How Many Bathing Suits Should You Own?

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Bathing suits come in so many styles, patterns, and colors, that it makes it hard to own just one. Some women have an entire collection for bathing suits alone, while others are fine with just a few sets. This makes me wonder how many bathing suits should you own?

How Many Bathing Suits Should You Own?

You wouldn’t wear the same jeans or shirt every time you go out, would you? The same goes for swimwear. A bathing suit is much like any other piece of clothing you have. 

If you ask women how many bathing suits they own, you’ll get a few different numbers. Although, most women will tell you that 2-3 “beloved” bathing suits are enough to own for variety and rotation. Remember that if you’re on vacation you’ll need enough bathing suits that you can wear a dry one while the one you wore last is still wet.

Some women will tell you that they only need one bathing suit until they have to buy another one. While other women will tell you that they need many assorted colors and styles of swimsuits for different occasions. 

It all depends on preference, however, 2-3 bathing suits has come down to a commonly preferred amount so that you have a good rotation between them.

women wearing different bikinis on the pool

Why You Should Own More Than One Bathing Suit

If you think that one bathing suit is enough, you either don’t swim that often, or you live in an area where it’s cold most of the year. If you’re one of these people, then you may not understand why some girls own more than one bathing suit. It all depends on several factors: 

How Often You Go Swimming

If you’re going swimming on a daily basis, you definitely need an assortment of bathing tops. You may not want to be seen in the same swimsuit every other day, or even twice in one week. 

There’s also hygiene to consider; you’ll need to wash that suit before wearing it a second time. And, for most people, throwing it in the hamper after it’s dry is the easiest thing to do.

Your wash day may not be for another few days, so it’s best to stay stocked for the rest of the week.

How Hot Is the Climate

Most of the women who have a collection of the best bikinis tend to live in hotter areas. When it’s hot almost all of the time, the beach or pool is the place to be. You’ll definitely need more than a few swimsuits if you’re going swimming every day.

How Much You Like Mixing and Matching

You’ve probably seen this recent trend of mixing and matching budget bikini tops and bottoms. It’s chic and it’s cute. You can even purchase mismatched bikinis or buy tops and bottoms separately and pair them together.

The mismatched bikini trend is a big reason girls like to own several swimsuits. You can easily pair different colors to match sandals or accessories, or to simply match your mood that day. 

This can easily turn 2-3 bathing suits into 8-10 different styles! So the next time you go to the beach, people will think you’re in a completely different suit, even though it’s just a recycled top and bottom from the bikini you wore last week!

a woman texting while wearing a bikini

How Long You’ve Owned Them

If you’re someone who likes to go swimming a lot, having only one bathing suit can mean that it’s not going to last as long as you’d like. Regular washing and wearing can stretch out the fabric and completely ruin the elastic to where your suit is saggy and baggy.

Some other elements that will break down the fabric are chlorine, sunlight, and sunscreen. Chlorine, as well as the sunlight, can fade the color in your bathing suit over time. Also, sunscreen and other oils that get into the fabric are hard to remove and can build up inside the suit. 

Likewise, having only one swimsuit will mean you have to wash it more often. Having a rotation of bathing suits will prevent you from constantly washing each one. This will allow them to last longer, you’ll appreciate this if they are some of your favorite suits.

How Many Variations for Certain Occasions You Can Have

Some girls have no control… they see a swimsuit that they like, and they can’t resist buying it. This is how buying a few bathing suits, here and there, can turn into an out of control problem! 

Some women feel they need a different style of bathing suit for each occasion. There’s a suit for sunbathing, one for lounging in hot tubs, a suit for the beach, a special one for the pool in your backyard that only certain people will see, and the list goes on…

Girls who especially love shopping for bathing suits tend to have the most. When you’re confident enough to rock any style of swimwear, you’ll want to buy as many different selections as you can possibly find. 

How Many Bathing Suits Should You Bring On Vacation?

You’ll want to pack at least 3 bathing suits when going on vacation. The reason being that you might not have access to a washer and dryer. This means you’ll need to wash your swimsuit by hand as soon as you’re done wearing it for that day.

Since you won’t have a dryer, you’ll need to wait on it to dry as well, so it’s best to have a few other suits to wear while that one dries. It’s always best to pack extra just in case anything happens to one of your bathing suits. Better safe than sorry!

Factors That Determine the Number of Bathing Suits You Should Own

AspectsWhat it depends on
Aspect 1How often you swim
Aspect 2How hot the climate is
Aspect 3How much you love mixing and matching
Aspect 4The period you’ve owned them
Aspect 5The number of variations for different occasions

Frequently Asked Questions

After How Long Should I Wash My Bathing Suit?

It’s advisable to wash your bathing suit after every use, especially if you are swimming in salty water, chlorinated water in the pools, or busking in the sun for longer.

Usually, the chlorine chemical added in the swimming pools and the salty water in most oceans can disintegrate your swimsuit fabric, and washing it can help to reduce the effects.

Should I Change My Bathing Suit Style?

It’s advisable to change the bathing suit style, especially if most of your bathing suits are of the same color. Usually, this prevents people from thinking you are repeating your bathing suit every time.

However, this doesn’t mean you should wear all bathing suit styles, even those that don’t match your body shape.

How Long Does a Bathing Suit Last?

In most cases, a bathing suit lasts around three months to one year. However, the durability of the bathing suit depends on factors such as the quality of the fabric, how often you swim, and the chemical composition of the swimming water.

For instance, a bathing suit used in freshwater might outlast one used in salty or chlorinated water.

BIKINI / SWIMWEAR for the "BODY TYPES"

Conclusion

Don’t worry if you prefer to own more than three bathing suits. Having a swimsuit drawer, or collection, is completely normal. Though, if you’re starting to run out of space for your collection, it might be time to sort through and get rid of some of those bathing suits.