I’ve Been Reviewing Swimwear for Over a Decade, and Nothing Has Ever Wowed Me as Much as Left On Friday

Left On Friday was created by Laura Low Ah Kee and Shannon Savage, who met working for lululemon and who bonded partly over their shared frustration over the lack of active swimwear brands that also looked chic. The brand’s ethos is all about creating bathing suits that are comfortable, cute and that won’t ride up, tug, dig in or generally need adjusting for even the most active beachgoer. I’m talking anything from moms running after their kids to professional surfers to casual swimmers and even the Team Canada beach volleyball silver medalists at the 2024 Summer Olympics.

Both Rachel Bowie, senior director of special projects and royals, and I can attest to the fact that LOF swimsuits truly live up to the hype. “I wore it recently to a public pool in Brooklyn and was chasing after three kids (two of which weren't my own),” Bowie tells me. “I was cannonballed on, splashed non-stop and also had to catch my son who continually was diving with the expectation I would be there. The whole time I never thought twice about my swimsuit or adjusting it. It stayed in place, felt comfortable and that was such a win!”

As for me, it’s brought me more peace of mind than I realized to have multiple bathing suits I can feel confident wearing, and actually kind of forget about entirely, for pool days with my 12-year-old nephew and 10-year-old niece. Because silly pool jump contests, diving for pool toys and racing around in the water playing Marco Polo is infinitely more fun when you don’t have to keep picking a wedgie or worrying about a boob popping out.

On the flip side, don’t let the fact that these suits are meant to move with you lead you into thinking the silhouettes and sizing are made solely for the super-fit among us. Sizes range from XS to XXL, including tall lengths for one-pieces and tops specifically made for bigger busts. Because no matter your body type, it’s wonderful to have a bathing suit that makes you feel confident and comfortable. Even as a nursing mom, Bowie feels the fit is spot on. As she tells me, “I’m a nursing mom in my 40s and this swimsuit still works. I'm partial to a one-piece and intensely studied the butt coverage before selecting this suit, but it does feel like a swimsuit that prioritizes quality, style and performance.”

Speaking of “studying butt coverage,” another aspect of the brand both Bowie and I adore is the vast amount of information and guidance available on the Left On Friday website. The silhouettes offered are deceptively simple given the immense amount of research, design and feedback that’s gone into each new release, but you can get a glimpse into all that effort with the extensive Fit Guide or tool for comparing styles.

“I also relied extensively on the brand's Fit Guide when ordering,” notes Bowie, “which I found to be one of the best I've ever experienced on a site. The level of detail is impressive: There's measurements, coupled with photos of real women so you can get a sense of body type. I also love the brand's "What Size Am I?" gallery.” Swimwear sizing is all too often so frustrating to figure out, and no one wants to order multiple sizes and return whichever one doesn’t fit—I’m not looking to add a trip to USPS to my already packed schedule. But I also found the extensive sizing information to be extremely helpful, and every time I’ve received a new suit it’s been a perfect fit.

I will admit, Left On Friday is not the most affordable brand. One-piece swimsuits all cost $180 (save for a long-sleeve suit which goes for $220), swim bottoms range from $85 to $110 and tops are almost all $95. But the quality, construction and timeless designs are truly incredible, and why I continue to wax poetic about the brand at every opportunity.

There are virtually no prints or patterns, except for one or two limited releases, but a huge range of solid colors to choose from, which adds to that timeless appeal. And while there’s little to be done about the deteriorating effects of chlorine and direct sunlight, my OG bikini from 2020 still fits and feels as fabulous as the day I got it, with only the barest hint of fading to the color. So while shelling out $180 for a bathing suit certainly isn’t cheap, it is an investment that will last for years and years of fun by the pool or beach, with the pros greatly outweighing the cons, in my opinion.

I adore swimming—even just standing around in a body of water will do—but having to think or worry about my swimsuit can at best make it harder to reap the calming benefits of the ocean, and at worst make me feel deeply self-conscious and uncomfortable in my body. Having a handful of bathing suits (my go-to is the Weekender one piece) that I know I can whip out on any given day, no matter how I’m feeling or what I have planned, has been more game changing than I first realized. It’s just such a relief and a load off my mind to have a bathing suit (or three) that I can pull on and then completely forget about so I can be fully present for whatever is right in front of me. Because life’s too short to be picking wedgies when you should be relaxing in the water.