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Ah, summer's eternal water debate. Beach waves, pool plunges, or lake lounging—which claims your heart? As a former Floridian, you might expect me to wave the beach flag proudly – and yes, watching my puppies frolic on dog-friendly beaches and paddling happily in the surf was pure joy. But confession time: I've often forgone those sandy shores for the cool clarity of a pool. The lack of sand in unmentionable places is an added bonus.

Lake life? I'm practically a tourist with just one visit under my belt. I suspect lakes secretly hold the crown for water sports, but I'll leave that verdict to the wakeboard warriors.

Whatever your water worship style, summer beckons with its warm embrace, golden rays (slathered in SPF 50 sunscreen, naturally), and the perfect excuse to rock swimwear that turns heads for all the right reasons.

With vacation plans filling my calendar, my swimsuit hunt reached Olympic-level intensity this season. After a parade of packages and returns, I've finally curated my water-ready wardrobe. From sunrise-inspired one-pieces that pop against any backdrop to playfully bold polka dots, here are the summer essentials making waves in my collection.

Viottiset Women's Ruched High Cut One Piece Swimsuit

Price: $36.99 at Amazon

Color options: 38

What we like:

• Ruched high-cut cheeky one-piece
• Drawstrings for customizable fit
• Removable padding, double-layered lining
• Adjustable spaghetti shoulder straps

What we don’t:

• Circular pads may be visible in lighter colors

I fell in love with the Viottiset Ruched One Piece Swimsuit as soon as I slid the straps over my shoulders. Featuring an ombre color palette of vivid purple, hot orange and fluorescent yellow, this is a versatile swimsuit that allows you to customize your spice level. Want to flash a little cheek and show off your hips? Pull the drawstrings just a little tighter and watch it rise. Or tug the strings down for a more modest covering, and you’ll feel right at home with the kiddos splashing in the water.

While it claims tummy control, I’ll be honest, I think it’s more about concealing than compressing. The ruching adds a little extra fabric around the belly, but there’s no major flattening or tightening built into the swimsuit. With the adjustable spaghetti straps it can fit a number of height ranges comfortably as well.

My purchase: I fluctuate between a small and medium sizing, and I purchased a small and it fits perfectly. I average 120-125 pounds, 34B bust, 5'3" tall, and have a pear shape figure. It's a cheeky fit as designed but can be modified with the drawstrings. The bust coverage was good and there's a banded lining inside for a little extra support - though not as much as a bra or swimsuit with underwire.

The only drawback is the removable padding in the bust - they use the white circular pads that you can see in some of the lighter fabric options. Consider buying a separate waterproof insert that matches your skin tone.

Honorable Mentions

Supnier Women's Summer Maxi Dress

Price: $19.99 at Amazon

Color options: 35

What we like:

• Stretchy, lightweight fabric
• Pockets
• Adjustable straps

What we don’t:

Very loose and somewhat shapeless cut

I really loved the color and array of options of this Supnier Maxi Dress, and I purchased the Gradient Navy thanks to the gorgeous sunset hues. It has 4.4-stars and over 14,000 company ratings.

I did appreciate the flowy, slick feeling of the dress; it was soft, and the color was lovely. The fabric was thin, so I had planned to use it as a swimsuit cover rather than a dress I would wear going out.

Unfortunately, it was quite large and so it veered towards shapeless on my body type. And since I’m under 5’3” tall, it was long. I tested out tying a knot near the bottom of the dress as seen in some of the sample images, but it just made it awkward to walk.

Meyeeka Scoop Neck Lace-Up Back One-Piece Swimsuit

Price: $31.99 at Amazon

Color options: 25

What we like:

• One piece that functions as a bikini
• Adjustable spaghetti strap
• High waist (it falls right under the belly button)
• Removable pads, double-layered lining

What we don’t:

• It’s not super stretchy, so sizing is important

I’m taking this polka dotted Meyeeka lace-up swimsuit with me on vacation as well this summer, and I can’t wait. It’s an fascinating combination of bikini and one-piece swimsuit, with a little belly and back exposed. I purchased a medium which fit snugly, I definitely could not have sized down with this swimsuit.

The top has a lace-up lattice-style back, so you can tighten or loosen as needed. These have a high-waisted cheeky bottom, so if you don’t like a little bit of your butt to be exposed, you may want to pass on these. There is also a great assortment of color options.

The fabric isn’t as stretchy as other swimsuits – so while you swim, you may not see the same waterlogged sagging as other brands, but it also means it will run a little tighter. I suggest sizing up, especially if you’re in between sizes or if you have a larger bust size.

Women's Ruffled Tank Top High-Waisted Bikini

Price: $30.99 at Amazon

Color options: 36

What we like:

• Two-piece mix-and-match tankini
• Modest high-waisted ruched bottom
• Double-layered ruffled top
• Removable padding
• Adjustable straps

What we don’t:

• Top may feel slightly over-padded for small busts

I purchased this in the red top and polka dot bottom combination, but I absolutely love the Red Palm sunset colors in this ruffled tank high-waisted bikini set. It’s comfortable, flattering for most body types, and you won’t feel exposed as you sunbathe in your lounge chair.

The ruched bottoms offer some tummy control, and the modest cut won’t have you discretely tugging it as you stand up. The ruffled top comes down over my belly button and flutters around the waistline of the bottoms, offering a little extra coverage while splashing in the sun.

The only downside is that the plain bottoms may sometimes have that “diaper” appearance, especially if they are slightly too big. I wish you could mix and match the top and bottom sizes in these sets.

Charmo One-Piece Swimsuit

Price: $29.99, was $42.99 at Amazon

Color options: 13

What we like:

• Ruched tummy control one-piece
• Full coverage swim bottom
• Metal buckle back strap
• Double-lined material
• Removable padding
• Adjustable straps

What we don’t:

• Needs more color options

The Charmo One-Piece swimsuit is one of my go-to favorites. I admittedly bought it last season (in blue) and it’s comfortable, flattering, and easy to slip on. There’s no crazy straps that go every way but the right way.

Overall, it’s a traditionally beautiful and comfortable one-piece swimsuit that is flattering for all kinds of body types. I have a pear-shaped body type, and some of the tummy control ruched fabric provides a flattering mirage that tightens everything together.

The only thing I wish this swimsuit offered was more colors and pattern options. The solids are a “solid” choice, but if there were a few more fun fluorescent colors, I’d be even happier with this purchase.

More Summer Product Reviews

If you’re looking for more ways to protect your skin from the summer sun, or beat that summer heat, check out our in-depth buying guides for sunscreen, sun protection essentials you can stash in your car, and other ‘chill’ products.

• Best Sunscreen Of 2025: Our Top 10 Picks (Tested And Reviewed)
• 15 Sun Protection Essentials You Can Stash In Your Car, Backpack Or Purse
• Beat The Heat (And UV) With These Popular Sun Shirts
• 10 Best Portable Coolers of 2025
• 13 Pool Safety Products To Protect Your Kids And Pets

Price accurate and item in stock at time of publish.