Continuing our swimwear coverage, this week I’m reviewing Freya’s “Sundance” tankini and hipster briefs in size 30G and Medium.

I’ve never been much of a tankini gal. I don’t really have a reason why, I’ve just always been more drawn to conventional bikinis. But this set has totally converted me!

Disclosure: This set was received as a review sample. All opinions are my own and based entirely on my experience. I measure 37”-29”-41”, height 5’6”, and bra size UK 28GG/30G.

First off, I’m impressed that the top is long enough to meet the bottoms. It gives the appearance of a one-piece suit without any potential of fabric-pulling or the underwires being located in the wrong spot. With my extra long torso, I basically can’t wear one-piece swimsuits unless they’re specifically designed for a taller figure. Plenty of brands make swimsuits in multiple lengths, but none of the full-bust companies do such a thing.

The top features underwire plunging cups (and comes in sizes 30 – 38, D – GG), adjustable multi-way straps, and a non-adjustable plastic back closure. The cups are foam-lined and have a single seam up the center. The entire top is crochet-like material with no lining in the body section so that it has a slight sheer effect.

The bottoms are fully lined in heavy-duty lycra, plus an extra liner at the gusset. There’s a little piece on each side that isn’t lined, so that you get a matching sheer effect. However, the length of the top essentially covers up the sheer parts so they aren’t really visible (they definitely would be with a short bikini top, though).

In the past, I’ve found Freya’s bikini bottoms to be very skimpy. These ones still don’t have full buttcheek coverage, but they’re high rise enough and have enough coverage that I felt comfortable and not overexposed.

I do have to admit my biggest problem with the suit is how difficult it is to put on, and even more so to get it off when you’re wet. The back has a little scoop under the band closure, but it’s simply not big enough. There is absolutely no way I can fit this over my hips, but while pulling it over my shoulders, it gets all rolled up. I wish there was a wider or lower scoop, or some sort of back closure…though that probably wouldn’t look as nice.

The band also felt a wee bit loose. Since it can’t be laid flat, I can’t properly measure it (and definitely can’t measure the stretched length), but if you’re typically between band sizes (like me), you may want to consider the smaller band choice.

Another great feature is the adjustable and multi-way straps. You can wear them standard or cross-back. This is perfect for people with sloping or narrow shoulders. The cross-back setting was also really comfortable for swimming because I had full arm freedom without straps rubbing my armpits. With the straps in standard position, there was a little rubbing, but it was nothing too bad.

Speaking of swimming, the suit held up perfectly on that front! The cups didn’t bag out when I jumped into the pool or took a big kick off the wall, so I’m not worried about it flaring open if I swim in the ocean with big waves. The bodice part under the cups did feel a bit weird in the water, though. While it looks closely fitted on the body (even when dry), it really isn’t overly tight, even across my round tummy that usually causes shirts to ride up into my underbust area. This is a major benefit in my eyes, but it also means that when I’m paddling around underwater, it floats and moves around a lot instead of staying close to the body.

Still, when I got out of the water, the body fell right back into place. And the cups looked totally in place as well. In fact, I liked the fit and construction of this top so much that I promptly went on eBay and bought another Freya bikini top with similar shape from a previous season!