Buying Guides
Buying Swimwear
Sunshine holiday approaching? Take to the beach in a flattering swimsuit. Here's our guide to picking the perfect swimwear for your style and shape. And if you'd like more personalised advice, Partners in our Lingerie departments are on hand to help - find out more.
Swimsuits
Find the style for great comfort and fit for your shape
High apex
A classic style of swimsuit that's flattering for all shapes and sporting activities. Variations include: a cross-over back for extra support, or a halterneck to flatter the bust (sometimes with padding). Ruched detail across the middle section and at the sides can both catch the eye and draw attention away from areas of the body you'd prefer to minimise.
Top Tips
Stripes are great for elongating the body, while colour blocking can create a defined silhouette. Dark colours have a slimming effect, while pale hues, metallic and shiny fabrics can exaggerate your curves
Control
Perfect if you would like extra coverage and firm control across the stomach, hips and bottom. These swimsuits are lined with control fabric at the front and back, offering increased support and help to smooth your figure. There are a number of different styles, including a classic shape with side ruching and reinforced side panels, a twist front style and a cross front.
Specialist swimsuits
We also offer swimsuits specifically designed for ultimate comfort and support during pregnancy. Each size has an allowance built in for growth across the nine months, so it's best to choose your normal size.
For post-surgery swimwear, we offer a specialist pocketing service that takes into account all types of breast surgery. These swimsuits will be fitted with a special pocket that holds a prosthesis in place and feature a higher front to cover surgery scars. It's always advisable to have your swimsuit properly fitted – book a fitting appointment with our Lingerie advice service. The adaptation of swimsuits is a chargeable service, but you can reclaim the VAT.
Top Tips
Lining in a swimsuit helps to reduce transparency
Bikini tops
John Lewis & Partners swimwear is ‘mix and match’, allowing you to choose a different style of bikini top and brief. This is perfect if you're sized differently top and bottom.
Bandeau
A bandeau bikini or tankini top is strapless and emphasises the bust with its tube-like shape. Support is provided via a bra-style strap across the back. There are several variants of the bandeau style, including padded cups and a flattering twist, Very often, these styles feature detachable shoulder straps.
Tankini
Cut like a camisole, this style comes with wide or thin straps and is great for swimming. If you prefer to keep your tummy covered, a tankini offers a streamlined look.
Triangle
Triangular in shape, this style of bikini is quite revealing. As the triangle accentuates the bust, it's a style that's best suited to smaller proportions. Straps usually tie around the neck and at the back. Some triangle bikinis are padded to create shape.
The halterneck triangle style offers more support and often wider straps. This variation is perfect for a fuller bust as most styles are available up to a DD cup and some have padding.
Cup
Some swimwear comes in cup sizes, just like bras. This style is great for larger busts as the bikini top has underwiring and padding for greater shape and support. Like bras, the cup size bikini usually ranges from B to G cup.
Briefs
Bikini brief
A standard shape similar to the lingerie brief, offering full coverage.
Top Tips
All our swimwear is suitable for wearing in water, though some fabrics are more suited to seawater and chlorinated pools. Beading and embellishments are more likely to deteriorate quickly in seawater or chlorinated water, so perhaps save them for sunbathing and the occasional dip
Hipster mini brief
A flattering cut for smaller frames.
Tie-side brief
Shaped like a standard brief but with tie sides that offer a flattering and feminine look; a great choice if you want to draw attention away from your thighs or stomach. Opt for a string tie for a more revealing brief, otherwise a wider tie for more coverage. Tie sides offer adjustability and can be altered in a moment – great for sunbathing.
Fold-down brief
The fold on a bikini brief works in a few ways. It can be folded up to provide more coverage or folded down to create layering. Ruffles and frills are often found on this style.
Classic shorts
The fold on a bikini brief works in a few ways. It can be folded up to provide more coverage or folded down to create layering. Ruffles and frills are often found on this style.
