When I was growing up, the two most important questions I asked when I shopped for a swimsuit were: Does it come in black? And does it have “tummy control” to smooth out my midsection?

I always felt like slimming fabric was a nonnegotiable feature, because if I didn’t hide and minimize my body as much as possible, I’d be bullied. My swimsuits never matched my outgoing, fun personality. Instead, it was all about function, the goal being looking as small as possible. Every swimsuit I owned from ages 11 to 28 fit that bill.

But that is not the way I live my life anymore—with swimwear or any other category of clothing. And thankfully, emerging plus-size swimsuit brands and I are on the same page.

Even though the selection of swimsuits for shoppers over a size 18 is not as vast as that of our straight-size counterparts, there are designers popping up left and right offering trendy cuts, bold patterns, and vibrant colors that actually make you feel excited to go to the beach. There are the newcomers like Andie Swim and Summersalt, the classic brands like Anthropologie and Loft that are expanding their sizing to offer people of all shapes and sizes the opportunity to be stylish and confident all summer long.

I rounded up 10 of the best new plus-size swimsuit brands for everything from high-waist bikinis to cutout one-pieces.

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