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| Laser Beam Cross Strap Bikini |
What I love: The design, the print, the fact that the top doesn't have an uncomfortable knot in the middle of my back and the cute strap design. What I don't love: The small was too small and the medium felt a little big. The straps adjust but there's no way to adjust the band size, so I was just out of luck on this one. Returned.
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| Laser Beam Bottom |
What I love: The print. What I don't love: Everything else. There is no way that three pieces of stretchy thick elastic on your hips is not going to dig in. I got a medium and it was turrible but I think even the large would've been bad. Nope. Returned. On a whim, I also ordered these:
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| Laser Beam Kata Shorts |
What I love: All of it. The print, the fit, all of it. They're so good! I was really surprised because the cut looks similar to the Lululemon Speed Short which look awful on me. But these are great, I promise. I got a medium and they're a perfect fit. They'll be great for the days when I want to a bit more coverage, but don't want to feel mumsy. I might even wear them to the gym this summer because they really do feel like running shorts with the liner and all. Oh, and they come in solid colors too, which is nice. I kept them and decided to get a solid bikini top to match. I picked this one:
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| Tara Halter Bikini |
What I love: The color is beautiful and the quality is very good. It has underwire and comes in bra sizes so I ordered two sizes and the size up fit better. What I don't love: It is significant. It feels like wearing a full-coverage bra when you're used to wear bralettes. There is just a lot going on up there. So far I've kept it because it fit and looks good, but I'm not 100% convinced. Now, because I like to torture myself, I also ordered the following matching solid bottoms:
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| Smocked Medium Tide Bottom |
What I love: Nope. What I don't love: I mean, look at them on the model. What was I thinking? I got the medium and they were weird and bulky and side-squeezy. Badness all around.
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| Medium Tide Bottom |
What I love: This bottom is pretty basic but it has the right amount of ass coverage and the side ties are removeable, though I feel like they balance out the top so I'd probably leave them on. What I don't love: I ordered the medium and the large and I can't decide. The medium fits but cut in a tiny bit at the hips. The large are a tiny bit too big. Halp. I actually like a true tie-side because you can fix that problem but the Notsostring bottom doesn't come in purple and the Tieside bottom is pretty minimal.
SEE? This is exhausting. I need to go take a nap now.
I don't comment much cause I am lazy but I had to offer this--MALIA MILLS swimsuits are PERFECTION! Yes they are ungodly expensive but I have never ever ever felt better in a suit. NEVER! Their sizing is by number, none of that s,m,l bullshit and tops are bra sized. No digging in (and I am not skinny) and they have women of all sizes and ages modeling on their website! Best money ever spent!
ReplyDeleteUgh, so cute, so so so out of my price range.
DeleteI have that Tara top in a few colors and I LOVE it! You are correct, it feels like so much going on when you're used to bralette tops, but as someone busty I appreciate feeling secure. And I think it looks great on (but it did take soem getting used to)!
ReplyDeleteHa, I didn't mean to imply that I'm a bralette type, I was just trying to describe it. But yes, it does feel secure and I'm glad to hear you like it!
DeleteNot to get too personal, but may I ask what your number size is? I can't quite figure out athleta and what their letter sizes actually mean. Thanks!
ReplyDeleteI generally wear a dress size 6 and a size 28 in jeans. If you mean bra sizing, I'm a 32DD or 34D (depends on the manufacturer) and the bikini top that fit best was a 34D/DD.
DeleteThanks! I'm 6 ft, size 10/30, and thinking you, who are teeny tiny, is feeling like the large bottom is just a little big on you...I guess I would be a size XXXXL. So confusing! I want to love these suits so much!
DeleteIn regards to your medium versus large quandary, if you like the bottom AND it's not an uncomfortable cut in for you, I vote go with the medium. If the large is a little big now, picture it wet- water will weigh down the extra fabric and... Hello diaper bottom!
ReplyDeleteIf where the medium is *too* much of a cut in on the hips, can you take a safety pin, twist up some of the extra fabric on the large, and hide the safety pin under those false side ties?
I always found swimsuits shrink at least half a size in the wash, though... I would say keep the Large (IMO).
DeleteHas anyone every found a bikini bottom that's not side squeezy? I always think I took like I put a hair tie around my hips.
ReplyDeleteI know! The boy shorts usually end up being most flattering on me for that reason. Can they not get normal-size fit models to see their nonsense on a human woman before they churn out thousands of them? At least being able to buy different size tops and bottoms helps.
DeleteWith swimwear, like jeans, I think it's better to size down. Snug to very tight is good. It stretches after a few wears, in my experience.
ReplyDeleteFold over tops for biking bottoms are the best. Size up a little and they're adjustable.
ReplyDeleteI wear swim leggings until it's warmer, or at the end of the season, which are brilliant. Normal bikini top, with a rashguard over it.
For the rest of the summer I usually wear string bikini bottoms under jams- I can take off the jams for tanning, but run around and swim with them.
And at the end of the day, I can untie the bikini and get it off without taking off the shorts and then I'm free!!
I like to be able to move around-the ocean (and even a pool) and normal movement isn't a natural environment for a bathing suit to stay on correctly.
Go to Dillards at the end of the season when they are doing the big bathing suit sale this year- try on EVERYTHING. There's no pressure because; you've already done a whole swimsuit season, you're less traumatized by it all. Your skin is more summery/more suited to suits. and- you can get really expensive bathing suits for a fraction of the price. And you can mix and match. (some of the bathing suits were originally over $150 and were priced $24.99 etc).
I really like the the Old Navy boys jams- they have stripes and flowers and they are cute and really well made- and I got the striped rashguards from the women's section- the short and long-sleeved one- they are super cute and withstood a billion washes and dunks last summer.
Otherwise- have you tried properly athletic bathing suits? They have some super nice stuff, and it's more adapted to an actual body and actual performance...
I mean, look:
http://www.dickssportinggoods.com/products/womens-swimsuits.jsp
(Carrie Underwood is designing swimwear?! And doing a really good job of it- all her stuff is spot on!)
I loathe spending a great deal of money on lounging swimsuits* (yachting holidays being few and far between), but I loathe ill-fitting ones even more. I've had surprisingly good luck with Joe Fresh for the price. And you can mix and match tops and bottoms.
ReplyDelete* vs the laps-at-the-pool workhorses that I can't be fiddling with as I try to swim and that have to survive hundreds of washes
Ah, but are the crotches wide enough to cover The Bits That Must Be Covered? I've noticed that the crotches of swimsuits and bikini bottoms are getting narrower and narrower. How I noticed? The hard way, last year, standing in the pool. I adjusted my new (big! boxer style!)bikini bottoms (that had obv been fine when I was a) trying them on with underwear on in the shop or b) dry, and dicovered that slurp, they just went right in there. After trying on every.single.model. in all.the.shops. last year I found ONE model that wasn't cut for people with half an inch of stuff between their thighs so I bought two pairs straight away. Bizarre!
ReplyDelete