The (Not So) Basic Black One-Piece Swimsuit

Years ago, as my mother and I sat on a beach during our annual family vacation and looked out into the sea of colorful, sometimes-too-small string bikinis, a woman walked by in a basic black tank suit.  My mother turned to me and said “Nothing looks better than a classic black one-piece”.  I whole-heartedly agree with my mamma.

I decided to kick-off swimsuit season with an homage to my wise mother and the black one-piece… something I feel that all women should have in their summer wardrobes. In taking a look at this season’s designs, I noticed that there are SO MANY beautiful black suits, designed for ALL shapes and sizes.   I haven’t even scratched the surface here.

First you’ll need to ask yourself… are you more conservative and want something more classic and fully-covering?  Or a risk-taker who’s comfortable in a two piece and cut-outs?  Or maybe someone in between, who likes to liven things up with a little mesh?  Next, you’ll have to consider what type of neckline and top work for you.  Ugh, the whole “boob debacle” is MY biggest struggle by far (those damn kids who sucked the life out of me)!  If you’re anything like me (a.k.a. flat-chested) you’ll want to choose something with gathering, underwire and padding on the top (the twist-bandeau is my “go-to”).  A larger busted woman may want to minimize by choosing a V or scoop neckline.  (Chances are, you already have a “gut feeling” of what neckline looks best on you.)  Lastly and absolutely not the least… the BELLY!  For those of you blessed with that post-partum pooch, you’re not alone!  Diagonal seaming or ruching helps to break things up and hide a belly, and heavier-weight swimsuits (Miraclesuit or Magicsuit) take the support up a notch. I’m happy to see that they now include a wide variety of designs, and have surely upped their style factor.  Note: These suits are often quite heavy and can feel restricting, so try going up one or two sizes.

Below I’ve shown ten of my favorite black one-piece swimsuits, for a variety of body types and at a wide range of price points.  I always recommend paying a little more for a great classic swimsuit since you’ll wear it often and likely for many years.  Click on a thumbnail to open the slideshow and details, with links below.

• LaBlanca Island Twist Bandeau With Removable Straps
• LaBlanca Wrap with Tie
• Aerie Tie Back Spaghetti Strap Suit (Regular and Long)
• Target Ruffled Shoulder One Piece
• Ralph Lauren (Dillard’s) Underwire Twist Front
• Miraclesuit (Bloomingdales) Jenna One-Shoulder Mesh
• J.Crew Factory Basic TankSuit
• Kenneth Cole (Macy’s) All Meshed Up V Neck
• Volcom (Nordstrom) Tube Cut-Out Suit
• Ralph Lauren (Bloomingdales) Mesh Boatneck One Piece

Black is your friend ladies, and swimwear is no exception.

PS … you are responsible for your tan lines.  I am not.