Tag: Swimsuits

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How and Where to Donate and Recycle Old Bras, Lingerie, and Swimsuits


This may have happened to you: Post–Marie Kondo, you take a huge load of stuff that no longer brings you joy—but could certainly bring joy to others—to donate, only to have perfectly good bras rejected. Surely someone would be in need of practical things like never or gently used undergarments, right? Alas, some places don’t accept bras in any condition, which means they’re tossed. But there are plenty of places that do take your old underpinnings—bras, swimsuits, and more—to recycle, repurpose, or resell. Read all about ’em.

You can recycle your bras.

Whether that means getting your new or lightly worn bra on someone who needs it or actually having the fibers turned into something else, recycling your bras is absolutely an option. The Bra Recyclers is a company we found online. (You can find out how to send in your own bras here.) If you shop from the indie label Harper Wilde, your purchase will come with a prepaid return shipping label so you can ship them your old bras to be recycled.

You can also recycle your wet suit: Sending yours in to Suga—or dropping it off at specific locations in California and Canada—gets you a 10 percent discount off one of Suga’s products, which include yoga mats made from, yep, recycled wetsuits.

You can donate your bras and swimsuits.

Free the Girls is an anti-sex-trafficking organization that accepts donated bras, and it has drop-off locations across the U.S. willing to accept small donations of up to five bras (those with more can send them in). Donated bras are used as part of the founding inventory for female trafficking survivors in parts of Central America and Africa to start their own businesses selling secondhand clothes. There’s even a page on the organization’s website about how to host a bra drive if you want to get friends and family involved.

I Support the Girls partners up with lingerie brand Third Love to collect and distribute bras and menstrual products to women in need around the world, including to refugees, women and girls in homeless shelters, LGBTQ+ organizations, and homes for pregnant teams. You can donate your new or gently worn bras by sending them in or dropping them off at a location near you.

Bras for a Cause is another organization happy to accept donated bras—as well as your “gently loved” swimsuits and lingerie. Everything you send in is passed on to women in need, including breast cancer survivors. Download the donation form, send your bras to their mailing address, and you’ll receive a tax receipt by email after they process your things.

You can take your gently used bras to the mall.

Keep an eye out at stores like Aerie, Soma, Victoria’s Secret, and Journelle for bra drives or trade-ins, which generally offer incentives for customers to bring in bras (and sometimes other clothing)—think store discounts or vouchers (the mentioned stores have done events like this in the past). Aerie, for example, has partnered with Free the Girls to pass gently worn bras on to sex trafficking survivors—and the store will give you a 15 percent discount voucher for your next bra purchase there with any bra donation.



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The Best Under-$100 Swimsuits 2019: Cheap Stylish Swimsuits


The crucial detail missing from the FOMO-inducing Instagram Stories and serene sunset pictures that suddenly flood your social channels as soon as anyone in your life goes out of office is that planning a vacation can get expensive. There are a lot of moving parts—from booking essential details like transportation and housing, to ensuring any necessary treat-yourself preparations are accounted for—that it’s easy to get caught up in all the to-dos, must-haves, and can’t-misses along the way. It’s terrifyingly easy to blow an entire budget long before we get on any plane, train, or automobile—or even before we zip up our luggage. So, whenever and wherever we can cut costs, we will. Ahead, check out our favorite summer-ready swimwear that only looks expensive.



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26 Cute Swimsuits for 2019: Bathings Suits You Can Wear Off The Beach


Where my parents are from, people barely wear cute swimsuits. They barely wear swimsuits at all. In Spain, a lot of women only wear bikini bottoms. Growing up the topless spanish women of Cadiz inspired my sister to hide her bikini top in every corner of my grandma’s apartment. Porque? she’d scream. Why did she have to wear one when no one else did? (She had a point). And while the topless women of the beaches of Cadiz didn’t necessarily make me want to burn my bra, they did make me feel dumb about matching my bikini top to my bikini bottom to my sarong.

The older I get the more I want to be as free as a topless women on a beach but the more I keep on buying bathing suits which, in turn, makes it very difficult to be a topless woman on a beach. But! Should I be buying a practical swimsuit that’s easy to undo in the back so I can get an even tan when I flip over? Probably. Should I want a swimsuit with ten random cut outs that will give me a tan like the world has never seen before? Absolutely not! And yet, there are about 26 swimsuits with incredibly extra sleeves and ruffles that seem impossible to move around in, made of materials like denim with very bizarre cutouts that I have 170 questions about but still really want anyway.

If anything I’ve convinced myself that over the top cute swimsuits (especially the 26 below) can double as amazing crop tops and bodysuits for when I’m not on vacation. Maybe one summer I’ll learn to be more chill and throw my bikini top over my shoulder in defiance. But this summer I want to do the most at the beach, unfortunate tan lines, sunscreen stained swimsuits and all.

From extra ruffled statement sleeve two pieces to bikinis that come with cardigans to a knotted denim one piece, the following 26 cute swimsuits are definitely extra as hell but can easily double as a summer wardrobe staple. Shop them all below.



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Best Swimsuits for Small Busts – How to Shop for Bathing Suits


It’s fitting that Paris Hilton dropped her latest single, “Best Friend’s Ass,” as I was writing about how difficult I find shopping for swimsuits. Bikini sets never fit me quite right. I was always—and still am—larger on the bottom than I am up top, which meant if a string bikini (the silhouette of the early aughts) fit across my butt, the accompanying triangles would sit like deflated balloons across my chest. (I remember illicitly mixing and matching swim separates in the store, hoping a salesperson wouldn’t notice. To them, I apologize.)

The thing is, I always thought my behind was the culprit, what prevented me from being able to wear whatever swimsuit was of the moment (like the Burberry bikini Beyonce wore in 2003, which I wanted so bad). I never considered that perhaps what’s up top—or rather, what isn’t—was kind of, maybe the real obstacle.

Let me confirm: Though I’m a size 34A, I do not want bigger boobs. I never have. What I have wanted, however, is the ability to wear whatever style of bathing suit I’d like, regardless of cup size. When it comes to swim bottoms, you can simply size up. The same cannot be said for tops: With so many different cuts—triangle, bandeau, halter, underwire, tankini—achieving the perfect fit requires a little more experimentation, trial and error, and even some expert advice.

Over the years I’ve found my old reliables: the backless one-piece that’s the ideal balance of skin and coverage; the ruched tankini that looks more like a shirt than a piece of swimwear; the teeniest, totally unlined scoop-neck that gets balanced out with an extra-high-waist bottom. But that doesn’t mean I’m satisfied. That’s why I talked to designer Roxana Salehoun; Sidway founder Sarah Sidway Godshaw; Solid & Striped design director Amelia Lindquist; and Lively CEO and founder Michelle Cordeiro Grant and director of retail Sam Foster. I wanted their expertise on achieving that perfect fit when you have small boobs. Here’s what they had to say.

Show off what you’ve got. First, it’s important to remember that having a small bust can be an asset (and, let’s be honest, way less of a pain to shop for than a DD+ cup). Instead of thinking about all the cups you can’t fill, consider all of the low-cut necklines and more revealing styles you can without feeling overexposed. Feel free to skip the underwire or padding, Cordeiro Grant and Foster say, if the support isn’t necessary. No longer does your first thought need to be How can I make my bust look larger? However, if that is the look you want to achieve…

Fake it till you make it. To give the illusion of larger breasts, pay close attention to gaping—it’s a sign you should size down, Cordeiro Grant and Foster say. Styles like a triangle, tie-front, or halter can make your bust appear bigger than it actually is. Adjustable straps help too.

Go up a cup size. If your aim is to add a little something extra, opt for the tried-and-true classic: the padded cup. But you don’t need to go overboard. Sidway Godshaw recommends trying light padding via a balconette style or tops that allow you to slide in and layer removable cups. That way, you can control how much you’re adding so it feels both comfortable and natural.

Ahead, shop the best swimsuits for small boobs for summer 2019.



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Review: The Best Swimsuits for Big Boobs, According to a 34F


In complete disclosure, the fit was so spot-on because Mills was able to make small tweaks to the suit to fit my shape. “Often we meet gals like you who need the cup depth of the bigger band size and then we take in the back band,” she says, explaining that alterations like these are free of charge and done in the brand’s Brooklyn studio. More involved tailoring, like adjusting boning or moving straps, she adds, will start at $40.

The Best of the Best: Aerie’s Strappy-Back One-piece Swimsuit

American Eagle

Aerie Strappy-Back One-piece Swimsuit

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When I started this experiment, Aerie was one of the first names I had on my list to try. I’ve always appreciated the brand’s commitment to Photoshop-free ads and body positivity, but I never had much luck finding something in my bra size from it…or most mass brands, frankly. I was kind of shocked I found two options from the store that fit me well, my favorite of which was this classic one-piece.

The Aerie team told me the style is a best-seller for the brand. It has a stretchy-but-not-too-stretchy material that made me feel held in, and the adjustable crisscross straps along the back allowed for a more personalized fit. What I also like about this suit is its price, its range of color options, and its sizes (currently running from an XXS to XXL, with long torso options available too).

The Best of the Best: The Fold’s The Line Top

After I did about two laps around my apartment, this bikini top from Australian brand The Fold didn’t move. Not a bit. The material is very thick, so it holds your body firmly in place, which is ideal for someone like me, who can’t be sedentary for too long.

The Best of the Best: Panache’s Elle Tie-Dye Balcony Bikini Top

Figleaves

Panache Elle Tie-dye Balcony Bikini Top

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This style fit just like one of my bras. And it was true to size, a factor that simply makes it easier for me (or anyone) to find what they’re looking for. What really won me over, though, was how, despite having a substantial amount of cleavage, the cups in the top stayed in place even when I was moving around. As Mills suggested in my search, a bra top should provide the majority of support in the band, not the straps—that’s what I found in this style, and why I’d happily wear it again.

The Best of the Best: PrimaDonna’s Myla Dalbesio Bikini Top

PrimaDonna

PrimaDonna Myla Dalbesio Bikini Top

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I initially reached out to model Myla Dalbesio because she’s outspoken on topics of body positivity and her own challenges with dressing her busty frame. As timing would have it, she was in the middle of launching her own swim collaboration collection with PrimaDonna, hoping to address those very issues.

“When we discussed what we wanted for the suits in my collection, I was always stressing sexy but comfortable,” Dalbesio tells me over email. “I think that with larger busts, we’re not able to wear a lot of the cute trendy styles, because we can’t fit into the brands that are making them.”

While Dalbesio suggested a couple bra-silhouette styles, I liked this triangle-shape top from the line best of all. Typically, this silhouette can call for a lot of adjusting to get the desired shape and avoid side-boob. However, when I tried it on, it was obvious it was made for a bustier frame in mind. While the top is one-size-fits-all, it’s easily adjustable—I could wrap it tighter for a more snug fit but also found there was room to adjust for someone a couple sizes larger than me, as well.

The Best of the Best: Mikoh’s Portugal One-piece

Mikoh

Mikoh Portugal One-piece

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As mentioned before, finding a well-fitting suit is only partially about size. Ultimately, I want a suit I feel fits me and makes me feel comfortable, confident, and like myself. In trying each suit, I realized “fit” wasn’t based solely on the number on the tag, but also in how confident I’d feel wearing it beyond the walls of my apartment. Did I feel supported but not constrained? Was my shape defined but not exposed beyond my comfort? Did it complement my personal style? The best options did all these as well as physically fit as far as measurements go. So while this Mikoh style was cut smaller on me than other one-piece options, it feels amazing and easily qualifies as a favorite. Mikoh’s fabrics are some of the softest I’ve tried in swimwear, but they’re still stretchy enough that they emphasize my natural shape in a way that makes me feel good. And though I wouldn’t normally choose a very flimsy strap, these delicate ones somehow don’t dig or fall.

The Best of the Best: Malia Mills’ Rose Swim Top

Malia Mills

Malia Mills Rose Swim Top

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I enjoy dressing my frame much more now than I did as a teen, but I’m admittedly still self-conscious about showing a lot of cleavage. Not in this swimsuit: It offers what a good bra should—an underwire that doesn’t cut into you and a secure hold so you can enjoy cleavage without fear that it’s out of your control. I also like that the straps adjust to a crisscross in the back to provide a slight extra lift, but that’s more a personal preference.

The Best of the Best: Land of Women’s Neva Cross Back One-piece

Land of Women

Land of Women Neva Cross-Back One-piece

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If you don’t need or want a ton of lift and prefer a more natural breast shape, this swimsuit is a must-try. It’s comfortable, soft, and refreshingly easy to wear. Also, with its wide straps that curve slightly along the side of the body, there’s a subtle bit of extra support along the side of the bust too.

The Best of the Best: Lonely’s Connie Bikini Top

As previously mentioned, narrow, shelf-bra swim tops have not often been my friend, but I love that this style from Lonely cuts a bit more generously. Here was no potential underboob or spilling out the top—which is, personally, ideal. And it’s available from XS to XL.

The Best of the Best: Parfait’s Farah High Apex Unlined Bikini Swim Top

HerRoom

Parfait Farah High Apex Unlined Bikini Swim Top

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Ruffles on swimwear aren’t typically my thing, but at the recommendation of Grace Baker, Parfait’s director of technical design and fit, I made an exception. “We like to use fabric with more spandex content, use inside special lining fabric to help support the bust along with the underwire and even molded foam cups to give shape,” she says of this suit’s key features. As soon as I tried on this top—with its underwire, crisscross straps, bra clasp, and tiny X-shaped detail just at the cleavage—I felt ready for anything. A swim, a jet ski ride, or a Baywatch sprint along the sand.

The Best of the Best: Andie’s The Tulum Ribbed

For starters, I spent a few extra minutes sitting around in this swimsuit just because the ribbed material is so comfortable.The shape is impressive too. While Baker suggests that low-back styles don’t offer the best support for a bustier frame, the crisscross detail on this one helps to remedy that while still creating a pretty, open silhouette.

As for the Others…

I’m glad to report there were no major disappointments in this experiment. In fact, there were plenty of other suits I ended up really liking. In no particular order, here are some honorable mentions—and what they got right.





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25 Long-Sleeve Swimsuits to Wear All Summer Long


When weighing new swim trends, you might not think of the sleeves as an area for innovation. Sure, you can play around with the neckline, the rise, or even the straps of your suit—but surf-inspired one- and two-pieces are taking over the market. Whether you prefer the athletic look or simply want a little more sun protection and coverage when you go to the beach, this trend is equal parts elegant and practical, i.e. the very two things we want in a swimsuit. Check out (and be convinced) by the 25 styles in the gallery, ahead.

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