Retro Swimwear to Suit Your Budget
What Are You Wearing? Jubileeeeeee!
June 6, 2012Lingerie Love – Buttress & Snatch
June 11, 2012I considered changing todays post to Umbrellas.
But, I figured some people might be going on holiday and escaping this persistent downpour, and those of us that aren’t might need to swim to work soon if it doesn’t ease up.
When looking for swimwear with a bit of vintage style you’re generally looking for high waisted bikini bottoms with a bit more coverage, halter necks, frills, and retro prints like polka dots and stripes.When you’re looking for vintage style swimwear don’t neglect high street shops like John Lewis which will have a wide range of brands.
I’ve had a peek around online and picked out the best I can find, whatever your budget.
A Week in the Sun
There are some lovely vintage style swimsuits out there for under £20, but you might need to compromise a bit on the details.
Spot Print Swimsuit – £14 – Matalan
Tankini style means the legs sit a little lower, and the polka dot print and halterneck give a pin-up feel
Lemon Print Bikini – £14.99 – New Look
The bottoms are a little small, but the print and cute frill detail give it a retro vibe overall. If you’ve got the figure for it, a good choice!
Two Weeks in The Caribbean
If you’ve got up to £50 to spend, you get a little more choice.
Kelly Brook Spot Swimwear Playsuit – £29.99 – New Look
Half playsuit, half swimwear, the Kelly Brook range at New Look has some great retro styles.
Cote D’azur Bikini Shorts – £14 and Bikini Top – £26 – Boux Avenue
I had to include this one as the bikini top comes in different cup sizes, great for those with larger busts!
A Month on a Yacht
Between £50 and £100 there are some beautiful, authentic swimsuits worth investing cash in.
Sorrento Boyleg Swimsuit – £85 – Sea Folly @ John Lewis
Low legs, a halter neck, and slimming panel details at the sides. In classic black so it won’t date, which is good if you’ve spent £85 on it.
Bikini Top – £34.75 and Bikini Bottoms – £34.75 – What Katie Did
The ultimate repro vintage style swimwear comes from What Katie Did. This one comes in 3 colours; claret, black and sky blue.
Summer in St Tropez
Just because I can’t resist it I like to pop off and see what swimwear you can get if you can afford to spend a weeks wages on a swimsuit.
Ruched Halter Neck Swimsuit – £295 – Norma Kamali @ Net a Porter
Love the green, love the design, but the price, phew!
Fringed Stretch Jersey Bikini – £1,475 – Norma Kamali @ Net a Porter
Moving into the world of total fantasy now. No one buys this surely? And if they do surely they don’t let it near salt or chlorine?
6 Comments
Found a lovely vintage style swimsuit at Bravissimo last season, and I think they have the same style in this year with a different print. There is also a vintage swimsuit pattern on the Craftsy website for those who like a challenge.
oooh some nice ones! I haven’t really lost enough weight to be swanning around in a swimsuit yet but when I do I know where to look.
Especially love the WKD one.
I love the first one. I much prefer boyish leg cuts to high legs, although they do my chunky short legs no favours. Not that I will be going on holibobs anytime soon. I do have a red white and blue polka dot maternity swimsuit I am rather proud of! x
Love the What Katie Did x
Penny Dreadful Vintage
I struggle with the bigger shorts styles- I have to be very careful with the angle (i.e. there must be one, it can’t just cut across) or my upper thigh looks ENORMOUS! Oh well that rules out the £1475 one… hahaha, yep, just those shorts otherwise I’d be on it like a shot.
The Cote DAzur and Matalan ones are my faves… luckily on a bit more of a decent budget too!
Sorry, I’m behind in my blog reading and I just saw this post. The first Kamali swimsuit is now part of her KamaliKulture line, and is under $100. I got one last year in red, and this year in steel (sort of grey/ silver), its really flattering as it holds in those little bulges, and nips in your waist nicely! Here is a link: //kamalikulture.com/collections/swim/products/98-bill Maybe the different colours are more expensive? No clue, but there are nice choices for the less expensive one!
XXX Suzanne