Swimwear with shaping

Swimwear that stays where you put it

Swimwear has one problem that dry clothing doesn't: it has to fit just as well wet as dry. Fabric stretches in water, and what fit perfectly on land hangs an inch lower after half an hour of swimming. That's where the constant adjusting comes from.

Our swimwear is built on the same principle as our shapewear: compression spread across a wide area instead of concentrated on one band. A wide area doesn't contract into a line, so it doesn't roll down.

Bikini or swimsuit?

The rule of thumb: the longer the continuous panel, the fewer transitions where something can shift. A swimsuit has one fewer than a bikini. If you want to keep your waist free, the bikini set is the choice, in which case pay particular attention to the band under the top.

Which size

Your usual size, here too. The temptation to go one size down "for more shaping" backfires even more with swimwear than with underwear, because wet fabric already feels tighter. Too small means the garment pulls itself back to its narrowest point, which is exactly the rolling down you were trying to avoid. If you're between two sizes, take the larger one.

So it lasts you a few summers

Chlorine and salt damage elastane, and elastane is what does the work. Rinse your swimwear in cold water after swimming, let it dry in the shade, and lay it flat instead of hanging it up. Not in the dryer: heat is what takes the stretch out.

Try at home, then decide

Swimwear is also ordered on a try first, pay later basis, with 14 days to decide. Shipping costs €3.95 and is free from €50.

Read more

• Swimsuit or bikini: what suits your body and your day
• Buying a shaping swimsuit: what to look out for
• A bikini for a larger cup size: where the support comes from
• Washing your swimsuit: how to keep the shaping intact for years
• Swimwear that shifts: what goes wrong

Frequently asked questions

What is shaping swimwear?

Swimwear in which the fabric and construction work together to smooth the line, instead of a separate shaping panel sewn in. The compression is spread across a wide area, so you feel it as support rather than squeezing.

What size swimwear should I take?

Your usual size. Going one size down doesn't give a tighter line, it gives an edge that rolls down, and wet fabric already feels tighter anyway. If you're between two sizes, take the larger one.

Does the band of a shaping swimsuit roll down?

That happens when the garment is too small: the fabric then pulls back to its narrowest point. With the right size, the compression is spread across a wide area and there's no narrow point for it to roll toward.

Up to which size does your swimwear go?

Both the LumaShape Bikini Set and the LumaShape Swimsuit run from S to 3XL.

How do I wash my swimwear?

Rinse it in cold water after swimming and let it dry flat in the shade. Not in the dryer and not in direct sunlight: heat takes the stretch out of the elastane, and that stretch is what does the work.