Swimmies Hotter Than the Temps for Spring and Summer 2023

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Technically, hot tub season is swimsuit season too, but with *adult* spring break up ahead (for some of you lucky ducks) and summer just a swipe of SPF away, it’s officially bikini time. Or one-piece or surfsuit time. Regardless, studies show that being in the water is good for us. And if my memory serves me correctly, being a little sunburnt, perhaps a Corona in hand, listening to the speaker cranked up with a grease-stained paperback in hand and nowhere to be for hours on a Saturday afternoon is also good for us. Hey, didn’t so-and-so’s ex or that guy you ran into at the dive bar last week say he had a boat? Maybe it’s time to rekindle and take one for the team? ‘Tis the season anyway.

With that in mind, my swimsuit drawer’s looking a little sparse. As a Floridian who occasionally lives on Oahu in Hawai’i, I have no excuse. I rewear the same pieces until they’re in tatters, and (c’est tragiqué!), all my swimmies are definitely in tattered territory. I need some good ol’ spring break 2023 swimsuits.

Luckily, with the temps climbing, many of our favorite brands here at PLEIN AIR have started dropping their swim and resort collections, making it oh-so-appealing to the eye (and oh-so-terrifying to the wallet) to stock up on our new summer uniforms. 

Here are some of our favorites.

SS23 Swimsuits (and Brands!) Hotter Than the Temps

1. Solid & Striped The Blythe One-Piece—$218.
2. Cult Gaia Haya One-Piece—$398.
3. H&M Padded Triangle Bikini Top—$18.
4. Ada Swim Cabo One Piece—$75 (was $99).
5. Left on Friday Heatwave Top—$85.
6. Left on Friday Hi Hi Bottom—$85.
7. ViX Paula Hermanny Firenze Zene Bandeau Top—$188.
8. ViX Paula Hermanny Firenze Basic Bottom—$96.
9. Tropic of C Mariel Top—$150.
10. Tropic of C Lo Bottom—$85.

Solid & Striped Swimsuits

I am admittedly not a one-piece person because I tan quickly. I could do without the awkward pale stripe on my stomach, thankyouverymuch. Still, Solid & Striped makes some of the best, embracing classic style in a way that still feels sexy and delightful. Better yet, their quality is unmatched in the swim realm. So when my other swimmies are in tattered? These stay pristine in chlorine, baby. 

Strappy spring break swimsuits are 100 percent in style right now, so look no further. While I wouldn’t wear The Blythe for a good ol’ tanning sesh, the isolated cups and tantalizingly thin straps would look bomb for any sort of party situation in which I want to layer and dress up my swimwear. Consider this the *photo op* suit. Even the product description notes that it doubles as a bodysuit (and I’m all about multi-use clothing.)

Cult Gaia Swimsuits

Cult Gaia is the luxury brand of my dreams. Their details are always stunning and creative. If you’re going to spend the money, you might as well look unforgettable. Their resort and swim collections embody this to a tee, showing off inventive and gorgeous looks like this Haya One Piece, a glossy sequined look that channels effortless elegance. Dare I say I feel like I should be wearing this swimsuit on a yacht with a slicked back bun? Preferably in Mallorca.

H&M Swimsuits

This isn’t necessarily the newest of drops, per se, but I’m obsessed with these H&M triangle bikini tops. As a professional product reviewer, I’ve tried a lot of swimwear, and still nothing flatters me quite as much as this simple ribbed design, their Padded Bikini Top. Last year, when I needed new bikinis but had zero desire to shop around, I just ordered this top in six different colors. Boom. Done. I never buy in bulk, and that’s super uncharacteristic of me, but it’s enough of a tried-and-true staple in my closet which gave me the complete confidence to just send the buy. (It’s in practically every beach/pool/boat/darty pic I’ve ever posted on my Insta.) It’s currently available in blue, orange, white, black, red, mint, and navy. It is my secret weapon, and now it’s yours.

Ada Swim Swimsuits

I first discovered Ada Swim when it was a singular girl with a sewing machine determined to make sustainable ‘kinis after learning how to craft by making masks to donate with her mom at the beginning of COVID-19. Sweet, right? This Honolulu-based brand, now designed in Hawai’i and crafted in Bali, is made to withstand the toughest surf and move with every body. Roughly half of the swimwear I currently own is Ada Swim, and I love that the designs and colorways refresh with every season. The handmade touch is thoughtful, while the designs are uber-flattering and understated (oh, and soft enough that you don’t mind lounging in them all day.) I would go for the Cabo One Piece, a tube-top-esque design currently on sale with a cheeky cut and moderate coverage.

Left on Friday Swimsuits

Left on Friday is one of those brands that has a niche and doubles down well: simple cuts in bright, attractive colors. This premium swimwear also emphasizes the activewear aspect of the suits. One-shoulder, bandeau, racerback, high-waisted, low-rise—you name it, they’ve got it. I’m kind of seeing Left on Friday as being the water version of Halfdays; by that I mean, all the colors go together for mix-and-matching while still being striking alone, in addition to an ideal blend of functionality and style. I’m eyeing the Heatwave Top, a retro v‑neck situation, alongside the Hi Hi Bottom, a high cut leg that’s practically out of Baywatch.

ViX Paula Hermanny Swimsuits

ViX Paula Hermanny suits had never been on my radar before I tested a gorgeous one-piece from their resort line this past spring. Needless to say, this designer label doesn’t skimp on the details. Whatever they come out with always feels a little risky in some way, whether it’s color or cut. What’s even cooler is that this designer has a try-before-you-buy dressing room program in which you can check out with up to 8 suits for zero cost, then simply return the ones you don’t like. It’s a smart way to do the usual check-out-and-send-back strategy without having a mini heart attack over your credit card limit. I’m a fan of the Firenze Bandeau Top in a fresh lime, rapidly proving itself to be a color of the spring and summer 2023 season.

Tropic of C Swimsuits

Anyone feeling a little coastal cowgirl? I wasn’t planning on buying any more swimwear while writing this, so tell me why I just got out my credit card? Animal prints and patterned spring break bikinis are en vogue rn, and I need this demi-cup Mariel Top for tanning. I lust over it. It’s the precise type of minimalist coverage that makes me confident in my tan lines. I love the pattern, and thanks to my previous experience with Tropic of C, I know it’d be comfy to boot. I’m not normally a cheeky-cut bottoms person, but might as well go full-out with the Lo Bottom for that base tan, right? Fine, fine, I’ll try a thong bikini. (As if I needed another reminder to remember my sunscreen.) The girlies at my college loved Tropic of C and it was a staple brand that always looked good on everyone.