What Is a Tankini?

A tankini is a two-piece swimsuit with a top that provides more torso coverage than a traditional bikini top. Because the top and bottom are separate, a tankini combines the covered look of a one-piece with the flexibility of a two-piece. You can select each piece independently, change bottoms without replacing the top, and choose the amount of coverage that works for the day ahead.

Plus size tankinis can be especially useful when your top and bottom sizes differ or when you want options beyond a single fixed swimsuit silhouette. The longer top can extend toward the waist or hips, while the separate bottom lets you decide how much coverage and mobility you want below.

Build Your Tankini Around How You Plan to Swim

A tankini outfit is easier to choose when you begin with the activity rather than the color or print. Think about how much movement, coverage, and time out of the water your swim day will involve.

• For relaxed pool or beach days: Pair a tankini with classic plus size swim bottoms in a rise and coverage level that feels comfortable while sitting, walking, and swimming.
• For additional upper-thigh coverage: A plus size swim skirt adds a skirted layer while preserving the flexibility of a two-piece swimsuit.
• For water parks and active beach days: Plus size swim shorts can provide more leg coverage and may feel more secure during activities with frequent movement.
• For maximum freedom to mix silhouettes: Browse other plus size swim tops so you can alternate between tankini and bikini-length options while reusing the same bottoms.
• For a single-piece alternative: Compare tankinis with plus size one-piece swimsuits or plus size swim dresses before deciding which construction suits your coverage preferences.

The benefit of a tankini is not that it provides one prescribed type of coverage. It gives you control over the combination.

Fit the Bust First, Then Assess the Body and Hem

The bust is the most important place to begin when sizing a tankini top. If the bust support is incorrect, changing the length or loosening the straps will not solve the underlying fit problem.

For a wireless tankini, measure around the fullest part of your bust while keeping the tape level across your back. For an underwire tankini, measure directly beneath the bust and use your usual bra cup size as another point of reference. Our swim fit guide provides separate charts for wireless and underwire swim tops, with Torrid swim sizing from 00 through 6. Available sizes and cup ranges vary by style.

Once the bust fits, use this movement check:

1. Adjust the straps until the neckline and cups sit comfortably without the straps digging into your shoulders.
2. Lift both arms and confirm that the underband or lower edge of the bust area remains in place.
3. Twist from side to side to check for cup gaping, spillage, or pinching.
4. Sit down and stand again to see whether the tankini body rolls, clings, or rises farther than you prefer.
5. Bend forward and move as you would in the water to confirm that the neckline feels secure.
6. Try the top with your intended swim bottom so you can judge the actual overlap between the two pieces.

A tankini top should feel close enough to stay secure in water, but it should not restrict breathing or movement. Remember that swim fabric can feel and behave differently when wet, so an excessively loose fit when dry may become less secure in the pool.

Choose Wireless or Underwire Support Based on Preference

Wireless and underwire tankinis serve different fit preferences rather than different body types.

A wireless tankini avoids a rigid underwire and may appeal to swimmers who prioritize flexible comfort. Support can also come from the cut of the cups, straps, neckline, band, lining, and overall construction. Check each product description for its specific support features.

An underwire tankini uses structured wire beneath the bust. The wire should sit around the breast tissue instead of resting on it, and the center and sides should not pinch. Because cup capacity matters as much as the body size, review both measurements rather than automatically choosing your usual apparel size.

Adjustable straps can help fine-tune lift and neckline placement, but they should not carry all the weight of the bust. If tightening the straps is the only way to feel supported, the band or cup fit may need to be reconsidered.

Decide How You Want the Tankini Body to Fit

Tankini tops can sit closer to the torso or fall away from it. Neither approach is universally better; the useful question is how you want the top to behave during your activities.

A closer-fitting body can create a streamlined feel for swimming and may move less during active use. A fit-and-flare or flutter-style body allows more room through the midsection and creates a looser drape. Length also matters: a longer tankini may maintain more overlap with a high-rise bottom, while a shorter style can reveal more of the bottom’s waistband as you move.

Pay attention to these fit indicators:

• The hem reaches the point you expected when standing naturally.
• The top and bottom maintain your preferred amount of overlap when seated.
• Fabric does not pull sharply from the bust toward the waist or hips.
• Armholes lie comfortably without cutting in or gaping.
• The body has enough ease for movement without billowing excessively in water.
• Adjustable ties, straps, or closures remain secure after movement.

Torso length, bust projection, and hip shape can all affect where a tankini hem lands. Use the garment measurements and model information on the individual product page whenever they are available.

When and Where Tankinis Work Well

Tankinis are suitable for more than one kind of swim day. Their two-piece construction makes them useful anywhere you want torso coverage without giving up the convenience of separates.

For lap swimming or water exercise, prioritize a secure neckline, supportive bust construction, stable straps, and a body shape that will not create more movement than you want. At water parks, consider how the top and bottom stay positioned during climbing, sliding, and repeated transitions in and out of the water.

For beach days, resort pools, cruises, and vacations, a tankini can move easily between swimming and lounging. Add one of our plus size swim cover-ups when you want another layer for walking through a hotel, visiting a snack bar, or taking a break from the sun.

Tankinis are not limited to summer. Indoor pools, spas, aquatic fitness classes, and warm-weather trips make them useful throughout the year. On cooler, windy, or overcast days, bring a dry cover-up or change of clothes for after swimming. In hot, sunny conditions, pair your swimsuit with shade, sunscreen, and protective accessories rather than relying on swimsuit coverage alone.

Style a Tankini as a Coordinated Set or a Contrast

Matching a tankini top and bottom in the same color or print creates a coordinated appearance similar to a one-piece. Mixing pieces gives you more freedom to update the look or replace one part independently.

A printed tankini can be paired with a solid bottom that picks up one color from the pattern. A solid black or neutral top creates a versatile base for patterned bottoms, swim skirts, or shorts. You can also use contrast intentionally by combining a bright top with a darker bottom.

For time away from the water, layer the tankini with a cover-up and add wide-width sandals suited to the setting. A plus size hat and oversized sunglasses can complete a practical poolside or beach outfit.

What Makes Torrid Tankinis Different

We design our swimwear for plus size bodies and measure our styles on real women rather than mannequins. Our swim sizing and fit guidance account for bust measurements, underbust measurements, and cup needs differently depending on whether a style is wireless or underwire. This helps make support a central fit decision rather than an afterthought.

Our tankini assortment can include wireless and underwire constructions, adjustable straps, different coverage levels, and silhouettes such as fitted or fit-and-flare bodies. Individual designs may use details such as sweetheart or V-shaped necklines, modesty or plunge pads, back closures, ties, and fluttered fabric. Because these details affect support and coverage differently, we identify them on individual product pages instead of treating all tankinis as interchangeable.

Documented Torrid tankini styles use stretch swim knits such as nylon-spandex blends; one current construction is 80% nylon and 20% spandex. Stretch helps the garment move with the body and recover after wear, while the lining, cup structure, closures, straps, and cut determine how each specific top feels. Fabric composition and care instructions can vary, so review the details for the exact style you are considering.

Care for a Tankini After Swimming

Pool chemicals, salt water, sunscreen, body oils, heat, and rough surfaces can all affect swim fabric. Good care helps preserve stretch and shape.

• Rinse the tankini in cool, clean water soon after swimming.
• Follow the sewn-in care label; documented Torrid styles may call for cold hand washing or cold machine washing and drying flat.
• Avoid wringing or twisting the cups and body.
• Reshape the top and lay it flat to dry away from direct heat.
• Let it dry completely before storing it.
• Avoid sitting directly on rough concrete or textured pool edges when possible.
• Pack a wet suit separately, but remove it from sealed plastic promptly so it can dry.

Explore the complete plus size swimwear collection when you need coordinating pieces or a different swimsuit construction.

Questions to Answer Before Your First Swim