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Stylish One-Piece Swimsuits

Trend Watch: One-Piece Swimsuits

Word on the street is that one-piece swimsuits are on trend this year. It’s been YEARS since I’ve owned a one-piece. I love the convenience of the tankini, and for a while the one-piece suits have seemed rather dated. I’m not sure how I feel about their resurgence.

Of course, I know that I don’t have to participate in the trend, but I’m considering giving it a whirl, and here is why.

At first when the tankini made its debut, it was the perfect mix of form and function. It provided the modesty we mommies craved and allowed us to finally visit the ladies room and take care of business without performing a gymnastic feat to get the suit up and down. Score!

Plus. The early tankinis had nice high waistbands on the bottoms that were able to smooth out the lumps and bumps that tend to grace the postpartum midsection, ifyouknowwhatImean. But in recent years, as low-rise pants have become more popular, I’ve noticed that the rise on the bathing suit bottoms have been lowered as well. I’ve tried and tried to find one with a higher rise to help smooth things out, but they are almost impossible to find. Even the ones that proclaim to have tummy control don’t come up high enough for the control to help matters. And the end result is an unsightly bulge or three — not exactly the look I’m going for.

I also find that the bathing suit tops on tankinis have less support than a one-piece suit because there is nothing to anchor them, which is another source of angst when swimsuit shopping.

Therefore, I do believe I will give the one-piece suit a chance.

I’ve been thumbing through catalogs as they come in the mail and turning down page corners. I’m about to order a few to try. I have a strict policy never to try on bathing suits in those horrid dressing rooms with their harsh lighting and revealing three-way mirrors. Surely a man invented those. I prefer to suffer that embarrassment in the privacy of my own home, thankyouverymuch.

Besides, I do like to get the opinion of a certain gentleman in my life, and he would rather stick sharp needles under his fingernails than accompany me to the department store to witness the trying on of bathing suits. SO. I will order a bunch and return the ones that don’t work for me. Gotta love online ordering!!!

Here are the ones on my list so far.

Michael Kors One-Shoulder Maillot

I’d probably order it in black. I don’t typically go for the one-shoulder style but it’s growing on me. What I like about it in a swimsuit is that it’s not low-cut in the bosoms, and I’m always looking for suits that aren’t too revealing in that area. Plus, the simplicity of this suit lends itself well to a cute wrap skirt.


Calvin Klein Pleat-Front One-Piece Swimsuit

I’m not sure which color I’d order. I love both the blue and the red. But then again, the black is just so elegant, I am tempted to be boring and order black.


Garnet Hill Ruched Blouson One-Piece Swimsuit

I’m really curious to see how this blouson style would look on a real woman. Since I am self conscious about my midsection, it could be a nice camouflage. It comes in some really pretty colors/patterns too!


Garnet Hill Twist-Front Halter One-Piece Swimsuit

I’d also be interested to see how this one looks on. I’ve always liked a halter top.


Lands’ End Princess One Piece Slender Suit

I like that this one can be ordered in bra sizes, and ruching is usually flattering.

Sara Bra Cup One Piece/Dress

I’d be curious to see how this one looks on. You can wear it as a dress or tied up like this. I *think* it is all one piece, though.

Miraclesuit Jena Slimming One-Piece Swimsuit

Another one-shoulder suit. I like them from the front more than from the back.

There are tons of Miraclesuits on Zappos, but this is a start.

I dunno, what do you think about the one piece? I’d have to find a sarong or cute coverup, and bring on the self tanner cuz these thighs haven’t seen the light of day in 10 years!!!! Still, I’m willing to give them a shot. Which ones should I order?

Join The Conversation

17 Responses

  1. The CK one is cute, but I doubt I will go with the one piece…with sand and/or being wet, it’s bad enough trying to pull up bottoms only. I can’t imagine with a whole suit!

  2. I have two one piece suits from Lands End. After 2 c-sections the body is not the same! I have been very happy with them and like the detailing on them. I have one that is very similar to the one you have posted. Happy shopping!

  3. Ok, here’s my problem with the one-piece. I like to have a little skirt on my swimsuit. Maybe it’s just insecurity, but I need to cover the tops of my thighs just a little. Oddly enough, I feel like it’s more important for me to cover my thighs than it is my stomach. (yes, I’m strange.) I haven’t found a one-piece that looks cute with a little skirt, but I have found two pieces (full coverage two-pieces) that work well.

    Any suggestions?
    ~FringeGIrl

    1. I am totally with you. That has always been my quandary. My solution, should I find a one-piece suit that I like, will be to get a short sarong to wear over it unless I’m in the water. After running for a couple of years and working out with a trainer, my thighs are looking better and I think I might actually feel okay with a regular suit! But I need to try them on first.

  4. After way too many years of cheap swimsuits, I bought one from Lands End very similar to that one you show (even that color) last year. Being plus-size and large chested, it was TOTALLY worth the investment. I adore it, it has support. I like one-pieces, too, after a lot of unsupportive tankinis.

  5. I am in complete agreement with you on swimsuits. I love tankini’s because they are so much easier to deal with than a one piece yet they offer so little support in the top. Not good for modest moms who don’t wanna let it all hang out. I love the two one-shouldered suits and I’d love to try that blouson one on too.

  6. Cute suits. I have a problem with upper chest area. I need to cover up due to previous skin cancer spots. (I’ve burned that area in the past so many times I’ve become quite conscious of it.) In your search, have you come across any suits with a higher neckline. I purchased one from Lands End in the past, but haven’t found any recently.
    Thanks!

  7. It’s the shaving for the one pieces that I hate!!! I really like the blouson one from Garnet Hill. I was actually thinking about giving that one a try myself. I’m curious about whether it would hide or accentuate the problem area. I wouldn’t want my midsection to simply fill in the blousy part. 🙂 you don’t have to post pictures but please try to give your thoughts when you try them out. 🙂

  8. All practicality aside (i.e. how to get the suits off and on when wet, shaving, etc), I think you found some really cute one pieces. I find myself gravitating to the one-shoulders and the Lands’ End. I like the halter style suit but am not caring for that particular print. My least favorite is the CK. There’s just something about that bottom pleat that’s not doing it for me.

  9. I love the Michael Kors and Miracle Suit! I love the colors and the fact that they are still “sexy” even as a one piece. *Great for vacay with the hubby*:) I am definitely going to check them out!

  10. I always wear a one-piece so I’m thrilled to see this! Great selection here-thanks for finding them!

    Thanks also for having me today.

    Best wishes for a fabulous weekend,
    Natasha in Oz

  11. I realize these are (now) styles from ten-years’ ago (though, the purple last one by Miraclesuit would be gorgeous and classy in any era), but as someone that’s a 10/12 pear body with stubborn backfat (and: all the “baggage”, lol!, being fortysomething makes so hard to shed if you don’t feel like living at the gym five-days-a-week): I wouldn’t wear anything other than a onepiece. I think too many tankinis look, literally, like a curtain draped over your midsection and offer no shaping whatsoever. Soooo many of them also, just in my opinion, always have such dowdy floral prints too (which, again, looks like you’re actually wearing something made out of an old curtain!). You’re right, though, about how the trend of them DIDN’T start out that way: I remember having a red La Blanca set in my early 20s (2003?) and, even though I -ahemm!- weighed less then, it was a really cute/modern/sporty-looking twopiece still with a nice supportive silhouette. None of the ones out there today I’ve seen look like that anymore (sigh!). Over the last couple summers, I’ve had good luck with the “Aqua Green” label suits. I like how they add some ’80s/’90s retro touches into their styles (*NOT* sky-highcut Baywatch legs though, be thankful!) and — they’ve proven to be good value ($29-$50). Another type of onepiece I was pleasantly surprised by (when I wanted a suit with racerback shoulder support for an aquatics aerobics class) for not being “boring” or “utilitarian”, was/is: a fully-lined TYR geometric print type. It’s, probably, the most I’d ever spent on a bathing suit ($78); however, I actually like wearing it a lot in warm weather paired as a base layer with white shorts!

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