Last year, Curvy Kate came out with their first selection of swimwear. It wasn’t without its problems, but there were some stunning offerings. This year, Curvy Kate has released another gorgeous selection of swimwear, with some adjustments to improve the fit. Since Brastop is offering 40% off CK swimwear and free shipping for this week, I decided to try a few new pieces.
This is the Caribbean Curves bikini in a 30JJ, which I bought last year. Though I have reviewed this before, I thought I would share it again due to size change. I found this bikini too big in the cup last year (as a 30JJ) and thought I’d need a 30HH/J, and I now find it to be slightly small in the cup. Based on this, I think this runs approximately 1 cup big.
The main issues I had with this bikini were the very long straps, very high sides, wide gore and square back. I also found the wires to be slightly too wide, but that’s a common complaint for me. I found the shape to be better than I had got in any other CK bra (slightly more rounded/uplifted). I was willing to overlook the issues for the support and appearance, and I still found it quite comfy.
I also (finally) got my hands on the matching side-tie briefs in a size 14. I found them to be a very flattering cut, and I think the long, thick ties are gorgeous. Ideally I think I would wear a 10/12 in these as I get some excess material, but unfortunately these sizes weren’t available. A shorts version is also available.
Another set from last year: the Bondi Breeze bikini in a 30K with size 12 shorts. I decided to try this set so I could accurately compare this year and last year’s bikinis in the same size. I found it fairly comparable to the Caribbean Curves, though obviously with slightly bigger cups, but it seemed like the extra space was in all the wrong places for me. The gore was slightly wider and higher, and the sides also slightly higher. The tall sides made this size just a bit too uncomfortable for me, so I think I will be returning this set.
I would say this fits like a 30KK, but I still get some overspill at the centre and gapping at the straps due to the shape not being quite right for me, so the overspill wasn’t much improved. I found the shape to be good and the material very comfy.
The shorts in a size 12, which I found quite comfortable, if a little low at the back. I believe there is also a tie-side option for the briefs. I do quite like this bikini – it’s very chic and minimalist, but still with some adorable details. I think it could definitely be worth a try for those who like the style, though the tall sides are something to be aware of.
One of this year’s offerings, the Pebble Padded bikini in a 30K with size 12 shorts. Can I just say how excited I was to see a polka dot K-cup bikini?! Polka dots are one of my biggest weaknesses, and blue tends to be a great colour on me, so I knew I had to try this set out. I was happy to find that the fit has been vastly improved from last year, which can be seen by the measurements (see bottom of page). I noticed that the gore height has been reduced by about 2cm, and the wing height has been reduced by around 4cm, a vast improvement. I also found the band to be more true to size, whereas last year the bands ran somewhat small. All in all, I found it far more comfortable.
As expected, I have some overspill towards the centre, but it doesn’t seem too bad – I find bikinis tend to have more give once wet anyway, so this will likely be fine with wear. The bikini seemed very comfortable and supportive, which is always fantastic news. The cups seemed deep enough, they were just slightly too shallow towards the centre for me. I really liked the shape it gave on me, which seemed like an improved version of last year’s. The cups are visibly lower at the sides (although I would personally still prefer slightly lower), and I don’t have any gapping towards the straps. A smaller improvement I noticed is that the band is slightly wider, which means that the clasp is sturdier and doesn’t pull diagonally, as well as being slightly more comfortable. One small issue I had was the shape at the bottom of the cups – it seemed as though the cup curved slightly inwards before projecting out, which meant I couldn’t get my boobs to go into the very bottom of the cup.
The matching shorts in a size 12, shown here with the sides down and fully tightened. The size 12 seems to be a good size for me, and I really liked the ruched sides – I think the shorts are much more flattering on me with the sides fully tightened. I thought these shorts were a bit taller than last year’s shorts, so they came up a bit higher at the back. There is a tie-side option available for those who like less coverage, and there is a moulded cup version for lower cups. All in all I love this bikini, and I think I’m going to have to hang onto it.
The last set I tried, the Horizon Padded bikini in a 30K with size 12 foldover briefs. As expected, I found the fit and measurements to be pretty much identical between this and the Pebble bikini, so it was similarly comfortable and supportive. I think this bikini is a very stunning set, and I think the pattern is quite quirky and cute.
I had the same slight overspill, and I think the slight emptiness at the bottom is more visible in these pictures. The cups seem to take this shape even before putting them on, so it seems as though it might be more of a manufacturing/storage thing. The properties are all pretty much the same as the Pebble, though I did find the shape to be slightly better in the Pebble bikini for some reason, which I think is most visible in the angled picture. I’m not entirely sure why that would be!
The foldover shorts in a size 12. Sorry for the lumpiness in these pictures, I was wearing them over my pants! I found the briefs to look most flattering on me completely folded down. I found that they rolled down and bunched up if I half folded them, due to my belly. I saw how stunning CurvyWordy looked with them worn unfolded, but unfortunately they hit a very unflattering point on me if worn like this. Again, there is a tie-side option available (which I think would be comparable to these in terms of coverage), and there is a halterneck version for lower cups. I would personally love a super high waisted option, as I find this is usually the best look for me. I do really love this bikini, but unfortunately I just can’t afford to keep both of them! So, I am definitely going to hang onto the Pebble, though I might have to snap the Horizon up again in the future.
Overall, I am so happy about the new selection of swimwear. Last year has some great offerings, but Curvy Kate seem to have really knocked it out of the park this year. I love the designs they’ve released this year, but I think something even better is how they’ve listened to customer feedback and improved the fit – something a lot of companies could learn from. I am sure many women will be happier with the improvements, and I can’t wait to see what they’ll come up with next year.
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I love the Paradise set in both blue and red,got any idea which set would be most similar in sizing that you got?
The Paradise set seems to be SS13, so it’s one of this year’s pieces. It seems as though the Paradise in red is a moulded cup, whereas the blue version is a padded cup. The moulded cup bikinis have a smaller size range, so I can’t say how it would fit as I don’t fit into it. The blue version should theoretically fit the same as the Pebble and Horizon I tried
Thank you! I actually decided I liked the color and style of the blue best,so that is helpful.
They look fabulous on you! I’m still timid about bikinis, but with so many cute offerings becoming available, I know I’ll eventually dive in. I love both prints/colors for you!
Great reviews! Love your candor and the subtle things about each piece that many of us may overlook until we’ve worn it several times and then we’re frustrated we didn’t realize it right away!
Nice job!
Love it! The patterns are cute, the models seem to offer lots of support and you look very lovely and confident on the pictures (just as any other picture, but I had to say that I smiled with your smile!).
I am a D cup but thinking about buying one Curvy Kate bra to see the difference between core sized and plus sized bra construction!
That extreme height on the sides of the Bondi Breeze is what I experience with almost every CK bra, and no matter how much I like the bra, I just can’t tolerate that after more than a few minutes. It’s such a shame! I loved your swimwear reviews though.