Honest Shein Swimsuit Review on a Curvy Woman
Updated: Apr 15
If you follow me on the gram then you know that I just got back from an amazing vacation in Cancun, Mexico where I spent some time ziplining, frolicking in a cenote and of course, lying on white sand beaches. I really enjoyed soaking up the warmth of the sun on different beaches during my vacation.
This was a trip I needed after the traumatic experience I went through with my myomectomy surgery and recovery. It has now been about 10 weeks since I had my open myomectomy and I decided to go on trip with the idea of celebrating life and being grateful for the chance to keep enjoying all it has to offer.
While in Cancun, I was constantly switching up my swimsuits and many of you noticed this. A lot of people were shocked to find out that most of my swimsuits were actually from Shein and wondered how the sizing was, which is why I decided I would come here and share my thoughts on the swimwear, especially for my fellow curvy sisters.
When shopping for my Shein swimsuits, I was a little bit skeptical in the beginning. Ordering swimsuits for under $15 from their website which tends to cater to less curvy women was definitely a risk.
Although I do a lot of online shopping, this was also my first time browsing the Shein swimwear section. I spent a lot of time reading the reviews under each one and looking at photos submitted by customers, comparing their body type to mine to estimate which size to get.
I ended up settling for the 3 swimsuits featured in this post and was very happy with my selection. I tried three different styles of two-piece swimsuits in different colors and would be reviewing each one separately below.
*Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links, which means that I get a small commission if you decide to make a purchase through the links, at no cost to you.
1) The white bikini
The first color of swimsuit I chose was this white 2-piece. I really loved the simple cut and asymmetrical style of the top. That was the first thing that drew me to the swimsuit! When I tried it on in front of my mirror, I immediately appreciated how flattering this swimsuit is.
The underwire built into the top is a great addition for those of us with a larger chest. I also like how white the swimsuit is, not off white or eggshell but actually white.
*You can get my hat from HERE
The bottoms may not be high waisted but they still look great on women with a little extra stomach fat and who are not shy to show off their belly button. They have a nice stretch and went over my 45 inch hips without any issues. I also did not have any wedgie situations the whole time I frolicked on the beach.
I ordered a size Medium and they were the perfect fit for me. At under $15 this swimsuit comes at a very affordable price. The outer part of this swimsuit seems to be made from a stretchy cotton-like material versus the typical swimsuit fabric we are used to.
I did not mind it because I do not actually swim. It felts good against my skin though.
I loved styling it with this cover up I also got from Shein.
You can get yours HERE
2) The orange bikini
This lace up swimsuit comes in my new favorite color: orange! It features a lace up bottom in a thong style and I thought – why not? I’m going on vacation to a country I’ve never been to. The bikini top also features underwire, which is good news for my ladies with a larger chest area.
I had seen many great reviews with regards to the style of the bikini top and mixed reviews when it came to the bottoms. Given that the bottom type is thong-style, there is definitely less coverage going on below.
Only wear this swimsuit if you are not shy about having your cheeks on display because trust me, they will be on display. I did love the lace up detail of the bottoms and the ropes are long enough to criss cross your way all the way up to your waist however, I did notice that my criss crossing quickly looked all bunched up not long after I had tied them. I wish things would stay in place more in terms of the lacing up.
Also note that this swimsuit is more flattering if you have at least a slightly defined waist as most of your torso is on display. The criss crossing could however create some distraction if you have more of a chocolate bar figure going on.
These orange bikini bottoms are high cut and so if you are insecure about any razor bumps you might have, you may want to steer clear of this swimsuit. I’m glad they made the front part of the bottoms a little thicker because this avoids any front wedgy situation!
The material is a soft stretchy sort of water-resistant jersey, like most swimsuits. I ended up getting a Large in this swimsuit and it was my right size.
Get yours HERE
3) The color block swimsuit
This swimsuit is a great option for those of us who like our bright colors. It features rich blue, pink and yellow colors on both the top and bottom. The top offers good coverage (not necessarily great) for women up to a 34G or double D in bra sizes. I think anything above that may spill out.
I like how the top can be tied in different ways to create a new style. You could tie it such as to make it a crossover halter neck or a simple halter neck top. The bottoms are also high cut, which is meant to make your legs appear longer.
One thing I did not appreciate with this swimsuit is that the inner white lining kept creeping up in some photos. It does not seem to stay in place, no matter how you wear the swimsuit. For a $20 swimsuit, it’s good overall.
You can also mix and match sizes, which I am a big fan of seeing as I am bottom heavier. Thanks to this option, I ended up getting a Medium top and a Large bottom – which were my perfect size. This was the only swimsuit I ordered which allowed me to get different sizes for the top and bottom.
In the end, here are the pros and cons I found with each swimsuit:
White swimsuit
Pros: Nice shade of white, flattering suit, easy to wear, good stretch, most high waisted bottoms out of the 3
Con: None that comes to mind
Orange swimsuit
Pros: Stretchy fabric, vibrant color, easy to lace up
Cons: Less coverage in the bottoms, ropes keep sliding down and bunching together
Color block swimsuit
Pros: Can mix and match sizes of top and bottom, vibrant color, can tie different ways
Cons: Inner white lining keeps showing
My favorite suit ended up being the white one because of how comfortable and flatter in it was but I was very happy with my purchases. I have provided you all with my honest opinions of my Shein swimsuit haul so you know what to expect before going ahead and purchasing your next swimsuits from this popular online retailer.
I hope you can see that women with my body type can also rock some Shein swimsuits! This could save you a lot of money as many website sell swimsuits for way more and they might not even be as flattering.
Another enticing feature Shein offers is the free shipping on orders over $49, which is an easily attainable threshold.
I have another batch of Shein swimsuits I have tried on and you can check out my review video below:
Check out my other Shein review as well as my review of the Aerie crossover leggings.
If you have a family beach photoshoot coming up, check out my post: What to wear for your family beach photos.
Until the next post,
XOXO
Theankaraqueen
