You don't have to be plus-size to want to be like Ashley Graham.
The supermodel lives in swimsuits, and makes us all want to run across the beach in slow motion. So, when we heard about Ashley Graham's second collab with Swimsuits For All, we knew it would be sexy. We were not wrong.
Watch us try on Ashley Graham's swimwear below and keep scrolling for a full review!
Last May, Graham collaborated with Swimsuits For All on a James Bond-inspired swim line. This year it's all about Latin heat and bright colors. SWOON.
While her first collection was mostly black, the new swimsuits (modeled on the streets of Puerto Rico) are really colorful. Pieces range from $65 to $150 and go from size 6 to 22.
Check out the entire collection here.
When I got my hands on the swimsuits, I ran to try them on — but nothing fit :(
I tried on the Guapa bikini in a size 18 top and 20 bottom, as well as the Profesora leopard swimsuit in a 22. Normally I'm an 18/20, so it was odd that they didn't fit. Then I looked at shopper reviews and saw that sizing was a major issue.
So I called in my girls and ordered a ton of Graham's new swimwear to see what was really going on here.
Lauren, who usually wears a 16 or 18, tried on the Profesora leopard swimsuit and had to go up to 22.
"If I were to lay by the pool on my back, sipping cocktails and totally unmoving from my spot, this would be a sexy-as-fuck suit. However, I have to say, the sizing on this is terrible. I went up four sizes to fit in this piece and honestly, it's not ideal," said Lauren.
Profesora leopard swimsuit by Ashley Graham ($92, Swimsuits For All)
Even though the swimsuit looked amazing, her movement was restricted.
"My halter top is pulled so tight to keep my boobs in place that I have a sore neck. I feel like Ashley compromised support for sex appeal, and there are so many brands that give you both. It's more complicated than just making a suit in all sizes."
Graham is known for her sex appeal, so finding skin peeking from every corner was no surprise. We're not mad — sexy doesn't stop at a size 6.
Quick reminder: Lauren is wearing a 22, the largest size available. So going up another size isn't even possible.
Aside from the squeeze, Lauren looked stunning in the swimsuit.
And she looked great in her pic on the 'gram, too.
When I tried this suit on in a 20, it felt like a 14 — so I called in my size-14 coworker, Nicola, to prove it.
I might or might not have yelled, "Yes bitch, fuck it up," while Nicola posed in this suit. She looked amazing.
Guapa bikini by Ashley Graham ($88, Swimsuits For All)
The gorgeous cut-outs show off Nicola's badass tattoos, but really? A size 20?
"According to the site's size chart, I should fit my usual 12 or 14. This 20 and 18, however, fit like a dream. What the actual hell? Were I a true size 18 or 20 and wanted to buy this swimsuit, I don't think I'd even have the option, which is an extreme letdown," said Nicola.
Terrible sizing aside, Nicola also LOVED the swimsuit's design: "I will admit, the cut of this suit is SO flattering on me."
"I actually feel like Ashley Graham in it — a feeling I aspire to daily. The material feels thick, too, and I'm not in fear of it falling apart or becoming transparent like some other suits I've owned."
Like Lauren, Nicola felt restricted in the suit. These are "look at me but don't make me move" swimsuits.
"Apart from sizing, the only real issue I have with this suit is the top. It's made of two separate pieces that function kind of like shoulder slings, and it limits almost all arm movement. If you need something to run on the beach, play sand volleyball, or you know, actually swim in? Move along, this is not your two-piece."
Up next, Marissa tried on the Princesa Tropic bikini in a 12. Even though she was worried about wearing a two-piece, she couldn't resist trying it on.
"I’ve been struggling with body image issues and my weight for the last few months, so I was nervous to try a two-piece. Last summer, the only time I was ever in a bathing suit, I wore a one-piece. I’m still coping with stretch marks and things I’m not used to seeing on my body, so I’ve tried to minimize them. But this swimsuit was just TOO cute not to try on. Surprisingly, I felt really great in it," said Marissa.
Princesa Tropic bikini by Ashley Graham ($84, Swimsuits For All)
The attention to detail won her over, and made her forget about her insecurities.
"The bottom fits perfectly and I’m obsessed with the braided detailing on the sides. It’s really hard to find a bathing suit that fits my larger bottom half, but this one felt so comfortable. Not too tight and not too loose."
The sizing was off for her, too — she's usually a 6 to 10.
"My favorite part was the back, where the ties tie off in a square shape, but the front was way too loose and my boobs felt like they could spring out at any minute. The pattern is my favorite part — I’m all about a great tropi-cool print. But I think the sizing is definitely off because I’m wearing a size 12 on top and bottom, and I traditionally wear a 6 or 8 or 10, depending on the brand."
Finally, meet Rachel! She's a size 12 but she's wearing the Profesora swimsuit in a 14.
Profesora white swimsuit by Ashley Graham ($65, Swimsuits For All)
Her biggest complaint was the suit's slouchy mid-section.
"The design of the swimsuit was not tight enough for me — I felt like it was going to slip off. The belly was slouchy, making me feel like I was bigger there," said Rachel.
The cut-outs of the swimsuit did feel sexy, but the sizing gaffe made it sag in certain areas and hold on tight in others.
"The swimsuit was beautiful but the sizing threw me off. I wouldn't be able to wear it to the beach. I would wear it at the pool since all I can do is sit down and look cute."
Ashley Graham gets an A+ for giving us an inclusive swimwear line that's actually trendy, but the sizing is too weird to overlook.
The swimsuits are all sexy as hell, and they answer a call plus-size women have been making for ages. But all that means nothing if anyone over a 16 can't fit into the suits that go up to a 22.
The collection will definitely have you looking like a goddess, but make sure to size up.
