While there are tons (and we mean tons) of swimwear brands out there to fit your specific wants and needs—suits for big boobs, bikinis under $50, one-pieces for long torsos—there is one company we find ourselves returning to over and over again, summer after summer: J.Crew. Yes, J.Crew swimsuits top our list as the best collection to shop classic swim that fits well, won’t break the bank and will actually last through multiple summers’ worth of beach visits and dips in the pool.
J.Crew first launched swim in 1989 with a series of classic silhouettes in fairly basic colors, and while it took a while for the brand to really find its footing, its swim collection has only gotten better and better in recent years. J.Crew’s bread and butter will always be in perfecting timeless cuts with a subtle modern twist, by way of trendy color options or small tweaks to waistbands or bikini straps, and its swim line is no exception. But there are also trendier pieces to shop, too, for that gal who wants to dip a toe into the cutout craze or embrace French-inspired cuts or even a sporty rashguard top. And almost every single one of J.Crew’s suits now goes up to a size 3X or 24, with tops specifically designed for DD cups and long torso one-pieces as well, so even more folks can get in on the fun.
“My sisters and I used to get a new bathing suit every year in our Easter baskets, and from maybe sixth grade up through college that bathing suit was pretty much always from J.Crew,” one PureWow editor revealed. “Looking back now, it’s interesting to me that there was a brand that all three of us could be so excited about—we’re all vastly different body types and have very different taste in swim, so I feel like it really says something that we all found something to love every year at J.Crew.” In fact, she revealed she even still owns and wears some of those Easter gifts, which have held up incredibly well.
Recently, J.Crew has begun incorporating more eco-friendly fabrics and sustainable production methods into its collection, meaning you can feel better about purchasing a fresh new swimsuit while lessening your carbon footprint. As for cost, almost everything comes in under $130, and the brand frequently has sales going on so you can score major deals on high-quality pieces, especially toward the end of the season. (The site also restocks pretty often, so if you’re in love with a particular color or shade that’s currently sold out, give it a week or so and you might find you’re now in luck.)
