46 great swimwear buys

Swimwear: J Crew

Yep, it’s that time of year. If you haven’t already got your summer one-piece/crop top kini/triangle style already, you better be quick – they go so fast (a lot of the J Crew ones I was looking at had already sold out). I will be sunning myself in Spain as you read this, so it seemed appropriate that I do an article on swimwear (some of which I bought for my hols).

THE CHIC ONE-PIECE


I have only recently succumbed to a one-piece but love the freedom it allows you (not to mention the amount of stomach crunches you can forget about!). And there are so many more fashionable versions out there now, which still offer body sculpting (love this term!) without being a ‘miracle suit’. And cut-outs seem have gone from TOWIE to tasteful in a few short years…

1. Green leopard swimsuit, £15, F&F 


2. Black scalloped swimsuit, £36, Topshop


3. Pink and blue halterneck swimsuit, £98, J Crew


4. Black and white one-shoulder swimsuit, £89, Reiss (I have only just discovered Reiss swimwear!)


5. Blue and pink printed underwired swimsuit, £39, Monsoon


6. Black and white underwired swimsuit, £79, Reiss


7. Brown and green swimsuit (the middle is cut-out – I saw it instore and it looks amazing), £24.99, H&M


8. Black and white halter swimsuit for DD+, £26.99, New Look


9. Green cut-out sporty swimsuit, £290, Ephemera. (If money were no object this would be the one I’d buy – but Next has a realllly similar one in black for £70 here -but they’ve sold out of my size)


10. Blue leopard print, £25, Marks & Spencer





THE FLATTERING HIGH WAIST BIKINI


I’m actually in love with the one I bought from H&M a few weeks ago…for me, with a smaller bust, I find choosing a bikini top in a more triangle shape works better than the 50s underwired styles that kind of need curves.

Bikini: H+M. Shirt: MHL Margaret Howell. Self tan: Vichy. Sunglasses: Valentino (buy similar here)

1. Blue tile print bikini, £34, Topshop


2. Tile print bikini top, £17.99, New Look. Bikini bottoms, £11.99, New Look


3. Floral bikini top, £19, Monsoon. Bikini briefs, £15, Monsoon


4. Underwired blue bralet, £12, Next. Bikini briefs, £12, Next


5. Leopard print halter bikini top, £10, Marks & Spencer. Bikini bottoms, £8, Marks & Spencer

BANDEAU


All the chic with none of the strappy tan lines….

1. Blue stripe bikini top, £15, & Other Stories. Bikini bottoms, £19, & Other Stories


2. Taupe and black bikini, £110, Zeus & Dione at Net A Porter


3. Floral and snakeprint bikini, £215, Zimmerman 


4. Navy bikini top, £90, Melissa Odabash. Bikini bottoms, £90 Melissa Odabash both at SimplyBeach (but trust me, there’s a reason these ones are expensive – such good fabric/cut)


5. Green leaf print bikini top, £3.99, H&M. Bikini bottoms, £3.99, H&M


6. Black and orange bikini, $89 (they ship worldwide), Triangl 

7. Pink scalloped edge bikini, £190, Marysia at Salt


8. Coral stripe swimsuit, £35, River Island

And last but not least:

THE BEST BIKINIS


Simply the best ones around. I love the new styles that have emerged recently – especially the sporty ‘Crop top’ style.

£116.25, Zoe Karssen at Shopbop

1. Gingham bralet, £12, Next. Bikini bottoms, £8, Next


2. Black double strap bikini top, £8, F+F. Bikini bottoms, £6, F+F


3. Brown and black stripe cropped top bikini, £190, Tory Burch at Net A Porter


4. Pink printed bikini top, £14, Miss Selfridge. Bikini bottoms, £10, Miss Selfridge


5. Navy, brown and blue bikini, £295, Flagpole Swim


6. Black and white stripe underwire bikini top, £58, J Crew. Bikini bottoms, £50, J Crew 


7. Red and burgundy sporty bikini £295, Flagpole Swim.


8. Monochrome fluted bikini top, £20, Next. Bikini bottoms, £12, Next 


9. Blue crochet and neoprene bikini, $89, Triangl


10. Black one shoulder frill bikini top, £7.99, H&M. Bikini bottoms, £3.99, H&M


11. Monochrome Balinese print bralet top, £19, Accessorize. Bikini bottoms, £17, Accessorize


12. Black cropped top bikini, £28, Topshop