I know most women dread shopping for swimsuits. I’m a Miami girl at heart so I never minded it… until I had a kid. Now I can’t just reach for my go-to string bikinis because a) I don’t feel comfortable wearing them anymore and b) they’re definitely not kid appropriate. I’m still working on rebuilding my bikini wardrobe. But I’m happy with my one piece swimsuits collection:
All three styles have a moderate leg opening. I’m self conscious about my postpartum hips. So I looked for suits that won’t cut into my sides or rise too high on the leg, accentuating the hip area. And they all have medium (aka in my opinion, appropriate but not matronly) coverage on bottom.
I bought this ruched suit in wine years ago for a suit to wear when I needed something more appropriate than my aforementioned string bikinis. I only wore it a few times. But after having my baby it became a regular. The ruching made me feel comfortable about my postpartum body. And even though I have a size XS, the super stretchy fabric allowed the suit to still fit even with my baby weight.
Pros:
- ruching hides areas that make you feel self conscious
- super flattering on almost all body types
- high neck coverage protects chest from sun
- sheer panel still gives a touch of sex appeal
- padding helps push up the girls
- so many color options
- affordable
Cons:
- neck hook closure makes the suit a little annoying to take on and off
- I’m overwhelmed by all the color options and having trouble figuring out which I want to order next!
(try-on: 7 mo postpartum in wine, size XS)
This was the first swimsuit I got postpartum… and it was my most worn out of all my one piece swimsuits last year (here are 23 other items I used the most in 2023). I’m wearing a S in the orange. But now that I lost my baby weight, I just ordered a size P (Milly’s version of xs) in black.
Pros:
- super soft
- stretchy fabric doesn’t cut into skin
- one-shoulder style makes it look extra chic
- removable cups (I keep them in)
- full lined
Cons:
- one-shoulder style isn’t idea for tan lines
- pricy
(try-on: 5 mo postpartum in orange, size S)
This is a very recent purchase. So I can’t say how the suit holds up after use. But I will say it’s super flattering and I feel great wearing it! If you’re between sizes, I’d say size down.
Pros:
- faux wrap style flatters most body types
- adjustable straps
- removable pads (as I always, I kept them in)
- elastic leg opening don’t dig into sides
- affordable (especially if you shop during a sale!)
Cons:
- tie-waist is a little tricky at first
- only two color options
(try-on: 13 mo postpartum in black, size XS)
If you’re looking for affordable bikini options, here is a blog post about a couple I like. Once I build a new post-baby bikini wardrobe, I’ll publish a new post. In the meantime, here are some photos Fred Moser took of me and Preston when we were visiting Villa GoLightly last October.
