The key to a great beach day? Amazing weather and a bathing suit that you feel great in. While there are so many great options on the market, so many of us struggle to find swimsuits that work for our body types and needs, whether that's simply style alone or performance abilities.
If you want a suit that's supportive and stylish, you should be looking for underwire options. Like an underwire bra, underwire bathing suits are lined with a plastic or metal wire beneath the breasts. Thanks to this construction, underwire bathing suits provide support that's particularly beneficial for the larger-chested among us. But, IBTC members can still benefit from underwire too; the design gives smaller chests a subtle lift.
Today, you can find underwire bathing suits in a variety of styles and silhouettes, making them an easy choice. Below find some of our favorite underwire swimsuits, just in time for summer. And if you're looking for more variety, check out our piece on the best swimsuits for women to see our favorite brands and picks across every category of swim.
Best one-piece overall: TA3 The Lifty
"I love all of my TA3 swimsuits, but the Lifty is my favorite because the underwire is so supportive and prevents the dreaded uniboob that some one-piece bathing suits can cause. The way the sizing works is nothing short of a miracle. You get to choose your bodice length (short or regular/long), your usual swimsuit size (from XS-4X), and your cup size (from A-J/K,) to get the absolute perfect fit, plus there are a bunch of color options. There's even an option for a high-cut version of this suit here if you prefer to show more leg. I've truly never had a one-piece fit me better!
"The thick shoulder straps are comfy and adjustable, and the cups cradle me perfectly with no digging. It even looks super cute as a bodysuit, so you could theoretically wear it with jeans or flowy linen pants and no one would be the wiser. But I know you're all here to find out whether it actually does what it promises to do, which is give you a snatched waist. The short answer is: yes! The longer answer is absolutely yes; the lacing in the back actually works like a dream to cinch your waist in. But the good news is that if you're ever feeling bloated or you just want something a little less compressive, you can always just loosen it up. It's like having two sizes in one!
"Anyway, if you have a large chest, you won't regret buying this suit — as someone with an F cup, it's definitely the most comfortable and supportive one-piece I've ever tried. — Sally Kaplan, executive editor, Insider Reviews.
See our full review of TA3 swim and our guide to the best one-piece swimsuits, which feature this fantastic suit.
Best bikini overall: Cuup The Balconette
Underwire suits are already a great choice for big busts, but this one from Cuup has even more features that make it a win for larger chests. The balconette style boasts thick, wide set straps and Cuup's customized Slide & Set back closure system help you get the right fit. Finding that perfect fit is easy. Just enter your band and cup size, then choose a color, and you're ready to go.While this suit is a great choice for all body types, Cuup recommends it most for those with bottom-heavy boob shapes. The suit does run small, so the brand recommends sizing up one cup size.
See our article on the best swimsuits for large busts to check out our other picks. Plus, we reviewed CUUP's Plunge Bra, which shares a silhouette with the Pluge swimsuit, and loved it
Best balconette: Belle The Label The Oracle Bikini Top
If your main goal when you set out to the beach is aesthetics, this suit is for you. Okay it has way more than just looks going for it, but this suit really is that beautiful. The balconette silhouette offers moderate coverage. The thick straps, underwire, and fully lined cups work to keep your chest supported. The ruched detailing gives the suit a flirty, romantic feel.
Best fitting: Andie Bermuda Top
Andie is a brand we find ourselves coming back to again and again, and for good reason. The timeless pieces are high quality, priced fairly, and designed to flatter a variety of body types. Beyond offering inclusive sizing (this top ranges from 0-20), Andie ditches the traditional grading process (which essentially means all of the suits are designed proportionally to one sample size) and completely redesigns the patterns so the suits fit every size comfortably.
The Bermuda Top is one of Andie's most supportive options with adjustable straps, a clasp band, and underwired full bust support. Not sure what size would fit you best? Andie has a quick and thorough quiz to help you find your perfect fit.
Read our full review of Andie's swimwear to see what the pieces look like on different body types.
Best for small busts: xRevolve Beach Riot Camilla Bikini Top
Those with smaller busts may shy away from underwire options, but the design does more than just offer ample support. For those with small chests, an underwire top can actually provide the illusion of a bigger one. Beach Riot is known for its funky, bold active and swim wares that attract trendy beach-goers and athletes. While the Camila top may be plain in silhouette and colorways (it's available in three neutral hues), it delivers on impeccable fit. With no padding, underwire cups, and adjustable straps, this top will give you a naturally lifted look.
Best on Amazon: Body Glove Smoothies Underwire Bikini Top
You're going on a spontaneous vacation this weekend. You realize you don't have a bathing suit that fits you. You panic, or you head over to Amazon. With Prime's speedy shipping and the "try before you buy" option, shopping on Amazon definitely has an appeal.
This top is lined with underwire and features power mesh (a soft, but very compressive fabric) for even more support. There are removable soft cups you can leave in, or take out, if you want more shape. The back is designed to be tied two ways, so you can wear this like a typical string bikini or go racerback. The suit also comes in over 20 bright colors that are so fun for summer.
This swimsuit also made our list of the best swimsuits on Amazon as our best underwire pick.
Cutest: Bydee Ventura Top
Bydee is Instagram-famous for its colorful prints. The swimwear is adorned with artistic colorways inspired by tropical getaways, like the kind of designs you'd find in the shops at Positano or Cabo.
Many of the brand's silhouettes are more daring than you'd find elsewhere. There's no shortage of thong bottoms, string bikinis, and cheeky cuts. Typically, this means that you'll have to settle for tops with no support.
But this Bydee top has a supportive underwire that can accommodate a slightly larger bust. However, we wouldn't recommend it to anyone above a C-cup.
"The Ventura top in Fruita is beyond cute. It's what tropical vacation dreams are made of. But that being said, I'm not super thrilled about the fit. I'm typically a DD and found that my bust was too full for the top to be flattering on me. I even got a large to try and account for this, but the fit was still off. It probably would have worked if I was closer to a C-cup, but that's the maximum cup size that this top would accommodate."
Best high-waisted: Madewell Ribbed Balconette Bikini Top + Second Wave Ribbed High-Cut Bikini Bottom
Madewell is J.Crew's artsy little sister and this suit is here to prove it. The balconette silhouette is simple and classic, but paired with the matching high-waisted bottoms feels a bit more retro. Together the bikini set offers moderate coverage, but still helps you accentuate and show off your shape. We were pleasantly surprised by the breadth of the size range, with XXS to XXL offered.
Most comfortable: Helen Jon Twist Underwire Bra
Comfort is always a priority when getting ready. Not only does it affect how you feel on the outside, but feeling truly comfortable in a swimsuit can do wonders for your confidence and how you feel on the inside. That fact is known to brands like Helen Jon, who have made it their mission to make pieces that make wearers look and feel great, inside and out.
Sizing and fit are both a huge part of this process. Typically brands have one fit model (someone in a median size of their range) and use that person's measurements to scale their patterns up and down for larger and smaller sizes. Since this method doesn't account for any variety in body type, shape, and age, Helen Jon fits their pieces on at least seven different bodies. They use normal people like their employees, not models, so they can ensure the pieces are comfortable for all body types. This balconette-inspired top is flattering, supportive, and laden with adjustable straps for a customizable fit. It does have sewn-in soft molded cups as well for some added support and coverage.
For more of our favorite picks, check out our review of Helen Jon swimsuits.
