprise to no one that this Christopher John Rogers-collaborating, endlessly affordable big-box store has a sweet array of chic, beach-ready togs in silhouettes that are reminiscent of pricier designer suits in their style and sophistication. They also offer a wealth of plus-size bathing suits that won’t break the bank.
AdvertisementADVERTISEMENT
Shop swimsuits at Target
DashDividers_1_500x100

Best Plus Size Swimsuit Brands

Swimsuits For All

Thanks to stylish collaborations with style mavens, models, and influencers like Gabi Gregg, Ashley Graham, and Camille Kostek, this size-inclusive swim-print has become a must-visit digital destination for hotties of every shape and size. You’ll find graphic patterns, pack-a-punch colors, and plenty of cutouts at this skin-friendly retailer.

Kitty & Vibe

In 2018, Kitty & Vibe founder Cameron Armstrong found herself frustrated with the fit disparities that are all too expected and accepted in the world of swimsuits. For her own brand, the former beauty marketing manager developed a unique sizing system that takes the hip and bottom measurements into account, for a fit that’s tailored to a variety of different booties and bodies. The cheerful range of printed swimsuits extend to size 5XL, and the Insta-ready colors and patterns have us repeatedly smashing the like button.

Torrid

As an exclusively plus-size retailer, Torrid already knows a thing or two about designing apparel that actually works for women sizes 10 to 30 β€” without losing any of the flirt, flair, and fun of fashion. The brand's swim collection is no exception. Take a gander and you're sure to find a statement style that works for you: one-pieces with fluttery skirts, suits with groovy prints, bikini necklines that unapologetically plunge, and more.
AdvertisementADVERTISEMENT
Shop Torrid
DashDividers_1_500x100

Best Cute Bikini Brands

Frankie’s Bikinis

We’d be silly to leave out a brand that invokes the itsy-bitsy, teeny-weeny swimsuits in its nomenclature β€”Β and luckily, entrepreneur Francesca Aiello’s swimsuit label lives up to its name. Not only are the majority of Frankie’s wares creatively microscopic in their coverage, but the bikinis feature cute and colorful prints created in collaboration with actually cool celebs like Hailee Steinfeld and Naomi Osaka. They also have a Pride collection β€”Β 15% of the sales from which benefit the Stonewall Community Foundation.

Andrea Iyamah

It doesn’t get much more sculptural than this Toronto-based designer’s work-of-art swimsuits. In particular, we love the embellished and almost theatrical bikinis that she turns out alongside a host of equally stunning resort wear. Adorned with three-dimensional details that we rarely see in your average suit β€” think sweeping accordion ruffles, fruit-themed embroidery, and braided accents β€”Β Iyamah’s showstopping sets will have all eyes on you at the playa this summer.

Nomads Swimwear

Nomad Swimwear founder Taylor Long is not only a designer but also a plus-size model herself, so offering a wide range of size-inclusive styles and fits has always been top of mind for the sustainable swimsuit brand. To us, what’s most impressive are the unique two-piece designs β€” supportive one-shoulder tops, intentionally placed mesh panels, and flattering high waists β€” that prove bikinis can look fab (and stay secure) on all body shapes.
AdvertisementADVERTISEMENT
DashDividers_1_500x100

Best Swimsuits for Large Busts

Cuup

When this beloved DTC lingerie brand launched swimsuits earlier this summer, we jumped for joy β€” and of course, everything stayed put, because we were already wearing our Cuup bras. The brand brought its expert tailoring, flattering silhouettes, band sizes 30 - 42, and cup sizes A - H to a jewel-toned collection of swim separates. β€œThis is a MUST HAVE for those who need support,” wrote reviewer Allison of the Balconette Swim Top. β€œI have been searching for a swim top that is supportive, comfortable, and stylish for years and I’ve finally found it. This fits as if it was made just for me. Based on the reviews I ordered a cup size up from my Fit Quiz results and am glad I did. Thank you Cuup!” Each of the swim tops is equipped with flex wire, for move-with-you support, and the brand’s β€œslide and set” closure for easy fit adjustment.
Shop CUUP

ModCloth

Considering how the retailer ModCloth has championed size inclusion, anti-photoshopping policies, and female leadership since its 2002 launch, it's no surprise that you can always find stylish swimsuits that are timeless and flattering forΒ everybody β€” including those with larger chests. With thoughtful features such as adjustable cami straps, padded cups, and adjustable back clasp closures available in a size range of XS - 4X,Β each bikini top is made with an emphasis on support. Plus, ModCloth's fun collabs with brands like Collectif means you can expect tropical prints and vintage-inspired silhouettes to boot.
AdvertisementADVERTISEMENT

Andie

Andie swimsuit designs are made with all fit preferences, occasions, and body types in mind using feedback and wear tests from over 300,000 women. There are even Fit Experts available to offer shoppers advice on sizing support. Sizes range from XS through XXXL and you can filter your experience based on the styles offering maximum bust support. Think control, coverage, and no-budge bikini tops that are "secure enough for high-impact swims and stylish enough for all-day wear."
Shop Andie
DashDividers_1_500x100

Best Sustainable Swimsuit Brands

Vitamin A

When former swimsuit model and designer Amahlia Stevens consulted with eco-minded Patagonia founder Yvon Chouinard on a swimsuit capsule, she saw how the company created fleece fiber from discarded plastic. Upon launching her own eco-friendly bathing-suit brand in 2000, she took a page from Chouinard’s book and created Vitamin A’s signature fabric, EcoLux β€” β€œa superfine matte jersey with a nearly weightless, silken texture that erases flaws and fits like a second skin,” according to Vitamin A. About that second skin: California Apparel News quoted a veteran swimsuit buyer who called the brand’s fit β€œextraordinary.”
AdvertisementADVERTISEMENT

Ansea

This sustainable swimsuit brand is made for women who are at one with the ocean. Really! Ansea offers unfussy, functional styles that can hold up to all kinds of saltwater activity, from gentle wading to full-on surfing. Most of the one-pieces and mix-and-match bikini sets are not only made from Econyl regenerated nylon, but they’re also reversible, so it’s like snagging a two-for-one deal. And, if you’re a surfer babe, check out the brand’s rash guards, crafted from deadstock fabrics, and the wetsuits, made from Forest Stewardship Council-certified natural rubber.
Shop Ansea

Everlane

Everlane needs no intro at this point β€” but it’s worth noting that the go-to essentials brand has a stellar line of practical swimsuits at easygoing price points. And as with everything else that Everlane offers, the brand’s sustainable one-pieces and separates come from ethical factories, and 82% of the materials used in the swim collection are derived from recycled plastic.
DashDividers_1_500x100

Best Amazon Swimsuit Brands

Aleumdr

While Amazon may not be the easiest place to shop for swimsuits (so overwhelming!), it can be a veritable gold mine if you know where to look. We have a handy-dandy guide to the best swimsuit brands stocked at the online behemoth β€”Β the ones you can only find on Amazon, ya know? β€”Β but there are a few standouts, in our book. Based on our anonymous internal shopping data, we happen to know that this tropical-print one-piece from Aleumdr is a reader favorite β€” and based on close to 4,000 reviews, it seems to have a few fans on Amazon, too.
AdvertisementADVERTISEMENT
Shop Aleumdr at Amazon

Cupshe

We love Amazon brand Cupshe for its range of flattering colors and styles that are offered in an inclusive size range that goes up to 4XL. The brand doesn’t skimp on the romance, either β€” its Amazon storefront is swimming (guffaw) with suits that boast shirring, ruffles, and summer-ready mix-and-match florals.
Shop Cupshe on Amazon

Romwe

Romwe boasts thousands of trendy styles for women's fashion, so it's no surprise that the Amazon brand also has its fair share of swimsuit fans. The prints are generally standout and of-the-moment β€” tie-dye meets marble; cartoony, pop art florals; vintage-inspired chintz β€” and the silhouettes lean classic and low-maintenance, which makes Romwe swim styles very wearable for plenty more summers to come.
Shop Romwe at Amazon
DashDividers_1_500x100

Best One-Piece Swimsuit Brands

Summersalt

It’s hard to overestimate the scientific perfection of Summersalt’s Sidestroke swimsuit, a color-blocked, one-shoulder maillot famously tailored based on β€œ1.5 million body measurements from 10,000 women,” according to the brand’s website, and rendered in an ultra-compressive fabric that offers a shaping and smoothing power that’s unrivaled in the swim-dustry. While this one-style-flatters-all-sizes maillot is the brand’s unquestionable hero, Summersalt is responsible for a host of one-piece swimsuits that deliver equally on their promise of precise fit and summer-ready style.
AdvertisementADVERTISEMENT

Norma Kamali

While living legend Norma Kamali is responsible for numerous contributions to the fashion canon, among her greatest hits is an ultra-high-leg, ultra-low-back maillot that challenges the definition of the one-piece as a full-coverage swimsuit option. First released in the early 1970s under a different style name, the throwback silhouette was spotted in a vintage shop by an employee (named Marissa) who insisted that Kamali re-release it. β€œI was unsure if customers would be into that high of a leg in 2014,” Kamali told us, β€œbut I told Marissa that I’d bring it back and name it after her.” Now, the Marissa is a summer must-have and has inspired legions of imitators (including a best-selling Amazon version), and the designer continues to bring serious sex appeal to the one-piece with suits like the mesh-panel Mio and the bold cut-out Chuck.

Lands’ End

It’s not the sexiest brand on the block, but your mom’s go-to swim outfitter has honed the art of fit and top-notch quality throughout decades of making swimsuits β€”Β and their precisely fitting one-piece swimsuits have racked up hundreds of glowing reviews. We found surprisingly appealing prints and patterns in the mix, including a genteel-chic collaboration with Reese Witherspoon’s Draper James line. The brand’s bathing togs are also notoriously long-lasting, thanks to the use of a special type of super-strong Lycra that holds up to 10 times longer than ordinary spandex.
AdvertisementADVERTISEMENT
DashDividers_1_500x100

Best Athletic Swimsuit Brands

Athleta

There’s a lot to love about Gap’s sporty sister brand. First and foremost, they achieved B Corp status in 2018, meaning that the company β€œmeet[s] the highest standards of verified social and environmental performance, public transparency, and legal accountability to balance profit and purpose,” according to the B Corporation website. As a longtime athletic-wear brand tailored especially for the ladies, it’s also responsible for a host of sport-friendly swimsuits that offer high-performance fits and fabrics in super stylish silhouettes and colors.
Shop swimsuits at Athleta

Speedo

You can’t talk about athletic swimsuits without mentioning the elder states-brand of sport-oriented suits. Founded in Australia β€” where many great water-ready innovations have originated β€” in 1914, the brand is actually credited with inventing the racerback-style maillot. (The crossover tank silhouette was thought to allow competitive swimmers more freedom of upper-body movement and therefore, speed.) And who can forget the omnipresence of the brand’s Aussie-inspired boomerang logo at the Olympics throughout the 1990s and 2000s?
Shop Speedo
AdvertisementADVERTISEMENT

CALIA by Carrie Underwood

Did you know that Carrie Underwood has an activewear line called CALIA? Well, the brand offers cute swimsuit options, too. For sportier gals who prefer an athletic look, the silhouettes are ideal β€” the tops are akin to sports bras, with bust support and comfortable straps. The bottoms also give a secure fit, with full butt coverage and wide waistbands that don’t sit too uncomfortably high in case you’ve got other outdoorsy, watery, sporty activities planned. (One reviewer raved that she went on a long hike in her CALIA swimsuit and it didn’t budge once.) What sets CALIA apart from the usual athletic brands are the thoughtful feminine details, like strappy backs on one-pieces, flattering ruching, and cute prints.
Shop CALIA by Carrie Underwood at Dick's Sporting Goods
DashDividers_1_500x100

Best Luxury Swimsuit Brands

Araks

This longtime indie brand was built around founder Araks Yeramyan childhood obsession with color, which has become a hallmark of the lingerie and swimsuit imprint that she founded in 2000. Simple silhouettes are jolted out of wallflower territory thanks to thoughtful and unexpected hues that are like candy for the senses. The brand is also certified by Bluesign, a third-party environmental agency that evaluates companies’ sustainability efforts, and 50% of their swimwear are made with ECONYL (a recycled nylon).
Shop Araks
AdvertisementADVERTISEMENT

Lisa Marie Fernandez

Multiple outlets have reported that former stylist Lisa Marie Fernandez owns over 380 swimsuits β€” a holdover from her stint as a swimwear market editor at Elle. The globe-trotting designer is known for high-fashion creations that bring unexpected fabrics (terrycloth, crepe, and seersucker) and bold findings (belts, buckles, and buttons) to her runway-minded bathing suits.
Shop Lisa Marie Fernandez at Net-a-Porter

Marysia

If you recognize the scalloped edges of these stylish swimsuits from your Instagram feed, it's because they're a swoon-worthy signature of the luxury womenswear brand MARYSIA. The premium label was launched by former ballet dancer and surfer Marysia Dobrzanska Reeves after she graduated from the Fashion Institute of Design & Merchandising in Los Angeles. Inspired by travel and adventure, Reeves' suits are made from premium Italian fabrics and cut by hand in a couture factory β€” all of which sounds like the next best thing to an actual trip to Capri.
Shop Marysia at MatchesFashion
DashDividers_1_500x100
At Refinery29, we’re here to help you navigate this overwhelming world of stuff. All of our market picks are independently selected and curated by the editorial team. If you buy something we link to on our site, Refinery29 may earn commission.
AdvertisementADVERTISEMENT

More from Shopping

ADVERTISEMENT