The Flagstaff highs are pushing 70 degrees all!
Summer is still a looong way off in the high country, but I’ve been dreaming.
And part of that dreaming is… ogling swimwear.
Swimwear and I have a love/hate relationship. As in… I love it. But I hate shopping for it.
I’m a small-band, large-cup girlie.
Do I have the *largest* cup size? No. But compared to my small band, my cup size is comparatively large(ish). Don’t come for me.
And I know I’m not alone. Unfortunately, lingerie giants (I’m looking at you, Victoria’s Secret) have convinced most American women that they’re a 34B and can “sister size” into a 32C.
This is so inaccurate it hurts. If you’ve never been to Reddit’s “A Bra That Fits” community, visit it now.
A 34B is actually a really uncommon bra size! Most women have smaller bands and larger cups than they think… but, sadly, lingerie giants are out to make a profit and they really don’t care about correctly sizing women when it’s way easier (and more profitable) to simply sell a narrow size range and then f*ck up the numbers and sell the lie of “add three inches to your band size” or “measure over the breasts” or “sister size up a band size” than it is to measure women for properly-fitting bras.
And don’t even get me started on how we came up with a number-plus-letter system for bras to differentiate between cup and band difference… only to completely discard that system for swimwear.
What the f*ck even is a size medium bikini top?!
It doesn’t help that a lot of popular brands, like Monday Swimwear model incorrectly-fitting bikini tops.
Underwire should never rest on top of your boob. Ouch!
Size “XS” usually features a small band made for a small ribcage, and a small cup made for small breasts… and size “XL” usually features a very large (too large for most people!) band with a medium size cup.
I typically wear a size 28E or 30DD depending on brand, which means I usually require a size XS band and a size M cup… so I’m typically SOL with anything other than a tie-back bikini, which I dislike for myriad reasons.
Anyway — I could rant and rave about this topic for hours (and I do, sometimes), but today, I’m here to share some of my favorite swimwear picks for small-band, large-bust girlies.
Full disclaimer: I haven’t tried all of these picks, but there are a few of my favorites that I own, wear and love on this list.
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SWIMWEAR I OWN, WEAR AND LOVE
Abercrombie & Fitch Curve Love “wide strap twist continuous underwire bikini top” (plus options for matching bottoms: “mid-rise high leg moderate” or “high-leg cheeky“). I am obsessed with this swim top. I wear a Curve Love size XXS. The band fits snug around my ribcage without riding up in back. The underwire sits snug on my chest, the cups cover me completely and the twist in front is so flattering!
Abercrombie & Fitch Curve Love “wide strap underwire bikini top” (see above for matching bottoms). Another win from A&F! Similar fit notes to the previously mentioned top.
Calia “square neck bikini top” (plus matching bottoms). This is not a curve-specific bikini design, BUT it fits fairly well all things considered. I feel completely comfortable paddle boarding in this top, and I love that it doesn’t have ties, clasps or hooks so it wears well underneath sun-protective layers and shirts. I’ve only worn it a half-dozen or so times, so I’m not sure how well the elastic will wear with continued use, but so far, I love it.
Calia “sleek sculpt bikini high support swim top” and Calia “sculpt high support swim top” (plus matching high-waisted bottoms and matching mid-rise cheeky bottoms). I have this top in black and it is my trusty go-to stand-up paddleboard adventure swimsuit. I typically know it’s going to fit well when the reviews complain about there being too much room in the cup!
Freya “Sundance halter bikini” (also known as the “Nomad Nights” bikini) (plus matching string bikini bottoms or brief bikini bottoms). Freya is one of the better lingerie companies that actually focuses on correct fit. My everyday t-shirt bra (the Freya Deco) has been a staple for more than a decade now. Freya’s swimwear line is hit-or-miss for me, though. While Freya excels at bra-sized swimwear, that means that sometimes, Freya’s swim line looks just a little too much like underwear for my liking. However, I own the Sundance halter bikini top and I love it.
SWIMWEAR I HAVEN’T TRIED (BUT LOOKS PROMISING)
Hollister “curvy eyelet underwire bikini top” (plus matching high-waist bottoms or high-leg cheeky bottoms).
Anything from Form and Fold. Form and Fold’s band sizes only go down to a 30 BUT they look promising! Form and Fold caters exclusively to larger bust women. They’re crazy expensive so I haven’t taken the plunge, but “the crop” and “the base” both look promising.
CUUP’s “The Scoop” swim top (and a matching high-waist bikini bottom). Similar to Form and Fold, CUUP’s band sizes only go down to a 30, but I’ve seen rave reviews online to the point where I’m tempted to try and hope the band runs tight.
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So, if you’re like me with a smaller-than-usual band size, and a larger-than-one-would-think cup size, I highly suggest some of these swimsuits.
Happy shopping and happy swimming!
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