Bikinis that Cover Your Bum, and Other Practical Swimwear
Plus, cover-ups you'll happily wear as "normal" clothes too.
Ahh, swimwear. It’s a bit of a beast, isn’t it?
Trying to find a one-piece or bikini that fits, doesn’t dig in, gives support, doesn’t sag after a few wears, feels comfortable, and has a design you like is no mean feat. When I sat down to put this edit together, I knew there would be other elements of swimwear that other people would struggle with too, so I jumped into my subscriber chat to ask.
Fit was a big thing. Readers were frustrated over how many swimsuits there are that are really high-cut on the leg and don’t cover much of your bum (I second this!). They wanted minimalist swimsuits made for bigger busts. Fabric that lasts and looks good when it’s wet and dry. High necklines to cover up skin on the chest. One-pieces for long torsos. And colours that will suit pale skin tones.
I’ve narrowed down my search to 12 swimsuits below, but if you want to do your own looking around, these are the best brands that have the most options in terms of cut, fit and sizing:
Beyond the swim edit, you’ll find cover-ups that you’ll quite happily wear as “normal” clothes too. Think linen dresses that can be thrown over a bikini or paired with jewellery for dinner, sarongs that make excellent skirts, and loose shirts that’ll help protect your skin in the sun — and still look good when you sit down for aperitivo.
Swimwear
That isn’t high-cut (and covers your bum)
London-based Casa Raki knows its swimwear, and this chocolate brown one-piece is a case in point. It has a regular cut on the leg and coverage on the bum, a chic square neckline and wide straps for extra support, and it’s made from a textured fabric with SPF50+. From other Casa Raki swimsuits I’ve tried, I recommend getting your usual size.
I have a few bikinis and swimsuits from Matteau that I’ve owned (and worn many times) since around 2018. They’ve lasted very well, and the quality is excellent, so it’s worth spending that little extra. This top has underwiring and adjustable straps, and is available in A/B and C/D cups. You buy the bottoms separately, so you can choose the style you like best, but I love how this top looks with the retro-style high-waist briefs. Both the top and bottoms have medium coverage.
That doesn’t dig in
I recently got a bikini from LOF and honestly, it’s up there with the best swimwear I’ve tried. The founders used to work on the product team for lululemon, and they’ve applied their knowledge of fit, support and longevity to (very good) swimwear. LOF’s signature fabric is super soft and smoothing (no digging in whatsoever), it’s compressive when it’s wet and dry, and it can withstand chlorine and salt water. The fit is true to size.
This bikini from Andie is soft, seamless, and the fit is excellent, so it doesn’t dig in. There’s a lot of support in the top (similar to a sports bra), so it’s a great option for more active trips to the beach or pool too. You can mix up the bottoms depending on what coverage and fit you like; this pair has medium leg cut and bum coverage.
For long torsos
Andie has a collection of styles made specifically for long torsos, so if you find you’re constantly getting a wedgie, this is a great brand to shop. I love this swimsuit, which is one of Andie’s core styles. It has a snap front detail which can be done up or left open, it has under-bust elastic for support, and it’s made from compressive, sculpting fabric.
Youswim makes its swimwear using a knitted, crinkled fabric (similar to Hunza G). It has no side seams and it stretches in all directions, adapting to your body while giving you support where you need it (I have a bikini from Youswim and can corroborate this!). It comes in two sizes: Stretch I, which fits UK size 6-16 and Stretch II, which fits UK size 18-28. One thing to bear in mind is that the fabric can be easy to snag, so watch out on decking or rocky beaches.
For bigger busts
This top is specifically made for D-G cups. It has a band that doesn’t dig in, soft, wide straps, and a clean square neckline. It’s made from LOF’s signature fabric that’s soft and smoothing, dries quickly, and is very happy being in chlorine and salt water. The bottoms have a high-cut leg and medium bum coverage, but you can mix and match with LOF’s other styles if you’re looking for a different fit.
This swimsuit is made for cups E-F and has a hidden underwire for bust support, but it still has that sleek, minimal finish. There are wide, adjustable straps, and it has regular bum and leg coverage. I love the fresh, cream colour too — imagine how good it will look against a sunshiney backdrop.
That suits pale skin tones
I had a few requests in my subscriber chat for swimwear that suits pale skin tones. In this instance, jewel tones work really well, so they’re always good colours to look for. I have a bikini from LOF in this colour; it’s a lovely, rich green, and it’s a shade that actually looks good against my Celtic skin that hasn’t seen the sun since last September.
A rich, dark purple will look great against pale skin tones and makes a nice alternative to black. This bikini is made from sculpting, stretchy scuba. The bottoms are high-waisted with medium bum coverage, and the top has adjustable wide straps, darting for shape, and a clasp closure at the back.
With high necklines
I got this swimsuit last summer, and not only is it one of the most supportive one-pieces I own, but it has a high neck and back for extra skin coverage. I don’t like to use the word flattering, but there’s a slight ruching detail around the waist that helps if you’re self-conscious in that area, and there’s regular bum coverage. There are removable cups and an internal shelf for boob support but according to the brand, this swimsuit is best suited to A-C cups.
Another classic black one-piece from JETS Australia, only this one is business at the front, and party at the back. While the front has a high neck that helps cover the chest area, the back has a low cross detail. Like the swimsuit above, there are removable cups and an internal shelf, regular bum coverage, and it’s best suited to cups A-C.
Clothes that double as cover-ups
Sarongs/pareos
It’s long, it’s cotton, it’s got thick black and brown stripes, and it will look just as good tied around your swimsuit as you walk to the beach bar, as it will out for dinner. I love the idea of this pareo paired with Soeur’s oversized chocolate shirt for an evening look.
I recently got this sarong off Etsy, and I can’t wait to wear it in summer. It’s block printed, giving it an interesting pattern, and pretty large, so it can be worn in multiple ways. Like the Soeur pareo above, I’ll be wearing it with a linen shirt when it’s not being worn as a cover-up. Shipping is from India — this took a couple of weeks to arrive in the UK.
Shirts and shorts
A light, crisp linen shirt with short sleeves, a half placket and a rounded hem. This shirt will look great thrown over your bikini when you want to cover up your skin, and over a pair of relaxed-fit shorts.
Speaking of which, these shorts would make the perfect pairing with that shirt. Made from crinkly seersucker, it won’t matter if these shorts get crushed at the bottom of your beach bag. They have a relaxed fit, and the earthy tones give them a sophisticated touch.
Regular readers will know I’m a big fan of WNU’s boxer shorts, and this matching set is the perfect way to add a bit of polish to your cover-up. Hemp is breathable, strong and durable, and it only gets softer with wear too.
Dresses
A relaxed, flowy dress that isn’t floral print? Sign me up. This is made from 100% cupro (similar to silk but more robust), it’s naturally moisture-wicking, and the thin straps are customisable — lengthen them, shorten them, wear them straight or cross them at the back.
A strappy, easy midi dress in classic navy. It has a scooped back and thin adjustable straps, and a square neckline that will feel chic off the beach too.
A strappy linen dress with ties at the waist that can be worn front-to-back or back-to-front. It has a relaxed fit, so it would slot over swimwear easily and would make an excellent day-to-day dress. It looks equally as good layered over tops, so I imagine this would see you through to the beginning of autumn too.
Playsuits
Cute. Smart. Practical. What’s not to love? This is one of those pieces you could wear everywhere: poolside, popping out for your morning baguette, or to aperitivo with a bit of jewellery to take it up a notch.
I have a black playsuit from COS from a few years ago that gets a LOT of wear in summer. This one is very similar: a square neck, comfortable cotton-linen blend, and adjustable shoulder straps. Thank me later.
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Glad to know I'm not the only one who doesn't want to wear a thong on the beach.
I loveeeee Left on Friday!! I am also newly obsessed with Else - unbelievable fit!! I’m going to check out this JETS brand/ looks so good!!!