How to Shop for a Modest Swimsuit

The most literal idea of a modest swimsuit is associated with its most conservative silhouette: the burkini. It became a global conversation in 2016, when Halima Aden wore it during the swimsuit portion of her history-making pageant appearance and when France briefly banned it. But the category—and its demographic—is much broader and nuanced. Orthodox Jewish or Christian women might seek covered-up styles too, as can other shoppers who, regardless of religious or cultural background, want added sun protection or aren't comfortable subscribing to the idea that wearing a swimsuit means baring an excess of skin.

“There’s a total demand,” says modest-fashion blogger Sobi Masood. “It’s not the most glamorous thing to wear more clothes on the beach—when you’re wet, the last thing you want to do is be fixing around all the material that you’re wearing. It’s really tricky. And there are not that many brands out there.”

The options are so lackluster that Maria Alia, a modest-fashion influencer, model, and creative multihyphenate of Palestinian and Puerto Rican descent, says she’d rather not wear traditional modest swimsuits at all: “My first choice would be to go to a beach where I don’t have to wear modest swimwear, where I can literally wear actual [nonmodest] swimwear, but if you’re in a public place where there’s other people around and you choose to dress modestly, that’s not an option. It’s not the most comfortable—that’s the reality of it.”

In recent years a handful of brands have finally begun catering to customers like Alia, spurred by frustrations and untapped opportunities in the modest swim space. Ikram Zein’s Lyra is one of the most beloved—maybe because it was born out of that very frustration Masood and Alia describe.

“Before Lyra, my not-so-practical solution for creating DIY modest swimwear getups consisted of wearing running leggings and a T-shirt, simply because I was unable to find something I would feel comfortable and confident in,” Zein says. She spent roughly a year compiling ideas, test-driving designs, and gathering candid insights from potential customers, asking "women of all backgrounds about what they would love to have in a modest swimsuit and the difficulties they faced in finding suitable modest swim options.”

Lyra’s suits come in elegant neutrals, with the occasional inset print. (No allover loud patterns or flashy neons here.) Its signatures are piped detailing and clever design details that subtly offer coverage, like sleek turtlenecks and detachable skirts. “It’s the only brand I’ve found that I actually think is stylish enough to wear on the beach,” says Masood. “It’s so well-fitted and aesthetically pleasing. You look good and feel good, in the right type of fabric that’s actually meant for water.”

Aside from Lyra, there’s Trepezzi (Zein’s a fan of its “use of detailing and bold colors, with frills and lovely color contrasts”). There’s also Munamer, created by Italian designer Chiara Taffarello in 2016, inspired by work trips to Pakistan.

Zein explains that “a significant number of our customers probably seek modest swimsuits for faith reasons,” yes, but there’s still a contingent that appreciates the “personal comfort, sun protection, and body-consciousness” that’s afforded from this type of swimwear.

When former investment banker Lisa Moore entered motherhood, she found herself chasing her toddler son around outside constantly—in scorching Texas rays, no less. She felt frustrated with the limited sun-protective swimwear options for adults, so she launched Cover, which makes suits from a fabric with UFP50+ protection, in 2008.

Though it wasn’t designed with this customer in mind, Moore says modest shoppers have stumbled upon Cover as an option, sending the brand feedback via DMs about cuts and fits they want to see (and wear). That’s surely only going to happen more often now, thanks to not one but two of Moore’s head-to-toe looks being worn by Halima Aden in the 2019 Sports Illustrated Swim Issue. (The Cover tunic, leggings, and hijab featured in the issue were “already in the line but not as widely known,” Moore says, adding that the exact styles that appeared in the shoot will be on sale on the brand’s site shortly.)

Looking beyond these brands devoted to modest fashion, you can find great options elsewhere—if you know what to search for. Ahead, the experts share their tips for shopping for modest swimwear.

Start with the modest-fashion sites.
“I have googled ‘burkini’ just to see what brands I could discover, and it was definitely not the greatest,” Alia says. That said, there are modest fashion e-tailers like Modanisa and ModLi, which always have a selection, at least.

Hunt for specific fabrics at your go-to stores.
High-tech fabrics made to keep you cool, like Uniqlo’s AIRism collection, are great when you’re looking to make your own modest swimsuit. “It’s very limited in selection of silhouettes, so when I see something that I can make work, I buy it,” Alia says, recommending the weather-combatting line for swimming, specifically. Its long-sleeve, high-neck shirt that’s “super breathable and feels cool,” ideal for sweltering situations.

Check out brands specializing in sun protection.
Aside from faith or cultural reasons, SPF is another draw for covered-up swim options. Shopbop fashion director Caroline Maguire sees sun-shielding as a no-brainer when it comes to shopper’s swimwear needs: “We pride ourselves on offering an assortment that really resonates well with our customers, and having SPF built into your swim is genius. Children have it built into their suits—why wouldn’t we have it for adults?!” Check out brands like Cover, or rash-guard-style swimsuits from Seea, Mikoh, and Shoshanna.

Same goes for surf wear (and surf-inspired designs).
Surf vibes—and neoprene in particular—have been a thing in swimwear for the past six or so years. There were even nods to surf culture on spring 2019 runways at Prada and Calvin Klein. They’re “amazing” sellers for Shopbop, per Maguire: “We love the idea of surf-focused styles and prints, and anything with a retro vibe performs well for us,” she says. Though these silhouettes are normally the most conservative options you’ll find at a nonmodest retailer, they might not cut it, according to Masood. “They’re way too formfitting and there’s nothing breaking the visual of wearing something super skintight,” she explains.

Make a beeline for the activewear aisle.
For a long time, Masood’s swimwear strategy has been to cobble together activewear pieces that are designed to break a sweat in, from brands like Nike and Adidas. She’ll “buy workout leggings and tops that are waterproof, putting together [an outfit] that’s suitable to swim in.” It doesn’t always work out, she admits, but she’s found that certain warm-up pullovers can double as modest swim tops. She swears by discount retailers like TJ Maxx and Marshalls. (She used to work for TJ Maxx HQ, with a focus on menswear.) “I’m more of a bargain hunter, and I don’t feel comfortable paying steep prices when I know I can find something more reasonable,” she says, recommending the men’s active department for less clingy silhouettes. Windbreakers are great for swimming too, she says, since the fabric “dries off very quickly.”

Swim headscarves exist—but there’s still a lot of room for improvement.
Cotton turbans or headscarves aren’t really conducive to diving headfirst into the water. “Once they get wet, they soak up all the water and are heavy and cold,” Masood says. She suggests scouring Etsy for indie brands that make beach and swimming turbans; there’s also Coolibar’s swim hijab.

For more coverage (that isn’t head-to-toe), look for nostalgic swim trends.
Personal definitions of what makes modest swim modest can really vary. Do you want less skin exposure but don’t need all limbs completely covered? You can seek out high-waist bottoms, ruched detailing, brief cuts—all of which are major swimwear trends Shopbop is banking on. “The idea of retro-inspired silhouettes has become consistently more popular and sought-after,” Maguire says. Throwback styles that cover more skin are “a major push” for the retailer. She recommends Araks’ high-waist cut and Zimmermann’s “great styles and fit, but also beautiful fabrics and prints.”

As for the future of modest swim...

As a category, modest swimwear still has plenty of limitations beyond the lack of brands dedicated to it: There aren’t many styles that go up to plus sizes; at times, there are too many ruffles and prints; there aren’t many colors outside of black. And the prices can get pretty high—Munamer’s designs hover around $300 to $450; Trepezzi’s sets go for $200 and up.

It’s a missed opportunity for swimwear designers, seasoned with the complexities of construction the best technical fabrications. Some of the most memorable feedback Zein has received from Lyra customers is about people who’ve “taken up or returned to swimming, after many years,” thanks to the company's swimsuits. Alia says she wants to see nonmodest brands “create their own modest swimsuits,” since it could benefit their bottom lines and customers’ needs.

“I think there’s so much potential and it hasn’t been done yet, and I’m excited to see more iterations,” Alia says. “Especially since Sports Illustrated with Halima [Aden] came out, I feel like a lot of people are like, ‘Oh, it’s a thing!’ and there’s a lot more attention on it.”

Shop five of our favorite modest swimwear pieces below.

Originally Appeared on Glamour