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| Photo by Salt Water New England |
A reader question:
I hate hate hate bathing suits. Ugh. Someone wrote "the near-death experience of trying on bathing suits" and yes! That is me. Where do people go to get bathing suits for people older than 25? Help! Also, where to find the best ones for men. An easier category but still not an obvious source.
When I lived by the coast I really liked the quality and coverage of Lands End bathing suits but I don’t know if they are still as nice as they were 15 years ago.
ReplyDeleteI want to second this. I buy a new lands end swimsuit every year for myself and each member of my family. They last a long time and some of us go swimming weekly. The quality is great.
DeleteBrooks Brothers still make some decent ones for men.
ReplyDeleteI get mine off eBay: Patagonias, Columbias, Big Dogs, occasional Vineyard Vines, etc. That's good enough and cheap. They're worn around the house, on the dock and boat, on the shore, in the water, getting all dirty; then being washed, drying quickly. New ones each summer since the previous ones get worn and shabby. Summer fare.
ReplyDeleteIt depends on your physique, level of modesty, and intended use. Regular not too long boxer type swimsuits can be had from the usual men's sources like O'Connell's. Longer and brighter ones are more fun IMO. I love Jams, and they can still be found online. Although visually horrifying, a Speedo from a sporting goods store is best for serious swimming, but please get some other trunks as a coverup for when you emerge. All cotton trunks, especially Madras, are quite traditional, but they dry quite slowly. My wife likes the women's suits from Johnny Was.
ReplyDeleteI love my men's Patagonia baggies! I prefer the 5 inch inseam, and they last for years.
ReplyDeleteBirdwell Beach Britches for men. Land's End for the modest ladies with good taste.
ReplyDeleteGreat for surfing here in San Diego
DeleteSpeedo actually makes some decent maillots de bain that are technically good (I wore a couple of them during the time I was doing aqua gym). Another brand that I really like is Swiss: https://lahco.ch/?logged_in_customer_id=&lang=en; the one- or two-piece suits are great.
ReplyDeleteFor men, I favor the Katin Waterman trunk. It's not dissimilar to the famous Birdwell Beach Britches, it just has a slightly more flattering fit.
ReplyDeleteOur local swim store closed down. I buy from swimoutlet.com. I like Speedo suits. My husband loves his Patagonia swim suit. I highly recommend Arena fins if you swim laps/masters.
ReplyDeleteNot sure if my earlier comment went through. Swimoutlet.com, Speedo or Patagonia suits, Arena fins.
ReplyDeleteAlso, wear a swim shirt! Especially helpful not to deal with tan lines and summer clothes, plus mitigate sun damage.
I recommend the high end Vilebrequin swim suits. (Vilebrequin = French for "crankshaft" for those interested in meaningless information.)
ReplyDeleteThey've been around a long time, offering a wide variety of colorful, whimsical patterns, and even have extravagant embroidered trunks for those with money to burn. Beware of the nonsensical French sizing - for example, a XXXL usually means a morbidly obese wearer, but here just means about a size 40.
You see a lot of these on the Riviera, and in the French West Indies. They are well-made, and worth it if you want to go all out.
https://www.vilebrequin.com/us/en/men-swimtrunks/
I highly recommend Vilebrequin!
DeleteI have several pairs Ralph Lauren's seersucker swim shorts. They are around 70% cotton but dry as quickly as nylon or polyester swim shorts. The price, like everything else in the Polo range, has risen ridiculously over the last two years so wait for the summer sales.
ReplyDeleteFor men: I've had great luck with Speedo in my recent youth as a lifeguard and swim instructor, and more recently have found decent swim suits through Brooks Brothers and Penfield. I do believe Penfield is going through a complete overhaul by its British parent company, so their supply for North American may currently be low or on hold.
ReplyDeleteVintage RL Polo, still do the trick!
ReplyDeleteToast swimwear is gorgeous and Boden has some nice stuff too.
ReplyDeleteLands' End (there are almost always promo codes, so there's no reason to pay full price).
ReplyDelete--EM
Le Club for great options. PAC SUN for value. Agree Vilebrequin is nice but costly for a Yankee.
ReplyDelete