Author: Brooke Glassberg

Bikinis sometimes get a bad rap for offering too little coverage and support for the chestier among us. Fake news! No longer should you feel like you need to sacrifice style and have to wear a basic, bra-looking swim top to the beach (or, heaven forbid, a sports bra—yes, we’ve heard it all).

At a specialty swim shop like Bare Necessities, you can find a vast range of bikini cuts and styles that actually buoy your boobs and bring you the season’s hot trends.

You have to see our swim buyer Megan Puma’s top picks for the smartest bikinis the world of fashion has to offer. Whatever swim style you prefer, they’ll shore up your confidence well before you hit the water.

Bras and swim are what we do at Bare Necessities. That’s how we know you want very different things out of them: From bras, you often want pretty but subtle designs that reliably work with your assets and your wardrobe. From swim, though, you’re more likely to want to make a style statement.

We’ve long loved Freya and Fantasie because their designers get this, too. While both of these sister brands cater to women who wear small band-full cup bras, they do it their own ways.

Buyers Heather Viskovic and Megan Puma are on-hand to share their Fantasie and Freya favorites.

For the coverage of a one-piece with the ease of two, we keep returning to tankinis.

We believe your swimsuits should always work hard for you; with tankinis, that’s super easy. You can choose from a menu of smart design details based on your needs. Here’s what to consider:

• • Underwire: for maximum support and comfort, many tankinis contain underwire bras; look to see if cups are removable or built in
  • Adjustable/convertible straps: for a customized lift and more ways to wear the suit, check for these characteristics
  • Bandinis: for when you want to avoid tan lines without sacrificing support, be on the lookout for this bandeau style
  • High-cut neckline: for a little added coverage, this cut protects your skin from the sun
  • Adjustable sides: for the look you want, these ties let you lengthen or shorten the top—they’re especially great for a long torso
  • Sizing: for the best fit for your figure, shop tankinis based on bra or dress size

And when it comes to bottoms, you can play it almost as many different ways:

• • Matching printed bottoms: for the seamless vibe you would get from a one-piece, get matchy-matchy
  • Shapewear bottoms: for a little extra concealment, pair a tankini top with something waist-smoothing
  • Skirted bottoms: for covering hips and thighs, you can put the top with a skirted bottom—voilà, swimdress!
  • Basic black bottoms: for literally anything and everything you could think of, just add a black brief

Now that you know your options, here are some of Bare Necessities buyer Megan Puma’s top tankinis of the season.

Sunny days are here again, and so are the latest swimsuits. While bikinis and tankinis will always have their place, at the start of the season we’re always partial to one-pieces that not only have some flair but also make our bodies look their best so we can feel confident getting out there.

The latest wave of one-pieces comes in fresh silhouettes and a broad range of coverage levels for way more options than your average maillot: “You can pull off a skimpy one-piece that’s super unique and cool-looking or a higher-coverage swim romper and look equally cute in either one,” says Bare Necessities swimwear buyer Megan Puma. Support and shaping are more common than ever, too.

One and done? Don’t mind if we do.