shit i bought and liked no. 73: beach essentials
Shitters! After a month of gallivanting across time zones working up quite a tan I am BACK in my favorite one of all, and ready to make good on my promise to everyone in my DMs wanting outfit links and Italy recs (more coming in my next newsletter, but I do have lots saved in highlights on Instagram for anyone who needs them ASAP). Perhaps it’s NYC/European summer culture talking, but to me, July and August are peak summer, and there is still plenty of time left to make use of these recs (and they’ll last you many more):
Last time we were here, we tackled shorts—a notoriously tricky summer staple—and of my three favorite options, I hope you found something good (the two white pairs are my personal MVPs). But being the little overachiever I am, I also decided this would be the year I would tackle ANOTHER challenging category: swim.
Swim to me is a total fucking nightmare to shop for. The fabrics/cuts are less forgiving than clothing, sizing is ALLLLL over the place, and we’re just a bit more exposed to the world than we normally are walking through life. For some people this is no issue. I can’t imagine what that’s like because I’ve been self conscious for as long as my brain has been able to form coherent thoughts. BUT I can say that there’s a happy ending to my anxiety—mostly because it made me a meticulous critic of every option I tried before ending up in one of these suits.
These days you can get a super stretchy, one size only suit from tons of brands, but Hunza G is the real OG. I’d been hearing great things about them for YEARS, so when the time came to add a new suit to the rotation, I thought I might splurge a little in the interest of a staple.
From the minute I put it on, I knew I had a forever piece on my hands. The cut is super classic and flattering—it’s the kind of thing that would’ve looked good 10 years ago and will still look good 10 years from now. The knit stretchy fabric gives you a little smoothing without feeling like you’re in full Spanx (great if your beach days are filled with eating and drinking). And they’re just really, really comfortable both in and out of the water. The fabric is thick (in a good way!), and very well made, and coverage-wise, it’s the kind of thing I’d feel comfortable wearing around my family, but not out of place in on a trip to Miami, which is a very tough sweet spot to hit tbh!
Their classic style is the most popular, but I opted for this one because I knew I wanted a black suit and I didn’t want it to look too plain (I also like the ivory version, which is on sale for less on Matches!). As a bonus, they can double as a chic bodysuit with a pair of trousers—helpful if you’re trying to make several looks happen with one checked bag.
These suits aren’t cheap, but they’re worth it to me for a few reasons. First and foremost being that they really do make me feel comfortable, which is all you want when it comes to swimwear. There’s also the longevity factor—the styles (especially in neutral colors) are really classic. And if the next few years of your life will include size fluctuations (as years generally do), you may not even need to replace this suit. I’ve seen several pregnant women wearing these with baby bumps, and continue to wear them postpartum.
The downside with their sizing however, is that if you’re not within the sizes of 0-10ish, they may not work for you. Good American (and my queen Emma Grede) does a very similar suit at a fraction of the price, and their size range is vastly more inclusive (dying for their Bottega green!!!). If you like the idea of a little compression, but want a sexier cut, BondEye is also great. I’m tapped out on my swim budget for the year, but definitely eyeing one of their v-neck suits in a bright color next.
This newsletter was originally going to be all of my vacation MVPs, but it appears I spent several hundred words on a single swimsuit, so the rest will just have to wait! But while you’re here, I’ll quickly share the rest of my beach essentials just so you have them in one place.
I only bring one hat with me everywhere—I bought it a couple years ago from Janessa Leone. My exact one is sold out, but here’s a similar one. They’re easy to pack, look great with everything, and keep your face out of the sun. I’ve been trying out a new-to-me face sunscreen and LOVING IT—I will never be over the fact that it is literally $15 and leaves ZERO white cast. As the skin gods say, the best sunscreen is the one you actually use, and between the price point and the fact that it works on all skin colors, I feel like this is one that even the sunscreen skeptics can get behind. And last but not least, the beach bag. My trusty one of the past three years is by Hat Attack, though it appears they don’t make it anymore. Not to worry—if I was buying now, I’d take a look at their updated larger version or this Mar y Sol option with gorgeous straps and detailing.
There you have it—the first post-vacation Shitters! We are BACK! Promise I have lots coming in August to make up for my absence. Hope you’re ready for some good stuff! As always, if you’re reading this and would like to subscribe, you can get this sent straight to your inbox by signing up at shitiboughtandliked.com. That’s also where the archives are, so feel free to peruse through everything from my favorite latte alternative to a top notch dupe for Eberjey PJs. As always, let me know what you need/want/think/are looking for—always happy to help!
Xoxo,
Priyanka