In the last few years there have been many swimsuit companies popping up. Unfortunately, many of these swimsuit shops are only focused on how they look, and don’t put any thought into how the suit style is going to support women’s bosoms. Most of us don’t have perfect perky and full breast genes in our DNA, so swimsuits with minimal lining, shelf bras, and molded cups alone aren’t going to give women the support and shape we need to look our best.
Let's discuss the three types of swimsuit style to avoid buying so you you don’t end up looking like one of the women in the picture above.
Let’s start with the facts. The best fitting swimsuits in the world are the ones that come in bra sizes.
Below are a couple examples of bra sized swimwear and look at how amazing this woman’s boobs look!
Some of you might not have known these types of swimsuits even existed. They're not easily found at stores like Target. Why? Swimsuits that come in bra sizes take more technology, precise pattern making, and a lot more thought than your average swimsuit style.
Most retailers are in it to make easy money, so that’s why you see a limited selection in sizing. At Bra Fittings by Court, we only sell bra-sized swimwear!
One of the major perks of purchasing swimwear in your bra size is it’s like getting a custom fitting swimsuit without having to pay the heavy price tag of a custom made swimsuit.
The awesome thing is majority of the bra sized swimwear is about the same price as regular swimsuits, they range from $60-$150. By going the bra size swimwear route, you’re going to get the proper lift, support, coverage, and shape; which equals to feeling confident when you’re poolside.
The other really important factor to finding that perfect fitting swimsuit is buying swimwear that meets the needs of your breasts.
Read the six steps to finding the perfect swimsuit here. A lot of women go swimsuit shopping and buy what is cute, trendy, or hides their stomach well.
The biggest factor is if their breasts aren’t shaped, supported, lifted, and separated, they look heavier and not as put together in their swimsuit.
There are a lot of swimsuits out there that can prevent you from getting that perfect fitting swimsuit. Let's talk about three types of swimsuit company sizing to avoid buying so you can be sure you’re getting a proper fit in the bust area and look your best!
Numerical sizes: 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, 12, etc.
At Costco a few weeks ago, there were one-piece swimsuits for sale. They came in dress sizes: 6, 8, 10, 12, 14, etc. The problem with these types of swimsuits is the sizing assumes if you’re a size 10, you have large breasts, and if you’re a size 4, you have tiny breasts. In our experience, the vast majority of women's breasts are not proportional to their dress size. There are a lot of women who wear a size 4 and have G cup breasts as well as women who wear a size 10 who have B cup breasts.
These swimsuits either have lining, a shelf bra, molded cups, or a combo of these three. Because they lack the vital component of support, a snug fitting band, they don’t shape well or give adequate support. They make women look like they have uniboobs. For large-busted gals, breasts tend to hand out on the side and top of these suits, and for small-busted gals, the cups at the top tend to be too big and gap.
Letter Sizes: XS, S, M, L, XL, 1X, etc.
You will face the same problems with this type of sizing as you will with a numerical-size swimsuit. In a size Small, the swimsuit is assuming that if you wear a small, that you have small breasts. In a size Large, they assume you have large breasts.
If you do go down this route, We recommend wearing a two piece or a bikini that has an adjustable band in the back. You can go up or down a size to accommodate your breast size, and still be able to adjust it in the back for good support.
Combined Bra Sizes: A/B, C/D, DD/DDD, 34 A/B, 34 C/D, etc
This sizing is kind of tricky. It’s much better then dress and shirt sizing, but has some problems.
For example, one of our fitters recently got a swimsuit that comes in this type of sizing. Because she wears a 32D, she ordered the 32/34D size. The top was too big, so she ended up getting the 32/34C size. As stated, this sizing can be tricky and you might have to order two different sizes to make sure you get one that fits.
This sizing suggests that a 30D and a 32D are the same or sister bra sizes. This is completely untrue. A 30D is actually a cup size smaller than a 32D. Cup sizes aren’t stagnant in each band size. A D cup is not the same in a 30, 32, 34, 36, etc. As you go up each band size the D cup goes up a size.
Conclusion
Buy swimsuits that come in bra sizes. Next best option, try to buy swimsuits that come with an adjustable band or ties in the back so you can tighten it to give you more support. This is going to ensure you get the best fitting swimsuit for your body and breasts.
Curious to find out your size? Click below to open the Bra Fit Calculator or Book an In-Person Fitting with one of our expert bra fitters! If you've ordered one of our swimsuits and want to make sure you got the correct fit, book a Virtual Fit Check and one of our fitters will video chat with you to help!