NPCER: Who wants to help me buy a swimsuit?

[2curlydogs]

So, we're going on vacation in a couple weeks and I expect, at the very least, we'll be on the beach (if not in the water) and at the pool quite a bit.

And I realized I need a new swim suit. My current one is, uh, 6 or 7 years old, stained from gardening in it, and wearing thru the bottoms.

I'd prefer a tankini style, preferably with shorts than a true bikini bottom (to cover pregnancy stretch marks on my hips). Also, being 6' with a reasonably long torso, if they come in "tall" sizes, that would be unbelievably awesome.

[eclaires]

ME!!!!

So I have this suit from JCrew, not a two piece, but I really really love it. It comes down over my thighs a little bit which I love b/c I am tall and my legs are long. I feel like I look like a freak in anything that doesn't do that.

It comes with a removable strap, which I use.

www.jcrew.com/womens_category/swim/onepiecetanks/PRDOVR~84522/84522.jsp

My other suggestion is Land's End. I really like their tankini tunic tops. I have two of them (one from last year) and this one:
www.landsend.com/pp/womens-beach-living-halter-tunic-swimsuit-top~231592_59.html?bcc=y&action=order_more&sku_0=::GD3&CM_MERCH=IDX_women-_-swimsuits-_-shop-by-collection-_-beach-living&origin=index

the tunic runs long, obviously and you can cinch it up to wear you want it. And then I like it with their swim skirts - it looks kind of retro and cute, IMO.

www.landsend.com/pp/womens-beach-living-mini-swimmini~191347_59.html?bcc=y&action=order_more&sku_0=::GD3&CM_MERCH=IDX_women-_-swimsuits-_-shop-by-collection-_-beach-living&origin=index

I have a more ruffly version from last year that is a mini, not midi. I only see the midi on the site this year. I like it to be shorter to keep it from being too grandma-y.

There are also patterned tunic tankinis, too.

[Deleted]

If you are willing to spend a little bit of dough on a quality swimsuit, I highly recommend the ones from Title Nine. I adore mine. The fit and quality are amazing. I have a hard time finding suits that fit my double DDs really well, and their suits don't slip or pinch.

[fernane]

I've gotten a couple of tankinis from Target in the past. I'm not big on spending a lot of money on bathing suits, but they usually have at least one or two cute ones a summer.

[SallyJ]

I saw a beautiful one piece 'magic suit', i.e. spanx, in VS catalog. Sort of like a retro dress:
www.victoriassecret.com/swimwear/one-piece/retro-one-piece-carmen-marc-valvo?ProductID=4534&CatalogueType=OLS
or
www.victoriassecret.com/swimwear/one-piece/halter-swim-dress-carmen-marc-valvo?ProductID=23090&CatalogueType=OLS

I have one similar to this and it fits wells (I'm 5'11"):
www.victoriassecret.com/swimwear/one-piece/firm-control-retro-one-piece-magicsuit?ProductID=4963&CatalogueType=OLS

Check out athleta for some tall tankini's. Might be pricey, but if you wear your suits for 5-6 years, then maybe not that expensive in reality.

[eclaires]

Ugh, MH is going to kill me, Sally J! I want both of those suits from VS! I have a similar navy JCrew one, but I want a fun color, and didn't like the JCrew options as much.

[Deleted]

Have you checked out Old Navy? I got a tankini there last summer and it is cute and very reasonably priced. I am 5'10" and found them to be long enough.

[2curlydogs]

Good store suggestions so far everyone! I always forget about lots of these like Lands End....

I had peeked around Athleta and was looking at this top with just solid black shorts:

athleta.gap.com/browse/product.do?pid=2251380120043&cid=47387

But $62 just for the top..... People are commenting about the lack of support but, post-weaning, the girls have shrunk to, I think, an A-cup (I refuse to go get measured to confirm that). So that's really not an issue here.

For Title Nine.... how do people find their tops? Are they long enough? Cause they don't carry tall (then again, I've never had a tall swim top before...). But they're running a serious sale....

[EloiseWeenie]

I have a couple tankinis from Land's End. I like that they are well made, and I like the fit, style, and size options (bigger cup sizes, and length). The only thing I hate is that the material stays damp for hours. Especially my swim mini. I make sure to pack dry clothes and change ASAP so I don't get crotch funk.

[2curlydogs]

Oh, eclaires, I really like that tunic top. The adjustable drawstring sides are pretty nice. I'm going to have to measure when I get home to see if I'd fit into a size 10.... I think so, looking at their size chart...

[eclaires]

I really like the two I have - I mix and match various bottoms in different colors from different stores/brands which is nice too. I have black from last year, and I have a green bottom I wear with it, a white/black polka dotted skirt thing, a plain black bottom, and a black/white polka dot hipster pair. I'm harder to fit up top, so it's nice that I can pick up cheap and different options for bottoms.

With the navy one I have from this year, I have these bottoms from JCrew in a few colors, plus I use other bottoms I have from various stores (like I have a pair of yellow bikini bottoms, for example).
www.jcrew.com/womens_category/swim/patternsandprints/PRDOVR~77239/77239.jsp

It's very versatile! And I think the tops run pretty true to their size chart.

[emmybean]

Target has som good, long torsoed tunic type tops in their separates. IIRC they were about $20 a piece.

I have a real problem spending a lot of money on a swim suit if I'm not seriously swimming it it. Especially when I'm not at my long term size weight wise. It would be a colossal waste of money to spend $$$ on something to sit around in for a week then be too small for the next time I needed a suit.

[2vermont]

I have been lucky with this website:

www.venus.com

[msmerymac]

I love both Land's End and LL Bean. I got a retro-style skirt suit at LL Bean last year. They last forever. Old Navy and Target suits fall apart on me within a year or two.