It’s swimsuit review time over here – one of the oddest yet hopefully helpful content ideas we’ve added to our roster. This year, though, we wanted to shake things up a bit…so when Summersalt (a brand that’s been all over our IG for years, marketing their cheerful suits that have been developed using real measurements from thousands of women) reached out, we asked if they’d let the EHD team – along with some of your favorite contributors – do an honest review of their three best-selling swimsuits: the Sidestroke, the Ruffle Backflip, and the Perfect Wrap One Piece. I personally have bought Summersalt suits in the past many times and loved their quality, especially the thickness and compression, and have always admired that they carry such a great range of sizes (0-24, and with long torso options available, too). So the rest of our team was excited to try them out (and as always, no photoshopping here, but a spray tan or two might have been involved:)). Without further ado, here we go…
Emily
The Sidestroke
This one really surprised me. First off, it COMPRESSES and I would have said too small, but once it’s on it’s in place and doesn’t move – in a really good way. In hindsight, I think I should have opted for a long torso option because this one comes in a tiny bit in the bikini area, but not bad at all (as you can see in my butt shot). I found this very flattering and that compression really created a lovely shape. It holds you in and you can’t see any tummy action underneath – AT ALL. I am a little sensitive about my armpit area but honestly, the asymmetrical arm was so flattering and fun. I felt very sporty and very confident in this suit. I see now why it’s a bestseller (I didn’t think I was going to love it). Hoping it comes in that cherry red color sooooon.
The Ruffle Backflip
This is what I’d call a great ‘in-law’ suit. This suit is so flattering – creating a lovely curvy shape, the pattern so forgiving (you can’t see any tummy through the two layers of compression AT ALL, which I love) and the cut has just the right amount of support and modesty – if you are into that (I am, when I’m around Brian’s family). BIG fan of this suit for beach playdates with the kids. I felt SO supported, taken care of and confident.
I don’t remember having my butt on the internet being one of my original goals in life, but here we are! My butt!!! Selfied in a mirror of a hotel for the whole internet! This suit (all of them actually) stays in place nicely and I personally find the cut very flattering. This one has less coverage in the butt which I love way more than full coverage (I think fuller coverage suits tend to make my butt look flatter, if that makes sense). I liked how my butt looked in this one 
The Perfect Wrap One-Piece
This one is GREAT in the back (good 1/2 coverage, no movement) but being on the larger side breast-wise, my boobs felt a bit more lifted in the other two suits. This one is definitely supportive in the sense that they felt guarded and not going anywhere, but if I’m comparing this one to the Sidestroke and Ruffle Backflip, I think the others were a better fit for my figure. (Again, I’m now wondering if getting this in the Long Torso would have helped with the support, since Caitlin has a similarly-sized chest and this one was actually her favorite.) So I’m giving this one to my little sister who loved it – she has a more athletic build, with a smaller chest – also fun fact she’s big on TikTok!!! What a world!
BONUS: The Ruched Backflip
So I bought this suit from Summersalt in February for our trip to Palm Springs and I loved it. It’s not one of their bestsellers, but I think it could be so I figured I’d review it for you. It has a supportive shelf, so it holds up those love pillows, and thick arm straps which I think read more like a sporty tank top (it’s super cute with shorts – looks like a fun summer bodysuit). It has a double layer (but doesn’t hide the tummy cellulite as much as the polka dot one). The back is a good, sexy scoop. I LOVE that bright blue color.
BONUS: The Halter Plunge
I ordered a halter suit, mostly because I love a halter cut (and that red is so good), but goodness, it really did highlight those ladies Being raised during the era of puritanical cleavage shame my first reaction was a strong, ‘oh, goodness, no’ but then when I looked at it more objectively, like it was someone else’s body I had a better opinion. I do think this is likely too small (I’m yoyo-ing right now between a 4 and 6 – this is a size 4). My boobs did feel supported (as in lifted) but there wasn’t enough fabric for me to run around with the kids without a right or left nip slip. So this is definitely more of a Brian and I vacation suit.
On to the rest of my team – looking like regular smoke shows!!!!
Rashida
The Sidestroke
This was by far my favorite out of the three. The brown, black, white, and one-shoulder details are just so sophisticated. It supported the girls really well, and I want this one in every color. This is the kind of bathing suit you wear and make sure you’re seen haha with cameras around. I think any body shape will look and feel great in this. I got all of my suits in a size 14.
The Perfect Wrap One-Piece
I loved the wrapped detail on this one. It gave the illusion of a more cinched-in waist which is great for someone like me with a large breast. I’m a G cup and I was surprised how well it supported me. Now, this is not the bathing suit to swim laps in hahaha, but it’s definitely one to sit pretty and do a little dip.
The Ruffle Backflip
The ruffle shoulders were so cute. This one does have a dipped back so wearing the cover-up for me felt most comfortable. I do have waterproof boob tape which I would wear with this swimsuit since there’s not too much strap support from the low back scoop.
Jess
The Perfect Wrap One-Piece
Traditionally I’m not a one-piece person. I’m trying to get a tan all over here people!! (Also thank you Emily for funding this spray tan:)) So while I was really excited to get to try Summersalt’s bestselling suits, I was definitely curious to see if I would be really in them. Let’s start with this little wrap number. Is it totally my style? Not exactly. BUT I have to say that I felt so comfortable in it, I love these fun, bright colors (Hibiscus & Grapefruit) and the more I look at it the more I like it. It will be a perfect suit to wear around my family while still feeling fun (hello, plunge). And you can see it better in the next photo but I really love that cover-up! It’s so soft, I love the length and the no-collar collar. I feel very chic in it:)
The Sidestroke
This one was a real surprise! I thought it was going to be my least favorite, but it’s actually my #1! The cut is both modest yet super sexy and you can’t beat a simple black (color: Sea Urchin) suit. The one-shoulder is just so good. There’s ruching that you can’t really see that I also really like. Let’s just say this is coming with me to my bachelorette party #2 this August because it makes me feel super confident. Oh, and see how cute this cover-up is?!
The Ruffle Backflip
Here’s the deal. I think this suit is extremely cute. The colors are even prettier in person (Seaweed & Seaglass) and the secret sexiness of the neckline plunge and medium-low back is awesome. But ultimately ruffles aren’t my personal thing so this one wouldn’t necessarily be one I would buy. However, the conclusion I have come to is that since all of these suits are extremely flattering, comfortable, and so well made, I would feel extremely confident buying any of their other suits after trying these on. Also, I got a size 8 in all three.
Caitlin
The Perfect Wrap One-Piece
I take this review stuff REALLY seriously – and we want to offer a full spectrum of experiences – so before I took these shots, I decided to consume the following: a huge airport beer; a fried chicken sandwich; a bunch of fries; and, like, half of Ryann’s tater tots. You may have already inferred this, but I also took a flight down the West Coast after the aforementioned meal because like, why NOT add some potential airplane swelling weirdness to the mix? Let’s up the ante and see what these suits are made of, you know???
And like, guys, if I feel comfortable posting swimsuit pics for 2 million people after (a.) a day of travel and (b.) consuming about a quart of vegetable oil, THEY MUST BE REALLY GOOD SWIMSUITS. I was between sizes on the chart – my waist was a 10/12, my boobs were a 16, and my butt was an 18 – but I ended up splitting the difference with a 14LT (long torso) and it worked out GREAT. This was my favorite of the bunch because my F cup boobs felt super supported and the extra length prevented any digging in at the top or bottom. If you also have a bigger chest and butt, I would absolutely recommend opting for an LT suit. WOULD BUY AGAIN, no questions asked!!!
The Ruffle Backflip
YOOOOO. Like, sure, this is a cute swimsuit, but I will *for sure* be wearing this as a top with my favorite silky leopard midi skirt this summer. All of these suits feel like a hug and the boob support on this one is SO GOOD, even with an open back, (I literally do not understand how that works??? Normally an open back means that there is NO support up top??? How did they do that??? Wizardry, maybe???). The butt cut (cute phrase) on this is also fun – it’s a nice balance to the more modest ruffle sleeve. It’s super comfy AND super multifunctional, so you’ll absolutely get a huge bang for your buck with this one. I can’t wait to wear it out to a bar this summer!!!
The Sidestroke
I know I’m a woman in her 30s, but I STILL LOVE BOOGIE BOARDING. And y’all, this is a GOOD boogie boarding suit!!! I was a little nervous about the one-shoulder – this isn’t a cut I normally would have thought that I could wear because, like, I’m worried about slippage and not particularly interested in accidentally flashing anyone at the beach (crazy, right?). All fears were averted when I put it on, though – I think the general consensus amongst the team was that this one felt the most compressive, which RULED as it means that this top isn’t going ANYWHERE. Absolutely gonna be bringing this bad larry to Rehoboth Beach this summer – does anyone wanna boogie board with me?
Ajai
The Ruffle Backflip
It’s that time of the year again – swimsuit season! Last year I was still healing from a c-section, so I’m much more excited for swimsuits this year! Last year, I also discovered the true power of a one-piece. That said, I was thrilled to try on Summersalt’s best-selling swimwear. Let’s start with the Ruffle Backflip – I love the plunging neckline on this! It has a timeless design and the contrast in hues works wonders for my waistline and bust. Also, how sweet are the shoulder ruffles right?!
The Perfect Wrap One-Piece
Funny thing is, wrap dresses, tops, and skirts don’t typically work for me, but I’m feeling this one-piece! This wrap swimsuit stays in place and doesn’t leave an enormous amount of fabric left gathered beneath it (like other wrap clothing does to me). It hugs all of the areas just right, and I’m a fan of the front-tie detail. Also loving that side-v detail – this swimsuit won as my top favorite!
The Sidestroke
The Sidestroke swimsuit is giving me real Baewatch vibes, and I feel compelled to run slow in the sand wearing this one. The single-shoulder strap makes me feel sassy, and the pleated fabric makes me feel classy – we’ve got ourselves a sassy and classy one folks! I loved pairing this one with the cover-up as well. The Sidestroke will be coming with me to Mexico for my family’s annual resort trip!
Ryann
The Ruffle Backflip
If you are looking for a bathing suit that makes you feel comfortable, this is it. The pattern does wonders to distract and so does the neckline if you know what I mean. I am usually not a ruffle person but because I like the shape so much, I don’t mind the ruffle sleeve at all. It’s definitely supportive enough to swim and do activities in, but I don’t feel like I am being full-on modest. It’s a little sexy and a lot supportive which is really all I want in a bathing suit.
The cover-up is simple but so good. I usually wear a mens button-up as a swimsuit cover-up and this is basically that but way softer and more feminine. I am a big fan.
The Sidestroke
In hindsight, I don’t think this white color was the wisest choice for me, but I do like this suit a lot (Now I know if you are going with a white suit, a wax is probably a good idea :)). I am very into a one-shoulder silhouette and this is probably the most supportive and active-friendly swimsuit I’ve tried on. You can run, hop, skip, and jump in this bad boy and you’d feel invincible (and YES Caitlin, I’ll boogie board with you!). My only wish is that it would have a higher leg cut, because I think that’s the most flattering for my body type.
The Perfect Wrap One-Piece
Despite looking like the unhappiest woman in America (this photo was taken after a day of traveling, whoops) this is my favorite swimsuit right now!!! It’s my fiancé’s favorite too, so I know I’ll be wearing it a ton this summer. I love the wrap because it allows me to really cinch my waist if I so desire and the plunge neckline is so flattering. It has the perfect amount of padding in my opinion, because it supports without pushing the gals up too much. I’m not the biggest fan of pushing up my boobs to my chin because a nip slip becomes almost inevitable. Instead, I like when my boobs look natural yet supported and this checks that box. 10/10!!
Mallory
The Sidestroke
So I, like Jess, have never really worn one-pieces and what better way to get into them than with Summersalt! This Sidestroke suit was certainly the suit I was most excited about – I love the one-shoulder action and I think the back is super well-designed. It has a decent amount of coverage on the bootay if that’s something you are wanting & it SERIOUSLY hugs you – like this one felt like maximum support (even more than the next two), so if you want your suit to keep all the goods in, this is for you (which is nice because most suits will expand a bit when they get wet, so I’m into it). I like how Jess put gold jewelry with it – such a nice resort wear kinda suit. LOVE IT.
The Perfect Wrap One-Piece
This green is SO PRETTY. I’ve always loved a wrap dress, so this is a cute swimsuit version of that. I found this suit super comfortable & has lots of solid coverage. It’s not quite as thick as the last suit (I’d give the last suit a 10 for support), but in terms of swimsuits in general I’d put it as an 8 for support. The neckline is so chic though, PLUS it has boob pads for the girls! So you don’t have to worry about any nip fest when you’re getting out of the pool and it’s a lil chilly. V cute!!!
The Ruffle Backflip
This suit has my favorite back out of the 3 because I LOVE an open back. It’s slightly less covered on the booty than the other 2 (but I think in a good way), and it’s overall VERY comfortable. The ruffles are super cute plus it also has boob pads which is great for me who doesn’t got a lot going on in that department there ya go!
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Emily here! Just wanted to say one big THANK YOU to Summersalt for allowing my team the chance to finally review some of these suits we’ve seen all over IG for years. To see everything we showed you in one easy-to-navigate spot, click right here.
But everyone looks great, right? If you’ve spotted a suit that YOU love, be sure to use code STYLEBYEM10 to apply $10 towards your purchase. And if anyone has any questions about fit or sizing (again, they offer 0-24 with long torso options), please sound off below. We’ll be more than happy to give some more feedback. Here’s to feeling great in our swimwear, no matter the place (lake, ocean, pool, bar, etc. Wherever life takes you.). Now, what say you??
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