Happy new year, readers! The Hourglassy writers all ended up taking a mini blogging break after the holidays. We’ll have some big news for you soon, but in the meantime, here is a new post from Leah…
A couple weeks ago, I was invited to a Figleaves summer preview event. I got to see the new swim styles and also got to meet and chat with some of the brand reps who came all the way from the UK. I’m very excited to bring you my favorite finds here.
Figleaves has long been my go-to for bra and swimwear shopping. Their variety of products and sizes is second to none, and they had a US returns hub years before any of the other UK or European brands started catering to the American market. They’ve also made massive strides in the quality and attractiveness of their own house brand of lingerie and swimwear in the last few years.
I was so pleased to see that for the summer swim campaign, Figleaves employed four models of different shapes and sizes. It allows shoppers to get a great idea of which styles will best suit their own shape. The pretty backdrops and fun photography make for a really enticing ad campaign in general, so it’s gotta be good for their own bottom line too.
Further evidence of the brand’s close attention to fit, I was told by one of their reps that anything with underwire is fit on two different sizes to ensure the grading is up to par. Additionally, most of the swim bottoms have hidden internal tummy control. I noticed this when I reviewed the Colourblock Halter Bikini for our “Busty & the Beach” series last spring, and found it extremely flattering yet totally comfortable—it in no way felt like shapewear!
Additionally, all bikinis have coordinating briefs in multiple cuts. I was also told that some of the one-piece swimsuits come in both long and standard length (yes!), and that the long length sometimes sells out before the standard even does. Further, Figleaves offers maternity and plus-size swimsuits in the same cute prints and similar cuts to everything else.
I also must point out that Figleaves has instituted several policies in an attempt to decrease their carbon emissions, including using recycled fabric. They’re slowly implementing more sustainable practices with plans to keep it up year to year.
As for this year’s trends, they were very clear: tropical prints, oversized floral, animal print, and ochre yellow ruled all! Figleaves has also massively increased their selection of cover-ups. I didn’t photograph that many of them, but it seemed like every collection had its own unique cover-up style, including caftans, mini-dresses, sarongs, tunics, and more.
Here are some of my favorite prints and details. I apologize that I didn’t catch the name of everything, but all the items shown here are being rolled out now through early spring, so if you see something you like, keep checking the Figleaves site and it should turn up soon!
