DOES ANYONE LOOK forward to swimsuit season? Sun, sand and sangria? Yes! Swimsuit shopping? Shudder. I don’t know about you, but I’m tired of trends. I don’t want weird cut-outs. And I’m done with feeling self-conscious that my bikini wax wasn’t cut out to contend with a rise quite so high.

Call me Goldilocks, but swimwear has to be just right. It must fit – everything, everywhere, all at once. It must be comfortable, have hold and stretch, be smoothing and supportive and – hell, seeing as we’re being honest here – just a little bit sexy. A quick survey of the office suggests I’m not alone because, when it comes to the smallest scraps of fabric, there is little room for error.

Well, I come bearing good news. Thanks to a pool of swimwear specialists seeking to cater to an increasingly inclusive cross-section of shapes, sizes and prerequisites, finding ‘The One’ no longer need be as painful as the aforementioned bikini wax.

Youswim is one brand on a mission to turn the tide on standardised sizing with two – yes, just two – democratic fits that flex to a span of 14 dress sizes. Stretch I is designed for UK 6-16 and Stretch II, UK 18-28. At £126 a pop, they don’t come cheap, but are intended to ‘last a lifetime’, growing and shrinking to accommodate weight fluctuations, from puberty to pregnancy, without losing shape. There are currently 15 styles and colours available, spanning high-waisted two-pieces, scoop-neck cossies and even swim shorts.

Good American – the denim brand co-founded by Khloé Kardashian that spans XS to 5XL Plus – has also expanded into swimwear with a model-selector tool on its website, which enables shoppers to view products on different body types, from US 0 to 16. Body confidence is key, and the extensive range promises something for everyone, from curve-hugging compression fabrics to adjustable hip straps for a customised fit. Similarly, the debut swimwear line from cult shapewear label Skims proved an instant sell-out when it launched last year. Now it’s back and exclusive to Selfridges, with styles promising a sculpting second-skin fit that doesn’t scrimp on style, and with an offering pitched towards providing various levels of coverage for different shapes, sizes and modesty requirements.

Supportive swimwear that looks as good as it fits is key to stylist Tona Stell, who founded her own bikini label – Tona – in 2021. Unlike the industry standard, she bases all her samples on a size 16 and FF cup.

‘I have always struggled to find swimwear that is supportive for a big cup size, while also being fashionable,’ says Stell. ‘I found my options were either very basic black bikinis with an excessive amount of coverage that made me feel frumpy, or itsy bitsy halterneck bikinis that gave me neck ache after half an hour of wearing them. As a small brand I have to be realistic about what I can achieve, but I aim to be as size inclusive as I can, with cup sizes from C to G and other styles running from a UK 8 to 20.

Aussie export Form and Fold is another brand tailor made for D+ cup sizes, with three years devoted to developing a supportive, functional offering specifically for small back sizes. As such, its range of underwired swimsuits are a godsend for petite frames, with samples tested up to 20 times to ensure they support, shape and lift the bust just as well – if not better – than your favourite bra.

Whatever perfection means to you, there’s an ever-growing number of no-nonsense solutions for the taking. For breastfeeding new mums, the Natalie Swimsuit from small independent label Half Baked London features built-in shoulder poppers. For water-sports enthusiasts – or lazy SPF reappliers – Cover Swim specialises in swimmers that are chic and sun-safe, crafted from UPF 50+ fabric. Or, if you are the type who’d do anything to avoid the dreaded changing rooms, try Watertex – inventors of a swimsuit crafted from hydrophobic fabric that retains 60% less water and dries in half the time.

Even on the high street – a notoriously risky hunting ground – there are gems waiting to be found. COS is a hit with minimalists, while every fashion editor I’ve ever met (myself included) raves about the M&S Tummy Control Ribbed Padded V-neck swimsuit, £35, for its support, price and reassuring absence of bells and whistles.