I absolutely LOVE doing my swimsuit try-ons for you! In year’s past, I’ve stuck to what I know best….BUDGET suits! Listen, I’m a budget girl…name brands don’t do much for me, and my bank account appreciates that 😉 But I always hear peeps saying, “but those expensive suits are made so much better,” “those expensive suits are cut differently and are more flattering,” “those expensive suits have better fabric, are lined, the cups are sewn in, they aren’t as see through” and the list goes on. And it’s not that I didn’t believe them, but keep in mind, I have to buy every suit I try on and that adds UP, especially when these suits are $$$! So I’ve always kind of avoided it 😉

Oh, and I realize money is super subjective…what’s “high” to me might be “average” to another. What’s “low” to you is “high” to me. I recently saw a friend post about her bikini, and her top and bottom together were more than $500?!!! So a $100 swimsuit is low to her. But this year, I decided I just HAD to see them for myself, and then give you my honest opinions…you know I’m always going to keep it 100 with you.

So were the pricier suits worth the higher price tags?

Were they that much different than their much less expensive dupes that I’ve bought from Amazon?!

Did I FEEL so much better in them?!

Did I KEEP any of them?!

Well, I’m about to tell you!

Before we get into that, here are my stats:
5’2″
Size large/10/12 usually (I let you know the size I ordered for each suit)
36/38 D/DD (depending on the day)
30 in jeans
You can see all of these suits on my body in video form on my IG stories right now HERE, and in my highlight bubble “swim ’22” so you don’t just have to rely on the pics below!

To order/see the suit on theIR sites, click on the purple title above the pics. These are affiliate links, which means when you purchase through them, I make a small commission! I’m so grateful for anyone who does that, and it helps me buy more bathing suits, and try them on for yall, so you don’t have to! HA! Also, if you found this helpful, sharing this post is the best compliment you could give me (and saving it to your Pinterest board too)!

LET’S GET READY TO RUMMMMMMMBBBBLLLE!

Summersalt Sidestroke
Color: Seaweed & Seaglass & White Sand
Size 12 (TTS)
$95

I think this suit is good, but certainly not perfect! It hits in all the right spots for sure, and I love the design on my body. The material is super comfortable and soft (and durable)! I was surprised by the fact that there weren’t any cups in the suit….removable or sewn in! But I love the color way options, that they have models of all sizes on their site, sizes are 0-22, have long torso options, company is big on recycled materials being used, etc. The company seems awesome as a whole, is founded by two women, and I think they’re doing a ton of right things! I did get the $19 dupe from Walmart a few years ago, and absolutely love it (they don’t sell it anymore, unfortunately). So if you love this on me, and want to try it for yourself, I say go for it (and look at their other options), but is it the BEST bathing suit since sliced bread? No.

Albion Fit
Color: Bon Voyage
Size: XL (had to size up)
$138

OKAY. Soooooo, um hmmmm. This is a tough one for me because I wanted to love it. They manufacture in a fair-trade factory in Guatemala, and are a woman-owned business. But the fit just wasn’t right on me. I read tons of reviews, and even sized up to an XL, and yet it still seemed like there wasn’t enough material on the lower half, and too much on the top? People rave about this swimsuit, so I know it must be great on others! I’m sending this one back! And I’ll say that I got this dupe from Amazon, and it fits like a glove (and is 1/5 of the price)!

Trina Turk BREEZE PLUNGE MAILLOT
Color: Multi
Size: 12 (TTS)
$162

I LOVE Trina Turk pieces because they’re always so bold and vibrant in pattern and color. A woman I used to nanny for in college once let me borrow her Trina Turk coat to wear out and about in Boone, and I felt like a million bucks. No one could tell me ANYTHING when I was rocking that coat (shout out to Christy Thomas)! But I’ve never spent my own money on a Trina Turk piece until this swimsuit. I really liked it…hit in all the right places and the girls looked RIGHT! I was surprised the cups weren’t sewn in, but at least they were there. I’m mostly confused by the fact that I ordered this one month ago, and it’s no longer on the site 🙁 So the title above is linked to the page of one piece swimsuits and there are so many other amazing options! If you want to know my faves: I say check THIS one, THIS one, and THIS one.. If you want my exact suit style, I did find it on Amazon, but in a different pattern, and I like it more than mine, and it’s less $$$…snag it HERE! And they always have a coupon/promo code, so use it and save some coins!

Boden Portifino Cup-size Swimsuit
Color: Ivory Oriental Bud
Size: 36D (TTS)
$125

YALL!!!!!! When I say I have been looking for this suit forever, I mean it! Let me tell you a story: I got an amazing swimsuit from Old Navy yearrrrrrs ago, that has a very similar cut to this one! I get compliments on it every time wear it, but it’s sold out and never came back. I have looked high and low for something similar to it, and HERE IT IS! And now that I think about it, ON probably was the dupe for this Boden suit…not sure which came first though TBH?! I love Boden and have ordered shoes from them before, but nothing else. I wasn’t sure if the swimwear would fit a body like mine, but holy shit….I AM FEELING MYSELF IN THIS SUIT, YALL! You order by bra size, and I thought….well how will they know my body size then?! But THEY JUST DO, apparently!!! Can’t encourage you enough to grab this suit!

Boden Kefalonia Halterneck Swimsuit
Color: Black Opulent Flower
Size: 12R (TTS)
$98

THIS IS PERFECTION IN A SWIMSUIT!!! That’s it. That’s the caption. I feel incredible in this suit, and you will too. It was so good that I had to put it back on to show Bella since she didn’t get to see it on me the first time I tried it on. And let me tell you, to have my daughters see me downright giddy in a bathing suit is priceless! I never let them hear me talk badly about my body, but for them to see me saunter through the house in one, is a damn good feeling! There are so many incredible color ways in this one too…from solids, to color block to cute patterns. There are regular sizes and long options for my babes with longer torsos! Boden also is great about coupons, so use them! And now I’m tempted to keep both of the Boden choices! HA!

So that’s it! I know there are other higher priced options out there to try, and if I get enough requests for other brands, I’m absolutely willing to buy them and try them for us! So let me know in the comments below!

And I know some of these opinions are unpopular! I realize that several of you might think I’m wrong/crazy/completely off base. But I think it’s important to remember that everyone’s body is different, and suits that might make you feel like a million bucks, make me feel not so hot. I also have bought nearly every dupe for the higher priced suits, so I have something I’ve put on my body to directly compare them to. If you’ve never bought the lower-priced dupe/tried it on your actual body, then I can see why you think the higher priced suit is better lol! There’s literally no comparison, right? Or maybe you have bought the dupe and still like the pricier one better, and that’s cool too?!

Also, hear me say this: since I work on commission, it would behoove me to lie to you. I should say that the Albion Fit suit is absolutely perfect and every woman should have at least one in her closet. I would make $9/suit sold compared to the $1 I make on the dupe, but that wouldn’t feel right to me. Is it a great suit?! Maybe on someone else! Is it worth five times the price of the dupe? Not to me. To some people, it will be, and that’s fine!

But this try-on has reminded me of things I already knew: more is definitely not better, Boden is worth the pennies, and you can pry my trusty, affordable, great Amazon swimsuits off of my cold, dead body LOL! Click HERE for my ’22 Amazon swimwear round-up! And my Target and Wal-Mart ones are still to come!

love ya, MiC