finding vacation outfits that don’t suck — on a budget.

in short, I’m going on vacation and I have nothing to wear.

the last time I was on vacation was some 3 years ago, and I was also 20lbs lighter. the few things I have, that do fit, feel outdated and like a mismatch for my destination.

reality is, I have trouble shopping for my shape, but vacation outfits are even more trouble. as of now I’m about 155lbs, 5 feet tall and carry almost all of my weight in my upper body. My bra size for reference is 32H.

I don’t care to spend too much either — vacation outfits are location specific and occasion specific — they won’t get as much wear or rotation in my regular wardrobe.

assignment : affordable, fun but slightly conservative, big bust, small waist, short girl friendly.

I’ve been really good about shopping quality over quantity over the years (went through a major reset post pandemic), buying staple pieces and avoiding ultra fast fashion like SHEIN but for vacation purposes, I allow myself to cheat. sorry to disappoint.

also, somehow SHEIN carries the most size inclusive brands and collections? As I peruse the site I am starting to understand why they are so popular.

to fast fashion or to not fast fashion?

Based on their size charts, I determined that my best size would be a 8/10 (M/L) in the regular collection and 0XL in the curve collection.

My first order came in and I was pleasantly surprised. I had very low expectations about the quality and the fit, and despite quite a few misses, I found pieces that I was happy with. I’ve since placed a second order, with a better understanding of size and fit, hoping to have better success.

while I did like one of the swim sets I got from the curve collection, none of the other swimsuits worked on my body. maybe I need to give it another chance, but because I can’t return the swim items, I won’t be purchasing anymore from SHEIN for this trip.

out of curiosity and optimism, I turned to Amazon. at this point, anything I order from SHEIN or any similar site won’t come in on time (my second order already cutting it close). I really hadn’t imagined finding anything useful on Amazon (Canadian Amazon isn’t great). to my surprise Cupshe is selling on Amazon! Cupshe is one of those brands you see come up in searches for DD+ cup swimwear. while the collection wasn’t exactly exciting, I liked that there were potential options. sidenote : I am fixated on finding a cobalt blue swimsuit. the colour calls to me me like a moth to a light and I insist on having this color with me on vacation.

by some chance, I find a one piece swimsuit for 13$. something about the design of the swimsuit tells me it will work on my H cup body. naturally, there is a catch. it will only arrive the day of my departure (if all goes well, maybe the day before). I ordered it. I also ordered an alternate colour for a little more (20$) and this one arrived the next day!

one piece swimsuits are super tricky for me because I need the top to accommodate my bust (XXL maybe?) but everything below my waist needs to fit like a medium, maybe a large in some cases. dare I say, this Amazon swimsuit fit me right in all the places — and the straps are adjustable too! AH! I don’t imagine this swimsuit will hold up if you’re an avid water sports person or if you intend on doing some serious swimming, but for me, who expects to bop from the pool to the beach at most, this swimsuit is exactly what I need. couldn’t be happier!

I’ll come back here with an update of my SHEIN order before my trip hopefully, but if not, when I am back I’ll be able to share actual reviews of how everything wore and held up!

here is the Amazon swimsuit for my big bust, small waist sisters!

*this post includes affiliate links to products I use and love. That means I might earn a small commission from Amazon if you click them and buy something, but it doesn’t cost you anything extra!