Bikini Sets & Swimsuits

Swimwear is the only category here made from fabric that is expected to stretch substantially, get wet, and sit in direct sun for hours. Each of those three things acts on a printed design differently from anything a t-shirt goes through, and each one changes what you should look for before ordering.

Two Pieces, Sized Separately

A set arrives as two garments, and there is no rule that says the same person needs the same size in both. Many people do not. Check the measurements for the top and the bottom independently against the chart on the product page rather than assuming one letter covers both. This is the opposite of buying a pajama set, where both pieces are cut generously and one size really does cover it.

Stretch Fabric Stretches the Print

Swim fabric is a knit blended with elastane, which is what lets it recover its shape when wet. When the fabric stretches over the body, the printed image stretches with it. A dense repeating pattern absorbs that distortion invisibly. A single precise shape, a face, or small lettering does not, and will read slightly differently on different sizes of the same garment. This is why almost everything in this category uses all-over patterns rather than placed graphics, and it is the same reasoning behind 3D clothing.

Sun and Pool Water Are Harder Than Your Washing Machine

Most people worry about washing. For swimwear the real stresses are ultraviolet light, chlorine and salt. UV breaks down dye over hours of direct exposure. Chlorine attacks both dye and elastane, which is why old swimwear goes baggy as well as pale. Salt water dries into crystals that abrade fibres. None of this is a defect; it is what the environment does to any swim fabric, and how you handle it after swimming decides how long the print stays sharp.

Ties, Clasps and Adjustment

Adjustable ties let one garment fit a wider range of bodies, and they let you change the fit through the day. Fixed clasps and bands give a more predictable shape but less tolerance. Neither takes a print: ties, elastic edges and clasps are left plain because the fabric there is under constant tension and folded, so any design applied to them distorts and rubs off first.

Rinse First, Wash Later

The single most useful habit is rinsing in cool fresh water immediately after swimming, before the chlorine or salt has time to dry in. After that, hand wash cool with mild soap, press the water out rather than wringing, and dry flat in shade. Never use a tumble dryer, and do not leave a wet set balled up in a bag. Heat and prolonged damp are what destroy elastane, and once elastane goes the garment does not recover.

Where This Sits in the Catalogue

Swimwear is the warm-weather end of the apparel range. It pairs most naturally with a Hawaiian shirt as a cover-up and with hats. For beach and poolside items rather than clothing, see home and living. Summer holiday designs sit under holiday apparel, and the newest patterns across every cut appear in trending today. Because fit here is less forgiving than on a loose garment, read our return and refund policy before ordering.