Most people own at least one swimsuit, but some own enough to have a swimsuit wardrobe. Those of you who only own one swimsuit, you might be wondering if there is ever a need to own more. Is there an ideal number of bathing suits to have?
There is no right or wrong answer to how many you “should” own, except at least one or two if you plan on going to the pool or beach occasionally. That said, there are some pretty good reasons to own more than one as well. Some people own as many as 5, 10, even 20 swimsuits. Why does one need so many? Essentially, owning multiple swimsuits gives you the most options in terms of style and convenience.
For instance, for two-piece swimwear like tankinis and bikinis, you can easily mix and match tops and bottoms for a new look each time. Therefore, you may only need 5-10 sets of tops and bottoms, but you can potentially have dozens of unique combinations.
You might want more than one swimsuit if you plan on going swimming everyday and aren’t sure that your swimsuit will fully dry in time. You could also have a more fitted, hydrodynamic swimsuit that you intend to swim laps with, and a stretchier, more comfortable one that is exclusively for tanning.
There are so many types of swimsuits too: you could go with a tankini, bikini, or one piece swimsuit. There are so many materials to choose from: nylon, lycra, spandex, neoprene, and so on. They each provide a slightly different feel, and perhaps you want to experience them all. We haven’t even discussed the possible designs that they have. The options are basically endless.
In this article, we want to discuss the various reasons why you might want to own more than one bathing suit. We have only scratched the surface of this topic so far, so read on to learn more.
How many bathing suits do I need?
We cannot answer this question for you because how many you need depends on your lifestyle, budget, preferences, and goals.
For the sake of simplicity, we are just going to assume that you have the necessary funds to afford all of these swimsuits; otherwise, the practical answer is you should invest in a really good one and take good care of it so it will last you many years.
Now, there’s nothing wrong with owning only one swimsuit if you don’t go to the pool or beach very often. That’s a different story if you love to be in the water and plan on going every day, or if you are going on a week-long vacation to the Maldives.
Differentiating between a “want” and a “need” can also help you decide how many bathing suits to own. If you’re a competitive swimmer, you probably need to own a few one piece swimsuits so you can swim laps everyday. Two piece swimsuits are fine and well but they won’t do you any good if you’re spending most of your time swimming laps.
You can also be very utilitarian with your reasoning. You can own both a one piece and two piece swimsuit so you can switch between the two. You can own one for everyday wear and another for a special occasion. You could have a swimsuit that is a backup, or a swimsuit for colder days.
If style is your number one concern, then I don’t think you want to be limited by an arbitrary number. I recommend buying mostly two piece suits because you can mix and match tops and bottoms. If you really wanted to, you could get 10 or 20 different two piece suits and mix and match them for a unique look every single day for months.
Conversely, if you are very picky but you know exactly what you want, then you may only need a handful of swimsuits that you love, rather than a bunch that you feel lukewarm about. Maybe you want a single one piece swimsuit that is frillier and cuter, and a few that are no-nonsense, designed for swimming laps. Quality over quantity, and all that.
Are you starting to see why it’s nearly impossible for us to recommend an optimal number of swimsuits? Due to how varied everyone’s lifestyles and preferences are, there exists no optimal number. However, we can help you reason out what might be a good estimate for your needs.
Why you should own multiple swimsuits
You want to look good
At the end of the day, the desire to look good is probably the biggest reason why most people would want to own multiple swimsuits, to the point where some even have a bathing suit wardrobe.
If you are very fashionable and have a well thought out wardrobe for your daily life, why wouldn’t that extend to your swimwear? Of course you want to look good, and a good bathing suit can help make you look sexier than ever on the beach.
Swimsuits are another exciting area where a fashionista can go wild with all the different combinations and options out there. Some people are such swimsuit enthusiasts that they become collectors.
I know someone like this and asked why she keeps buying new swimsuits all the time despite owning dozens already. Her response was that it was fun for her to find and try on a new, cute swimsuit. She enjoys the hunt and wearing the right makes her feel confident about herself. I’m more of a minimalist but I can understand it. Maybe this kind of thinking will resonate with you more than me.
You plan on going in the water often and need spares
You could own multiple swimsuits for the very practical reason that you will be heading into the water daily, and you need a clean, dry suit everyday.
It’s not unusual to go on week-long vacations where a portion of every single day is spent at the beach. When you’re away from home, you cannot guarantee that you will have the accomodations to properly clean and dry your swimsuit within one night, and nothing feels worse than wearing a damp, musty swimsuit from the previous day.
If you are on vacation, it’s ideal to bring anywhere from 2-5 swimsuits so that you can alternate. When one or two are still drying, you have spare dry swimsuits to wear. The amount of swimsuits you want to bring depends on how long your vacation is. A friend of mine once brought 10 swimsuits for a two week long vacation, just to give you an idea.
You aren’t sure what you like
Hey, there’s nothing wrong with experimenting and trying new things out. Whenever I revisit a restaurant I’ve already been to, I like to order something I’ve never ordered before. Or when I go shopping for clothes, I love to try out new styles to see if I can pull off the look.
Switching things up keeps things interesting and I am almost always pleasantly surprised at the result. That said, I’ve had a few failures as well. It’s kind of the same thing for swimsuits.
If looking good for your significant other is important to you, you can cater a swimsuit just for your boo, and have other swimsuits for when family and friends are around.
To be clear, I’m not just referring to how the swimsuit looks. I’m also referring to how a swimsuit feels in the water. Swimsuits are made with many different materials (e.g. Lycra, nylon, spandex, neoprene) and come in many different shapes and sizes. Some people struggle with their swimsuits being too tight or too large. Getting the right fit is already half of the battle.
The other half of the battle is dealing with concerns like whether the swimsuit rides up, does it rub against your skin, does it stretch too much or is it too restrictive, and so on. It’s possible that you may have been wearing ill-fitting swimsuits your whole life, and that’s why you aren’t keen on going to the beach or enjoying your time in the water as much.
Remember to cover up
Lastly, remember to get a cover-up to go with your swimsuit. A cover-up quite literally covers up your swimsuit. Swimwear is only appropriate at the pool or beach, but it can be a hassle to constantly change in and out of your swimwear just to quickly go into a store or anywhere else if you know that you’ll just be back at the beach at some point.
A cover-up is something you can quickly throw on over your swimsuit. It’s typically very airy and flowy so that your swimsuit can easily dry out underneath. It’s a vastly superior option to wearing jean shorts which could get hot and feel uncomfortable when damp. A cover up provides adequate coverage and facilitates cooling comfort and mobility.
