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There’s no better time to get a bathing suit than before the summer—trust me on this one. If you wait until early June to try to find the perfect suit, you’re going to be out of luck (you're in a time crunch, sizes are already selling out, etc.).
Bathing suit shopping can be a major hassle in general—regardless of the time of year or your body type— but it's even more of an ordeal if you’re a plus-size woman. Not only do many brands not carry plus-sizes, but also finding a bathing suit that actually fits your body and flatters your curves can be a major challenge. I’ve made it my mission to get ahead on swimwear and I’ve found my new favorite suit for the summer from inclusive swimwear label, Kitty and Vibe.
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Haven’t heard of Kitty and Vibe before? Allow me to fill you in.
Sizing
Kitty and Vibe is the first brand to make bathing suits based on your butt size. They're also size-inclusive with sizes up to 5X. As someone with a big behind, finding medium to full coverage bathing suit bottoms has never been an easy task, but Kitty and Vibe have officially ended that battle for me.
Here’s how it works: For every hip size, the brand has two butt sizes available (1 (smaller) and 2 (larger). As someone with a larger butt, I decided to opt for the 2 because I wanted more coverage.
Kitty and Vibe's innovative sizing system allows you to find the right bottoms based on your unique booty size (and the level of coverage you want) and the tops are sized based on cup size (they offer sizes A-G for most top styles.)
I can’t forget to mention the vast assortment of styles and cuts the brand offers too—there's literally something for everyone. Think high-waisted styles, retro high hip designs, sexy string bikinis, and cheeky bikini bottoms. There's also plenty of different cuts for tops (which are sized by your cup size): front tie, underwire, and bandeau bikini tops to name a few.
Best of all, Kitty and Vibe also has a super helpful sizing quiz that helps you determine the best size for you—it only takes 15 seconds!
My Review
I chose the string bikini because I wanted something a bit different. Normally, I’d go for a high hip to cover more of my body, but I wanted to show off this year because, why not? Plus, Kitty and Vibe has such a versatile range of colors and patterns from bright yellows and oranges to darker blacks and blues.
When my Juju bathing suit arrived, I was ecstatic and couldn’t wait to try it on. It went right on and instantly hugged my body. I could not stop looking at myself in the mirror, TBH. I was obsessed with the retro vibes this suit was serving, and the fit was pretty close to perfect.
The supreme fit of this string bikini and the retro design will be perfect to sport this summer.
While I’m from NYC and it’s a bit too cold to go swimming at the moment, I wanted to see how my new suit held up in water so I hopped in a bath. I was shocked by how quickly it dried when I got out. Normally, my bathing suits stay wet for days after being submerged in water, but not this one. When the sun starts shining again, I plan on wearing this to the beach because not only is it a head turner, but its quick-drying properties suit itself to swimming in the ocean and then getting a nice tan.
The plunge style bikini top offers more support and coverage than traditional tie styles, and is offered in cup sizes A through H.
Overall Thoughts
If you’re looking for a stylish, flattering and *actually* comfortable bathing suit, Kitty and Vibe should be at the top of your list. The best part about the brand is how inclusive and well thought out each design is. While bathing suit shopping might not seem like such a big deal, you’ll know when you’ve found a keeper, and for me it’s this suit from Kitty and Vibe.
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