‘Tis the damn season people- the dreaded annual swimwear update. On par with doing your electricity meter reading and charging your sex toys, it’s a job that if we could, would be left to someone else because it’s truly that unenjoyable. Despite this, there are a few steps you can take to make the process less painful, helping you find swimwear that makes you feel and look your best- because the Spring and Summer seasons are too sweet not to celebrate!
1) Choose a style that’s comfortable- no bikini is worth a summer of thrush. Wearing wet swimwear in the heat is a prime breeding ground for bacteria, and let’s just say thrush in the sun ain’t it. If you’re reluctant to size up in your swimsuit because of an internalised belief that gaining weight = failure, let us interrupt that thought immediately. Your comfort is a priority, period, and the number on a scale or the label on your clothes is never a representation of your worth. Choose swimwear that makes you feel good, but most importantly is comfortable for you. If you can’t quite embrace your body as it currently is, at least go into this summer believing you deserve to not berate yourself over how you look whilst enjoying the sun.
2) If stripping down to a glorified pair of undies for the whole world to see feels unachievable, consider the options in your power to make the experience a little more comfortable: high-waisted bottoms, cover-up shirts and oversized tees. A beach or swimming experience is what you make of it, and you don’t need to compete with those around you or the influencers on your feed that make you feel less than. Unfollow, curate your space and throw on a sarong, girl!
3) Don’t rush the shopping experience- take your time in trying things on, as laborious as it feels, and don’t settle until you’ve found ‘the one’. Start shopping early in the summer season and bag yourself a two-piece or swimsuit that ticks all the boxes- be it a supportive bra style top or full coverage bottom- before your faves end up out of stock. You won’t regret it!
Keep scrolling to see Team Zoella’s top swimwear picks and the bikinis we’ll be rocking around the pier this summer…
Charlotte’s picks
Jeans and swimwear = my two shopping nemeses. I hate the yearly quest to find bikinis that I feel confident in and after gaining some weight in lockdown (no biggie just adjusting to a new body type) I am struggling even more to find swimsuits I feel good in.
If there’s one shop I’ve gravitated more towards in recent years for swimwear it’s Weekday, and this year is no different. They have so many different styles and prints that feel a bit different than those available in the usual spots, and I love them for that! I had never heard of SAMSØE Φ SAMSØE on The Outnet but I love this classic swimwear silhouette and the really thin spaghetti straps feel super feminine and pretty which I love. The leaf/sage green colourway is also super in right now and I feel like would look so beautiful with a tan- it’s a yes from me! Finally, can you ever go wrong with ASOS? The answer is no! This cute two-piece from Pieces is v girly and fun and perfect for throwing on in hurry during heatwave season when a lunch break sunbathe in the garden is calling your name.
Danielle’s picks
I’m going to Marbella at the end of May on my first proper sunny holiday since you know what and let me tell you, finding swimwear as a lady with a “fuller bust” has been a long old slog! I’ve managed to pick up a few things I’m super excited to throw on, the first being this pinstripe style bikini from H&M. The fabric is thick and textured and the design is minimal and cool. A lot of the “fuller bust” options I come across can sometimes be VERY feminine and frilly/ruffly which isn’t my style. Secondly, a swimsuit in beautiful cobalt which I think many would agree is the colour of the season. I can wear both of these with an oversized Linen shirt (always needed for my pink shoulders) and this gorgeous modern straw bag I can’t wait to be filled with sand!
Lareese’s picks
Mentally, I’m packing for a holiday I’ve yet to book and crochet bikinis have me in a chokehold. This set from Mango is giving Coachella vibes and feels like a good Faithful the Brand dupe. I can see it styled with a black sarong, a bucket hat / bandana and sunnies for beach clubs and pool days. As my five year old niece loves to remind me, I’ve got “very small boobies” so soft triangular sets work for me.
Darcey’s picks
Why is swimwear actually always so hard to buy?! I have the opposite problem to Danielle, being that I have a small chest but I’m a size 16/18, so swimwear very often is just wayyyy to big for my tatas. I’ve actually just been on my holidays to Egypt and I picked up some swimwear from South Beach which is always super good quality, I think you can’t go wrong with a simple black set for the beach. George Asda also have amazing swimwear at the moment and it’s so affordable, this blue set with the crinkle effect looks way more expensive than it is! Net bags are also a must for any beach holiday, a bag that can’t get full of sand cause it falls through the holes? Genius I tell you.
*All products on this page have been picked by our editorial team but some are ad-affiliate links
