A couple of months back, I was venting to my Instagram followers about not being able to find sexy plus size swimwear. While I do know that there is an abundance of plus size swimwear out there—especially compared to five years ago—I was struggling to find bikinis, and bottoms that didn’t rise up beyond my belly button. I wanted to be able to wear a normal bikini just like everyone else. I also wanted to show off my tummy and booty rather than covering them up—like I usually do.
My followers quickly flooded my Das with suggestions: SheIn, Fashion Nova, CupShe, Swimsuits For All, etc. I had considered most of these suggestions, and I had already scoured the web for my perfect suit. However, there was one place my followers suggested that I hadn’t even thought of: Aerie.
I haven’t shopped at American Eagle since high school, and I’ve never shopped at Aerie. However, I know that Aerie has been making a splash on social media with their “zero retouching” campaigns. And while that is admirable, the brand only sells up to a size XXL. This means that most plus size women, can’t actually fit into their swimwear. And while I would fit into an XXL, I really try to wear brands that have a wider size range so that I can recommend them in good faith.
But there was one day, where a huge Aerie sale was brought to my attention, and I decided to check out their swimsuits. I loved the wide variety of fits they had for their bikini bottom, for example, the Hipster Cheeky Bottom ensured that I would have enough coverage in the front, while being able to highlight the booty. So I bought a couple of different bottoms at $9 a piece (low risk AF), and I hoped and prayed that they would fit me, since I couldn’t size up.
I was pleasantly surprised at how well the bottoms fit me. They were exactly what I was looking for. The bikini bottoms I am wearing in this photo are Aerie’s Basic Bikini Bottom, which also fits me perfectly! I also got this Perky Triangle Top that you are seeing me wearing, but it’s not my absolute favorite. There were so many different styles of bikini tops and bottoms, but I stuck to the basics just because I was so interested in how things would fit. Needless to say, I will be rocking these bikini bottoms all summer, and I may have just found my go-to for swimwear!
SIZING INFO: I am wearing a size XXL in the Basic Bikini Bottom, which is my usual size, and they fit perfectly. I am wearing a XXL in the Perky Triangle Top, which seems a little too big for me.
