8 best bikini brands for bigger busts that deliver on fit, style, comfort and quality
Finding easy to wear and supportive DD+ swimwear is a real struggle – get summer ready with our roundup
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Your support makes all the difference.Summer is here and your holiday is booked – but the hellish task of finding the perfect bikini is still niggling at the back of your mind, which is arguably one of the most stressful parts of your holiday shop. That’s before you even consider the struggle for those of us with a fuller bust.
Any woman looking for sizes DD and above will know that they can’t just wander around high street shops and pick up the first string bikini that catches their eye, or order one in their clothes size and assume that it’ll fit.
They need supportive styles that offer coverage and comfort (no slippage, please) but don’t want this to come at the sacrifice of style.
Many bikinis designed for bigger busts can, quite frankly, be rather frumpy-looking, and stick to traditional designs that don’t reflect the fashion-forward bikinis that dominate standard ranges.
Skimpier, statement bikinis are never going to offer the same support as other styles, but women with a bigger bust should be able to flaunt their stuff poolside in fun bikinis too, without having the worry of falling out of it.
But fear not, there are brands out there that are championing the latest trends while accommodating for DD+ sizes – we’ve been testing a range of bikinis to find you brands that really care about finding you the right fit. We were looking for brands with specific ranges for bigger busts that offer a variety of styles; if brands didn’t have dedicated lines, they needed to still show size inclusivity to make the cut.
Read more: Best maternity swimwear
We were also looking for bikinis to have cup sizes rather than clothing size, or at the very least an easy size guide on the brand's website to convert them. All of the bikinis we featured were tested on bigger busts for comfort, style, coverage and fabric quality to help you find go-to brands for DD+ swimwear this summer.
We’ve featured a mix of designs and have found everything from Love Island-esque neon styles to classic florals that will see you through many-a-summer. We also noted when they were a statement bikini over a more practical number – but either way, we didn’t experience any dodgy fits or slippage in any of these sets.
You can trust our independent reviews. We may earn commission from some of the retailers, but we never allow this to influence selections, which are formed from real-world testing and expert advice. This revenue helps us to fund journalism across The Independent.
Known for its fun and flirty yet supportive bra styles, Boux Avenue is a brand known both for its high street presence and online range. Stocking sizes A-G, the DD+ swimwear range is just as impressive as the lingerie, boasting on-trend neon and snakeskin prints that you’d see Love Island contestants wearing and more traditional designs too.
Boux Avenue Ibiza mono wire bikini top and thong bottoms in neon yellow: £28 for the top, £12 for the bottoms, Boux Avenue
Finding fashionable bikinis for a DD+ bust is tough, which is why we were so impressed by this bright set from Boux Avenue. The mono wire detailing on the bikini top is all the rage this summer and although it looks as though it may not support a bigger bust, our tester found that the halterneck design and thick strap gave support while the bikini cup was true to size without any slippage. This still gave the appearance of cleavage while offering a good amount of coverage. The bikini top isn’t padded but is underwired and we felt comfortable that this wouldn’t budge. There are different briefs to choose from which were also comfortable and true to size, our favourite being the cheeky thong style for a true summer statement. The epitome of supportive without compromising on style.
This brand's clever sizing concept makes you wonder how other brands get away with not being inclusive. Its ethos is that lingerie and swimwear shopping shouldn’t be dictated by your cup size, and combat the stressful search for the right fit by using three simple size categories across every range. Each of its designs come in three variations – X, Y and Z – for different cup sizes: for DD+ (up to a G), you're after Z styles.
Beija London get wet bikini top and and get wet deep bikini brief in black: £60 for the top, £25 for the brief, Beija London
We were struck by the quality of this set, the textured fabric is thick and looked really flattering on. The fit was true to size and comfortable, we loved the criss-cross back and the scoop neck on the top and how flattering the high waisted briefs were. The top also has an inbuilt wired bra which gives extra support without feeling bulky, and you can happily swim plenty of lengths comfortably in this, too. Beija London’s bikini sets are an investment but will see you through multiple summers and we love the concept behind the brand.
A household name in the world of DD+ swimwear and lingere, Freya has been a long standing favourite brand for supportive bikinis. The latest range is full of fun styles, from nautical frilly sets to bright florals – all with bikini tops that you will not spill out of. The range goes up to a K cup which is impressive. There’s a great section on the website that helps with sizing and fitting tips, too.
Freya totally check monochrome plunge bikini top and high waist bikini brief: £38 for the top, £24 for the briefs, Freya
Those of us with a bigger bust tend to shy away from any swimwear described as “plunge” through fear of slippage, but this sweet gingham print bikini held us in perfectly, and you can tell it’s designed with DD+ sizing in mind as they are true to size. The top provides enough coverage while still remaining flattering, and it stayed flush to our bust. We love the frill detail and the quality of the fabric – the straps are thick, adjustable (thank God) and stretchy without too much give. The clip fastening at the back of the top adds extra support and the bottoms come in different styles, we loved the high waisted ones.
Founded by two sisters passionate about luxury, affordable swimwear – Toco swim is a London-based brand that prides itself in hand selecting fabrics to create flattering, figure hugging bikini sets that suit a range of body shapes. You can feel the dedication to the process in the quality of the swimwear and we love the simple style that runs through the range, from tie-waist swimsuits to bralettes and strappy bottoms.
Toco Swim the yara halter neck bikini top and the moka high-leg, tie-side bikini bottom in blush pink: £35 each, Toco Swim
The skimpier fit and non-padded material of this bikini style means you do lose out on some of the support you would get from other designs, but we wanted our roundup to feature statement pieces that women with bigger busts can wear and we think Toco Swim delivers. The high quality fabric is designed to hug your curves and keep its shape when wet, and we think it holds its own enough to be considered supportive. That combined with the halterneck and bralette style means you’re being held in without the worry of slippage.
This really does feel like a second skin and is one of the comfiest sets we tried. We love the blush pink colourway and felt the tie-up bottoms were incredibly flattering too, as you can control the fit. The yara top has been specifically designed with fuller busted women in mind and is fully adjustable in the back and neck to tailor the support. High waisted briefs are also available. Sizes are in clothing format rather than cup size, but Toco Swim have a handy converter on its site.
With over 35 years experience in creating lingerie for DD+ busts, Panache is well-renowned for its high quality pieces, including swimwear. Their whole range is designed for bigger busts and goes up to a J cup. The fit of their bikinis never disappoint, and has a strong focus on support and coverage.
Panache Swim florentine bandeau bikini and midi brief: £36 for the top, £20 for the bottoms, Panache
Panache’s offering was one of the most supportive bikinis we tested, the girls weren’t going anywhere in this. The cup shape seemed quite daunting (we were scared it was going to be too big) but, it actually looks really flattering on and gives great coverage without feeling frumpy. The inner moulded cups and pleated front provide extra support and shape. We love the bright blue floral print and that the briefs are available in different styles. The bikini straps are adjustable and detachable if you’re worried about tan lines, and the quality of the fabric means this will last you years.
British online retailer Very offers a great range of affordable swimwear for bigger busts, stocking a variety of brands including their own, V by Very, which features impressive DD+ bikinis, including bardot, halterneck and strapless styles with bright floral and classic nautical prints.
V by Very shapewear multiway underwired twist bikini top and ruched side high waist bikini bottoms in jade green: £22 for the top, £18 for bottoms, Very
We love the Fifties Hollywood glam feel of this bikini. The gathered ruching and twist centre of the underwired bikini top gives shape to your bust and looks incredibly flattering on, while the halterneck, clip fastening and thick straps give full support. The top also features light padding without feeling too bulky. This was true to size and we experienced no slippage. The high waisted bottoms also have the same ruched detailing and are very comfortable. A high-quality set for the price.
A cult choice for women with a bigger bust, Figleaves is dedicated to providing the perfect fit for all shapes and sizes – stocking cup sizes A-K. Its carefully curated selection of high quality lingerie and swimwear features a range of brands including Pour Moi?, Elomi and their own-brand line. Figleaves is largely run by women, from the CEO to the buying and design team, which makes us feel like we're in good hands.
Figleaves rene underwired plunge v-wire bikini top and high waist tummy control bikini brief in colbalt blue: £32 for the top, £18 for the bottoms, Figleaves
Think this bikini, available from D-GG cup, would be flattering on a range of body shapes. We loved the plunge V detailing on the bikini top – despite being non-padded, the underwiring keeps everything in place and the cup offers full coverage. We loved the thick, adjustable straps and the clip fastening for extra support. There are plenty of brief styles to choose from but we loved the fit of the high waisted bottoms. Our favourite coluorway was the cobalt blue which would look great on all skin tones. This is also available in black and white.
Finding swimwear for a bigger bust on the high street is no small feat, and finding brands that have designated ranges for DD+ sizes is like gold dust. Online fashion retailer Pretty Little Thing impressed us with its “fuller bust” range that boasts a variety of affordable, pool-party-ready bikini sets that go all the way up to a G cup. From bralette to full cup styles, PLT are our favourite high street choice for DD+ swimwear this summer.
PrettyLittleThing monochrome cheetah fuller bust scoop bikini top and high leg bikini bottom: £10 for the top and £8 for the bottoms, PrettyLittleThing
Although this bikini top is non-padded with no underwiring, the sporty scoop neck design gives support and is incredibly comfortable to wear. We didn’t experience any slippage as we have done with other affordable bikinis, and we love the fun cheetah print. We mixed and matched our bikini bottoms, opting for the black high waisted briefs in the same print, but there are other styles available in both the top and bottoms. This set will probably only last you the summer but for fun styles and comfortable fit, you can’t go wrong for this price.
The verdict: Bikini brands for larger busts
Boux Avenue have to take top spot for its DD+ range that celebrates fashionable designs as much as it does comfort, fit and support. The Ibiza mono wire bikini made us feel Love Island-ready as soon as we put it on and we love how affordable yet high quality it is.