A new era in warm-weather fashion has arrived, and it’s centered on—you guessed it—swimsuits. Gone are the days when you’d wear a bathing suit solely for the purpose of swimming or getting a tan. Swimwear has become its own section of fashion—and more and more, we’re seeing one-pieces, bikinis, and even tankinis worn as real clothes. After all, a bodysuit is basically a swimsuit you can wear with jeans, so turning swimwear into outfits was the obvious next step. This is one theory we have as to why we’re seeing so many plus-size swimsuits with sleeves these days. They’ve basically become swimwear and summery tops in one. And frankly, we’re kind of into it.
Of course, there are all types of plus-size swimsuits with sleeves. You can have short-sleeve suits that flutter in the wind or long-sleeve swimsuits that are reminiscent of surfer gear (and sometimes called “rash guards,” in case you’ve seen that term floating around). And not only are these swimsuits actually great for lounging by the pool—and even protecting your skin a little bit more than traditional swimwear, considering they cover more of your body—but they’re also super cute. We love when fashion meets function!
While you may have some preconceived notions as to what a plus-size swimsuit with sleeves looks like, let us assure you that there are plenty different styles from which to choose. You definitely don’t have to go with a long-sleeve swimsuit if that’s not really your vibe. You can opt for a short flutter sleeve or even a cap sleeve. The choice is yours, but once you see just how adorable—and, in some cases, sexy—these swimsuits are, you’re going to want to jump on the trend faster than middle schoolers cannonball into the pool this season.