GEAR,  Gear Advice

Our Body, Our Swim: Swimwear designed to support all body types

When it comes to swimwear, everybody has different needs and concerns. We put your questions to Zoggs designers Giorgia and Margot to help you find your perfect swimsuit. 

I have a long/short torso. What should I look for when buying a swimsuit?

Adjustable straps! They are your friend – allowing you to customise the garment as if it were made-to-measure. Adjustable straps allow you to lengthen or shorten the suit by a whole 2.5cm, that’s a whole size, so you can adapt the suit to precisely fit your needs.

M: Swimsuits with a back opening are also an ideal choice for longer torsos. The back opening allows for extra stretch in the suit.

I need a costume fit for long distance swims and training sessions which also offers substantial bust support? What should I buy?

G: Zoggs training swimsuits are designed to withstand long swim sessions thanks to the durability of our chlorine resistant Ecolast+ fabric. A perfect mix of a stylish swimsuit (as we call leisure) as well as high performance for example is the Hi Cross X-back.

M: Concerning bust support, our Actionback and Powerback styles offer the highest level of support within our training range thanks to their high back; this better holds and supports the bust. These styles also feature a shelf bra for added security. There are also styles such as Dakota Crossback that are more ‘sporty’ but have a sports back and bust support.

“Zoggs training swimsuits are designed to withstand long swim sessions thanks to the durability of our chlorine resistant Ecolast+ fabric.”

How do I find comfortable bust support?

G: If it’s a training suit you’re looking for, choose a suit with a shelf bra, thicker straps and substantial back coverage for a higher level of bust support. Conversely, if you are finding your suit to be too compressive, try a suit with a more open back, this allows the suit additional vertical and horizontal stretch.

M: For leisure (more casual swimsuits) consider a foam cup. This contains the bust and provides more compression for a better hold and limited movement. If foam cups aren’t your preference, choose a suit with a high back like a Scoopback. These give great support as they wrap around the body holding the suit and your bust in place. Furthermore, suits like Scoopbacks, which sit higher at the front, better contain your bust.

My straps restrict my freedom of movement. How can I avoid this?

G: For maximum freedom of movement choose thin shoulder straps; this is the preference of the swim squad we test our training range on. Additionally, they favour straps which do not cross their shoulder blades, preventing any restriction of their mobility and therefore guaranteeing maximum freedom of movement during their stroke.

M: Your straps might be restricting your movement because your suit is too short – a common problem for people with longer torsos. Sizing up can solve this. Adjustable straps are also an option to help you find a less restrictive fit.

“For maximum freedom of movement choose thin shoulder straps”. Pictured: Zoggs Rainbow Strikeback.

How do I prevent my swimsuit digging into my shoulders?

M: Look for wider straps, a 2.5-3cm width strap will disperse pressure better than a thin strap.

G: Crossback styles should also be considered. This back style does not place pressure in the same place on the shoulders that traditional straps do.

How can I feel more supported around the mid-section?

M: The fabric used in Zoggs swimwear is warp knitted 170gms recycled fabric that is either chlorine proof or chlorine resistant. The fabrics are tightly knitted to provided excellent stretch and recovery that provides compression and support for your body. We also use contour panels to achieve a better fitting swimsuit with ruching/gathering and darts to create a 3D fit.

G: A number of our styles feature our body support which provides additional support for your tummy, helping you to feel more secure and maintain the correct position in the water while swimming.

What are the most flattering styles for different body shapes: rectangle, triangle, apple, hourglass, pear?

M: Is it really important? This concept of identifying ourselves as homogenised body shapes is outdated. Speaking to so many women, we as designers realised that the most important message is to help them become confident in their bodies and help them feel harmonious with themselves. 

G: Our swimwear does this by incorporating body confidence- boosting features which offer a variety of levels of bust support, linings, leg heights and back styles. Whichever swimsuit you choose, look for the one that will make you feel more like yourself. That is where our message comes from: “Our body, Our swim”!

Get 20% off your perfect Zoggs swimsuit with discount code OSNEW20. Offer code valid from the 1-31 March 2023 on all full price swimwear. Browse the Zoggs range of swimwear.

This feature, produced in partnership with Zoggs, featured in the March edition of Outdoor Swimmer – on sale now.

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Outdoor Swimmer is the magazine for outdoor swimmers by outdoor swimmers. We write about fabulous wild swimming locations, amazing swim challenges, swim training advice and swimming gear reviews.