Squeezing into a swimsuit at peak bloat in a heat wave is not my idea of summer fun, but I power through when I remember how fleeting beach season is. So if I'm not in the bikini mood, I put on my Quince One-Piece. It looks ordinary, but has the perfect level of compression to hold me in without any drastic sculpting.
It's a bit eye-rolly to name items "Italian" in a veiled attempt to denote luxury, but the Quince swimsuits we tested really did feel more expensive than they are. The bonded fabric is stretchy without feeling saggy, and the hardware accents on my Quince Triangle Bikini haven't scratched or flaked on me in over two years.
From maternity one-pieces to small-bust-friendly bikini tops, we had three women test Quince swimsuits at the beach, pool, sauna, and sundeck. For more of its summer styles, see our Quince linen review, Quince washable silk review, Quince ballet flats review, and general Quince clothing review. Learn about how the Reviews team tests clothing at BI.
The Italian Cami One-Piece
I'm 5-foot-9, and my torso is above the average length for women's one-piece swimsuits. Many I've tried either give me a wedgie or the straps dig into my shoulders.
Luckily, Quince has a long-torso fit that's designed especially for proportions like mine. It comes in a regular 23.5-inch and a long 25.25-inch size. In the Italian Cami One-Piece, I laid fully stretched out on a reclined beach chair, happy as a seal sunning itself on a rock.
The straps are adjustable, giving you more control over chest coverage. This is helpful if you're at, say, a family pool party and want more chest coverage. The low cut of the legs and fuller seat also felt modest enough for this kind of setting.
Inside, the shelf bra has removable foam cups (I usually remove these because they tend to turn heavy or lumpy when wet). I left them in when testing this suit because without them, the fabric is thin enough that some nip does poke through.
The poly-Spandex fabric feels stretchy, soft, and closely-fitted. I'm a size 4 and the Small fit me with little room to spare. It takes a minute to squeeze into because of the mild compressive effect, but once it's on, it's on. Everything stayed in its place, even as I bodysurfed through crashing waves.
The Italian Triangle Bikini
When I first tested this bikini two years ago, I had no idea how much use I'd get out of it. At this point, it's probably one of my most-packed bikinis because of how ordinary and light it is.
Freelance style writer Talia Ergas and I both wear a size 34B. The Italian Triangle Bikini Top is one of our favorite bikinis for small busts because the triangle cups are easy to space out and adjust to your breasts' natural orientation.
There's some light removable padding in the cups, but they stay in place and don't get waterlogged. You do lose bust support with any design this lightweight, however, so people with large cup sizes should avoid it.
"It's a solid choice for sunbathing, but I'd probably pick something sturdier for swimming," writes Talia. And I agree — the string ties can feel precariously loose in the ocean. I only wear this one in the pool, as the cheeky Adjustable Side-Tie Bikini Bottoms feel a bit like wearing dental floss. Don't buy these if you want full coverage or a snug fit.
The gold metal accents haven't scratched or cracked in the two years I've worn this bikini, which is a testament to their durability. The only drawback is that they burn if you wear this suit into the sauna.
The Italian Maternity Wrap One-Piece Swimsuit
Maternity swimsuits aren't something you want to spend a ton on since they're only wearable for so long, which is just one reason to love this under-$50 Wrap One-Piece Swimsuit from Quince. The material is another — it's not restrictive at all thanks to some clever ruching around the belly, and I never felt like I couldn't breathe well. I also love that the wrap isn't just an aesthetic touch, but can actually be pulled as tight as you want or need for chest support and waist definition. It comes with sewn-in cups, which I usually don't love, but I appreciate in this case because of the, ahem, body changes I'm experiencing right now.
There's one drawback I've found with this suit, which is that the sizing is tricky if you're short. I'm 5-foot-2 and I ordered a Large, my usual pre-pregnancy size, and it was big on me. The straps felt particularly long, which meant I ended up with less chest support than I needed. The wrap element helped support me from the bottom up, but I wish I had sized down to the medium for a better fit up top.
If you're tall, I would stick to your normal size, but if you're short like me, I would recommend sizing down in this suit. Your bump will still have plenty of room to grow since it's so stretchy!
The bottom line
At $50 per one-piece and $60 for a two-piece set, Quince is a solid source for affordable, well-made bathing suits. I've been wearing and washing the same Quince bikini for two summers and it's still in great shape, proving that Quince's swimsuits punch above their price point.
You won't find any colorful prints or special engineering to support an extra large bust, but we still found plenty of value in its maternity styles and swimwear basics. The Italian Cami One-Piece is my top choice if you want a no-frills suit that repels sea salt and sunscreen.
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Disclosure: Written and researched by the Insider Reviews team. We highlight products and services you might find interesting. If you buy them, we may get a small share of the revenue from the sale from our partners. We may receive products free of charge from manufacturers to test. This does not drive our decision as to whether or not a product is featured or recommended. We operate independently from our advertising team. We welcome your feedback. Email us at reviews@bjinnox.com.
