To all the B Listers that look forward to their Thursday morning newsletter, I come bearing a double delivery of bad news. Not only is today’s B List a little late — I forgot I had a session with my trainer and didn’t pre-schedule, sorry! — but next week will be, for lack of a better word, Listless. I’ll be traveling with friends in Montego Bay, and my goal is to leave my laptop behind altogether. What a concept! I can’t wait to get away, and I’m meticulously planning all of my looks — let me know if you’re interested in a newsletter about how I pack and what I wore once I return.
Onward! Today’s B List is all about a TikTok-beloved concept I coined back in March of 2023: The 5 Swimsuit Theory. The idea came to me as I was deciding which swimsuits to keep or ditch for an upcoming vacation. Despite having two drawers full of options, I felt like few worked for my specific needs.
Desperate to not buy dozens more, I settled on a list of five essential styles, and vowed to stick to them exclusively.
To be transparent, I admit to owning more than five swimsuits currently. I swim and go to the beach multiple times a week in the summer, and I like having options! But the premise of the 5 Swimsuit Theory is that you only need these five to ensure you’ve got a good go-to suit for any occasion. It’s definitely helped me to make cuts in my own collection, and I love hearing from others about what suits were good enough to make their top five.
The 5 Swimsuit Theory is a pretty solid general guideline for shopping swimwear, but of course, everyone is different. People who never swim or don’t spend their summers by the beach might find five suits excessive, while fashion-lovers may argue that they need a coordinating suit-and-sarong situation for every summer outing. But for the vast majority, five are all you need to feel fantastic.
Below, I’ve broken down the theory in all its shoppable glory.
1 Skimpy Bikini
The first non-negotiable category in the 5 Swimsuit Theory is 1 Skimpy Bikini. And before you disagree, hear me out! For some, this will be a truly teeny string situation, but for others, it might just be a bikini that guarantees great tanlines.
We’ll get to more modest styles later on the list, but it’s nice to have a bikini that feels like a bit of a flex! This is the suit you wear to Miami with your girlfriends, or even alone in your backyard as you start building your base tan.
For me, SKIMS’s stringy styles are my skimpy bikinis of choice, but others might prefer bandeau tops to avoid tanlines altogether. As for thong swimwear? I might not recommend an entire wardrobe full, but to fulfill your 1 Skimpy Bikini needs? Free the cheeks!
CUUP The Balconette Top + The Bikini Bottom ($176)
PrettyLittleThing Leopard Triangle Bikini Top + Bottom ($9, originally $20)
Monday Swimwear Costa Rica Top + Bronte Bottom ($174)
Frankies Bikinis Nick Striped Triangle Bikini Top + Bottom ($170)
Hollister Ribbed Multi-Way Triangle Bikini Top + Bottom ($50)
SKIMS Signature Swim Triangle Top + Dipped Tie Bottom ($74)
2 Full-Coverage Bikinis
If that first category overwhelmed you, rest assured that 2 Full-Coverage Bikinis are just as essential to the theory. These are the bikinis that you’ll likely wear the most throughout the season, and you need to be comfortable donning them anywhere and everywhere. Can you swim in the ocean without losing your top? What about laps in the pool? Is your suit appropriate enough for a beach day with the family, but cute enough to rock for a boat day with friends?
Finding bikinis that check all of these boxes can be tough (especially if you’re larger-chested like me!) but Abercrombie is my go-to thanks to their Curve Love styles offering coverage without sacrificing style. I’m also a big fan of that Loft balconette style on the bottom right.
2 Full-Coverage Bikinis are recommended for most, so that you feel like you have some variety, but feel free to use that second placement to sub in a wildcard. Maybe you want to try out this year’s tankini trend? Or perhaps you’re a string bikini gal at heart and simply won’t make use of two more modest styles? Consider the second of your 2 Full-Coverage Bikinis the only necessity on this list that can be adjusted to “suit” (pun intended) your needs.
Abercrombie Curve Love High Apex Underwire Bikini Top + Bottom ($83)
Staud Herring Bikini Top + Bottom ($250)
AdoreMe Bobbie Lined Bikini ($59.95)
Eloquii One Shoulder Ring Bikini Top + Bottom ($70 originally $175)
J. Crew Squareneck String Bikini Top + Bottom ($69, originally $139)
Loft Front Tie Underwire Bikini Top + Bottom ($125)
1 Black One-Piece
Ah, my favorite category. No matter who you are, you neeed 1 Black One-Piece to get you through the summer. And this category is truly a Choose Your Own Adventure! Your black one-piece can be a classic, standard silhouette, or you can personalize with cutouts, hardware and ruching.
One-pieces are, contrary to popular belief, inherently sexy, and there’s no swimsuit quite so chic as a black one-piece that fits your body flawlessly. This suit should be versatile, but don’t be afraid to add a little spice.
For me, the TA3 swimsuit get the job done get, thanks to the sculpting compression fabric and waist-snatching corset detail at the back. Still, I’m eyeing the Victoria’s Secret and Reformation styles below to rock with a wide-brimmed black hat and the biggest sunnies you’ve ever seen.
Robin Piccone Aubrey One Piece Key Hole ($166)
Victoria’s Secret Ruched Plunge One-Piece Swimsuit ($47.97, was $79.95)
Reformation Tossa One-Piece ($178)
Shade & Shore Ring-Front Halter Bandeau One Piece ($28, originally $40)
TA3 Hi Cut Squarey ($178)
Good American Always Fits One-Piece ($119)
1 Fun One-Piece
Last but not least, 1 Fun One-Piece is the final essential style to complete your swimsuit wardrobe. A black one-piece is timeless and chic, as previously stated, but sometimes you want to rock a pop of color or a tropical pattern in a way that just screams summer. Or perhaps you’re seeking a bold monokini with cut-outs and a cheeky bum? The choice is yours.
Let the 1 Fun One-Piece category be a reminder that choosing a one-piece doesn’t mean you don’t feel confident enough to wear a two-piece. Whoever started that rumor was seriously disturbed! Suits in this category still offer major main character energy, whether you’re lounging poolside or burying your feet in the sand.
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Solid & Striped The Spencer One Piece ($153)
Calzedonia High Cut One Piece Swimsuit ($89)
Lovewave The Minako One Piece ($128)
Lovers & Friends Major Moves One Piece ($128)
Victoria’s Secret Knotted One-Piece ($41.97, originally $69.95)
Agua Bendita Ina Seed Plunge One-Piece ($200)
And that’s it! Let me know your thoughts on the 5 Swimsuit Theory — and if you know of any must-have swimwear I should shop this season, drop the link.
x BG