Why the hell do my swimming costumes do this?

[Silverswirl]

I’m beyond frustrated. Can anyone relate / give advice?
I have large boobs so need a non padded, NON moulded cup, underwired swimming costume. (Would never wear bikini)
I get them from figleaves (now simply be I believe) and they look great, fit well, hold everything in place. They arnt cheap but I can’t really find anything as good. All swimming costumes seem to come with moulded cups which do not work with my boobs at all.
The problem is that every flipping costume really quickly goes see through at the bum after a short time. The water degrades it.
I always rinse well with cold water.
I seem to have to buy a new one every year and now with my latest one I’ve only worn it approx 10 times and it’s already completely see through at the bum.
I’m so cross as these costumes cost around £60.
Please tell me someone has an answer to this 😩

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If you've found this page in search of swimwear that has been tried and tested by fellow Mumsnet users, you might find our guide to the best swimsuits for women useful. Hope this helps! MNHQ

I think you might want to search specifically for Chlorine Resist swimwear - which really do last ages, not necessarily from here, but some examples:

www.simplyswim.com/collections/womens-chlorine-resistant/chlorine-resistant

Have the same problems as you with the tops - if I find something just right, I buy 4 at a time…

Try Deakin & Blue costumes for good chlorine resistance and the fit you've described

I swim most days in the sea, barely look after my swimsuits (rinsed in cold water or in the shower while I'm still wearing it) and they're at least 12 years old, still fine.

They're speedo brand.

Thank you @Dahlietta and @BloomingInformation

That’s all I wanted.

I swim 4 or 5 days a week and always wear Zoggs or Speedo swimsuits that have a double layer over the bust which provides a bit of extra support.
I am certainly not small in the chest area (wearing gg bras) but this type of swimsuit gives me a not too bad shape.
When I get out of the pool I initially shower with my costume on then take it off, wring it out and once I’m dry wrap it in my towel. When I get home I either hang it on the line to dry or in the bathroom. None of my swimsuits have ever seen the inside of my washing machine or had a proper wash and they’ve never worn over the bottom area.
My swimsuits are all colourful but they are not what you’d call fashionable - they are intended for sports rather than leisure and are advertised as being chlorine resistant (or words to that effect)

I swim every day ,I buy a costume usually 1 to 2 sizes bigger than I need ,but not to big I’m gaping anywhere .
I rotate 3/4 costumes ,they go in machine with detergent after every swim…they last absolutely ages ,all from simply be ,their own make

As mentioned above , a lot of costumes are designed for a holiday by the pool and don't do well in chlorine .
I'm another vote for Speedo . I buy tankini top and shorts . I wash them on the rinse cycle and air dry out of the sun .
As they get a little bit worn I will use that costume for hot tub/sauna and get a new costume for swimming .
The heat of the sauna destroys costumes as well .
A benefit to having separate top and bottom is that if the bottoms perish I only need to replace half the costume .

It’s the Lycra being degraded by a combination of chlorine, sunlight and other chemicals (hot tubs are especially bad due to the heat). I know you say you have big boobs, so do I but I find speedo endurance are by far the best- two layers so mor support and less affected by degradation - I can make them last a few years or swimming 4/5 times a week, and they go in the machine on a cool wash. Not as attractive as a Proper bar, but much the better solution for me.

@Hobbes8
I thought it was a great idea that's what I do.

Wear a swim costume and shorts alongside

@ChrimboGateauxCatto

Dont wash in fabric softener it kills lycra and elastic. Same goes for tights

Today at age 35 i learned.

Why though? I don't need a scientific explanation, just what's so bad with f.c that it does it?

I'm 32F and my Speedo Endurance legsuit has lasted me a couple of years now. It has a shelf bra though, not underwired. Currently sold out but they've had it for years, no doubt it'll be back, still available elsewhere: www.speedo.com/women-s-essential-endurance-legsuit-black/13097270.html

@OddsNSodsBitsNBobs I'm sure OP is not looking for a £350+ racing suit to wear in the hot tub

Yes, but endurance don't last much longer either. I trained 4 hours X 6 days week unless competing from age 9 to early 20's, a costume didn't see me a month. I had multiple suits and even then I ended up wearing 2 old costumes on top of each other (to save purchase and the advantage of resistance training).

I would buy from a company that actually specializes in swim, ie TYR, Speedo, Nike. Make sure the suits are fully lined too. You can also buy chlorine neutralizing rinses.

If you really want to push the boat out, my sea folly suit has lasted 10 years but I only use it 10x a year and usually in a less chlorinated outdoor pool/ocean etc.

Former competitive swimmer and I would usually expect to get 3-4 months out of a suit being worn 3 hours/day 5 days a week but I’d also never buy from anything other than a swim company.

@Agapornis

I'm 32F and my Speedo Endurance legsuit has lasted me a couple of years now. It has a shelf bra though, not underwired. Currently sold out but they've had it for years, no doubt it'll be back, still available elsewhere: www.speedo.com/women-s-essential-endurance-legsuit-black/13097270.html

@OddsNSodsBitsNBobs I'm sure OP is not looking for a £350+ racing suit to wear in the hot tub

I was a '90s swimmer,so speedo S2000 was 'the costume' expensive at the time but not comparable to £359. I was referring to run of the mill racing costumes.

Have you tried Cupshe? They're excellent

How do you dry it? This has happened to me when I dried it too close to a radiator

Hi OP it is the chlorine in the water that disintegrates the lycra in the fabric.
Polyester suits dont degrade like this.

And yes you need to properly wash the swimsuit after every swim. DEFINITELY after a hot tub. As these have lots more chlorine in them than a swimming pool.

In a hotel etc just use some shampoo and wash them in the shower/ sink.

DS (also national level) had no problems with his Endurance training kit lasting months. Endurance has vastly improved over the last few years so maybe the early stuff wasn’t so durable? The early LZR suits were good for a few races, the later ones if well looked after lasted much longer.

The girls favoured Uglies for training (lined so double layer and not OK for competition). Mosconi racing suits were the choice of larger busted swimmers.

I had a Zoggs that lasted me years , i was swimming up to 4 x week for about a year and 1 or 2 a week for the rest of the time. I always put it on rinse cycle when i got home and let it dry naturally.
Only thing with Zoggs is that started going away from crossbacks for their range for bigger women. I need crossback because straps slide off my shoulders.
My latest is a speedo but hardly any use between lockdown and the air conditioning blowing up at our local pool.

Thank you all so much. I will try the speedo endurance - bit sceptical due to on underwire but will get one to try on.
I don’t get on with tankinis - I’m very curvy with a big hip and small waist and I find tankinis just ride up when swimming / walking around to and from the pool / around the pool.
If I buy a bigger tankini it’s loose when walking but then flappy when swimming. If I buy a tight tankini it’s raising up and showing my muffin top.
Also I need high waisted briefs to hold the stomach in anyway which is why I never wear bikinis (I did once buy a high waisted bikini but it looks just weird and ugly when paired with big boobs on top.
I just find I’m constantly worrying about pulling and adjusting a tankini getting in and out of the pool (in kids pools etc with children) which just doesn’t happen with a swimming costume. Just much more comfortable all round.
That’s why I’m so annoyed- the ones from figleaves and so comfortable, extremely flattering, supportive. I actually feel confident in a swimming costume in front of people.
Just a massive shame every single time they go see through in the bum.

@Honeyroar

I don’t know the answer, but I’ve had that happen to a few of mine. Particularly turquoise ones!

How weird. the only one this has happened to for me was turquoise too.

You’re using them in a pool when they aren’t designed for chlorine

You need Chlorine resistant suits

I have this problem too. I’ve totally given up on swimming costumes. I get bravissimo bikini tops, pick up bikini bottoms/ swim shorts whenever I see them on sale/ or in decathlon who tend to be cheap, including a great decathlon pair that are like cycling shorts, and then I get rash vests to wear on top, again usually decathlon. Then I just get rid of the cheap bottoms when they go see-through and the rash vests hide all the flaws and bulges between bikini bottom and neck. I guess because the rash vests are for surfing they are (so far) a bit more robust. If the bikini tops go see-through, it doesn’t matter so much due to being under the rash vest.

That is swimmer here. As orders have said, proper branded swim suit is the way to go. My fancy, hold in cupped ones tend to have disappearing cups, see through boobs and thin sagging material after a while. My Sports ones bounce into shape after every to wash and last for years

But Speedo