From Pool to Party: How to Style Your Swimsuit for Any Occasion
As all our die-hard Lands’ End fans know, our women’s swimsuits are terrific! Flattering, stylish, durable, and comfortable, they’ve got it all. But did you know that our swimsuits can be included in your outfits for non-beach/pool/lake days? With some clever styling tricks, you can take your swimsuit nearly anywhere you’d take any other warm-weather piece! Read on, and we’ll teach you how to integrate those suits into your everyday wardrobe.
A Word About Color
Navy and black swimsuits are among the most versatile– these classic colors lend themselves to oodles of creativity when it comes to styling. A black one-piece can do double duty as a bodysuit; try sporting one under your favorite pair of jeans or shorts. The “swimsuit as bodysuit” look can also be great for under skirts and under dresses that may be on the sheerer side or may have an open weave.
Layering 101
You can layer a one-piece or swimsuit top under a button-down shirt. Leave the shirt unbuttoned and tie at the waist for a quintessentially summery look that’s chef’s-kiss perfect with denim shorts, sandals, and a big straw hat. Including swimwear in your outfit as a layering piece can be a practical, comfy, and stylish choice for days you’ll be running lots of errands — no more worrying about flashing passersby while you stretch high to reach for cereal on the top shelf at the grocery store or bend low to pick up a plant pot from the ground at your local nursery.
Perfect for Parties
Swimwear was practically born for wearing to summer parties as part of a dry-land outfit! Try wearing a one-piece swimsuit under a skirt or beneath a sarong tied at the waist or hip. You can also try wearing a tankini swimsuit top with a skirt or sarong. Swap out that tankini top for a bikini bathing suit top if the temps get especially high or if you’re just in the mood for a less covered-up look. Don’t forget to complete your looks with jewelry, great footwear, and a bag. You can even add a hat if that fits with your style and/or if the get-together will be outside and you’d like a little extra sun protection.
Speaking of sun protection, our UPF 50 swimsuits can be especially great choices for layering on those days when you won’t be headed to any pools or beaches. They offer more sun protection than many of your typical summer clothes likely do, so they’ll help keep your skin healthy and beautiful by shielding it from the sun’s harsh rays.
Swimsuit Tops: An Active Woman’s Best Friend
You can also use a supportive bathing suit top (if it’s styled more or less like a sports bra, with a sturdy cut and substantial straps) as a sports bra if you find yourself in a pinch (perhaps all your sports bras are in the wash, but you’d like to go for a run or head to a CrossFit session, or maybe you’re on vacation and forgot to pack your workout gear but feel inspired to head to local aerobics class). You can use any of our swimsuit tops in lieu of a sports bra when participating in low-impact workouts like yoga and pilates. This can help stretch the number of days you’ve got before you have to do a load of workout laundry (personally, we find our workouts super fun, but the laundry part that comes afterward? Not so much).
Turning Up the Chic Factor
You can also pair a bikini top, tankini top, or one-piece with a structured pant (then complete the look with platform sandals, wedge sandals, flats, or even a sophisticated, streamlined sneaker). Your bikini and tankini tops (and even one-pieces) can also look great when worn in place of camis beneath sheer or open-weave sweaters (which means you can get more seasons of wear out of your swimwear — four seasons of wear, to be specific!). Anytime you can bring a piece into additional seasons, that piece offers great value and allows you to get more bang for your buck (always a win in our book!).
And Now for the Tip That Might Suprise You the Most...
One-piece swimwear or tankini tops (especially ones with tummy control lining) and high-waisted swimsuit bottoms (ditto) can also play double-duty as shapewear! Wear these pieces beneath your regular clothes (think dresses, jeans, and skirts) for a smooth silhouette and a confident pep in your step. The fairly tight fit of swimwear (swimwear expands slightly when wet, so it’s got to be tighter than regular apparel to stay on the body during in-water use) lends itself perfectly to use as shapewear. And using your swimsuit as shapewear can mean your shapewear looks cuter (more like a fun undergarment choice and less like a girdle or tummy-control tank) than regular shapewear does. With our selection of swimwear in brights, pastels, and cheerful prints, your shapewear can look as cute as any of your other underwear.
Versatility to the Max
The more ways that each piece in your wardrobe can be styled, the fewer pieces you’ll have to own, and the more closet and dresser space you have (which can be a hot commodity when living in a small apartment and when taking road trips in an RV alike!). Having fewer total pieces in your collection also simplifies the process of choosing outfits and makes putting together a look faster and easier (think: less stressful mornings!). Swimwear’s now the MVP of your four-season wardrobe!
Remember that the most important rule of style is to wear what makes you feel like “you”! When you follow that guideline, integrating swimwear into your wardrobe in your own unique way will be a cinch. You’ve got this! Happy outfit-creating!