It’s been almost six years since my single mastectomy, and only slightly less since I completed the reconstruction of my right breast. Since then, I’ve lost weight, gained weight, had a baby, breastfed said baby (ahem, am still breastfeeding said baby)…phew. That one breast I hung onto? It’s been through a lot.
At this moment in time, not only is one breast larger than the other; I think it’s fair to say my boobs are at peak asymmetry. Different firmness. Different fullness. Different, uh, heights.
Surprisingly, most of the time, I’m not even that bothered by the fact that one boob is bigger than the other, but for some reason, this swim season I’m feeling a little more self-conscious than in previous years. I know I should be wildly proud of this one superboob that has literally nourished a tiny human all on its own (I made a little homage to it, here), but frankly, sometimes I just want to look in the mirror and not have such an obvious reminder of ye olde cancer.
The Hunt For The Perfect Swimsuit To Flatter Lopsided Boobs
So I set out to find the best swimsuit for an uneven bust — with a couple of strict guidelines in mind — and ended up finding a few really pretty options for, you guessed it, under $50. There are some gems here, friends — and, happily they’d be great on conventionally-boobied bodies, as well.
I’ll do a deep dive into each suit, below, but in case you’re just here for the punchline, here’s what I found:
- Best Expensive-Looking One-Piece Swimsuit for Uneven Breasts (and my hands down favorite!): SPORLIKE Women’s One-Piece Swimsuit
- Best Family Vacation-Friendly Bikini for Uneven Breasts: Saodimallsu Women’s High-Waisted 2-Piece Set
- Best High-Drama/Low-Effort Bikini for Uneven Breasts: SPORLIKE Women’s Ruffle High Waist Swimsuit
- Best Sporty Bikini for Uneven Breasts: Aqua Eve High-Waisted Twist Front Bikini
- Best Flirty Black Bikini for Uneven Breasts: Hilinker Women’s Ruffle One-Shoulder Bikini
- Best Preppy Bikini for Uneven Breasts: VIMPUNEC Ruffle One-Shoulder Swimsuit
Ok, now we can get into the nitty-gritty, starting off with a brief overview of those strict guidelines I mentioned, of which there are only two:
- No padding to make up for the difference. This was the biggest one. There are plenty of ways you can pad part of the swimsuit to add fullness (Soleil Rose suits are even designed just for this issue), but, honestly, I don’t want to deal with re-positioning those little chicken cutlet pieces or keeping track of them on laundry day. No, I just wanted a suit that would flatter or subtly distract from my uneven chest without having to overthink things.
- It has to be functional for real water activities. A lot of the suits I gravitated toward were asymmetrical in some way, a look that I’ve fallen hard for. But I’ve had issues in the past with some of these styles staying put (or, rather, my boob staying put in some of these styles), so for this suit to ideally accommodate my situation, it’s gotta stay put for not just sunning but swimming, running around, and playing in the sand with the kiddos, etc.
With that in mind, I hopped online (where else?) to search out suits. I wasn’t initially shopping with a budget in mind but all of the suits that intrigued me most ended up being surprisingly affordable! Strangely enough, they’re also all available on Amazon, which, love or hate, you have to admit has a pretty failsafe return policy — extra handy for a research project of this nature.
So without further ado, here are my detailed findings from The Hunt For The Perfect Swimsuit To Flatter Lopsided Boobs. I know, it’s as catchy as I am symmetrical.
A note on sizing: I’m 5’5″ish, with a bust that, immediately post-reconstruction, measured 34C. (Obviously, we’re a little wonky these days.) Typically I’m between an XS-S in most clothing, but I usually lean more toward a size small in swim separates.
One Boob Bigger Than The Other? My Fave Amazon Swimsuits That Flatter Asymmetrical Breasts
You can tell by the look on my face in some of these pics that these suits just make me feel good. I haven’t had the chance to swim in any of these yet, but based on the quality, appearance, and fit, they seem really, really legit, especially for the price.
1. SPORLIKE Double Flounce One Piece Swimsuit
swimsuit (s)
In Theory: All eyes are on the fan, so no one’s sizing up your boobs. And that cutout. The drama! Loving the predictable ease of a dual-strapped one-piece when it comes to things staying where they should. And it’s just gorgeous. Positively giddy at the prospect of this one, but also highly suspect that this is going to be one of those “what I ordered vs. what I got” Amazon fails.
In Reality: Not a fail! What a pleasant surprise. I friggin’ love this thing, even despite the fact there’s a cutout in the exact spot where I happen to be the squishiest. Honestly, couldn’t care less! Boobs are camo’d, the quality is stellar, the fanned-out ruffle makes me feel like a sexy-ass potsticker and the whole thing looks like it should cost far more than its $45 price tag. I can’t imagine wearing this suit and not being asked about it at the pool. Very tempted to try it in one of the other colors, too, although I do think the black is part of the reason it feels so elevated. I forgot to snap a pic of the back, but it’s CHEEKY — and I’m ok with it.
2. Saodimallsu Ruffle Bandeau & High-Waisted Two Piece
swimsuit (s)
In Theory: Ok, ok, I get that stripes will probably only highlight any size differences here, but I love the idea of masking things with a flirty ruffle. The bandeau cut seems more forgiving when it comes to the lopsided boobs than something low-cut. Retro vibes, yes. This is honestly a suit I’d be drawn to regardless of the boob thing.
In Reality: This is cute, friends. Does it really draw attention away from my uneven bustline? Not hugely, but I don’t think it accentuates it, either. Love the removable strap. The high-rise bottoms don’t do anything in the way of giving me the illusion of a waist — if anything, they kinda squarify my middle even more — but they’re comfy and they stay put. Would be totally confident being active in this suit. Great family vacation piece.
3. SPORLIKE Ruffle High Waist Bikini
swimsuit (s)
In Theory: Very intrigued by the more structured, frilly ruffles…that might come down just low enough to cover the bust area? (Fingers crossed.) Love the dramatic, high-fashion vibes but in low-key black. The top would be super playful under overalls or something, too. Very hopeful.
In Reality: Ok, I kinda love this. Higher quality than I was expecting, and it’s definitely dramatic. The ruffles don’t quite cover the bust area enough to mask anything, but they definitely draw the eye elsewhere, so I consider that a win. Comfortable, and it feels like everything would stay where it should, but I’m curious how the fin-like ruffles would hold up to actual swimming. (They’re actually pretty sturdy, so I’m fairly confident they’d be just fine.) I wish the bottoms were just a bit cheekier. (If they were, I feel like this suit would have Shana written all over it.)
3 More Amazon Swimsuits That Work For Lopsided Boobs
Not sure I’ll be keeping these (only because how many new suits does one really need for this niche season of life?), but there are no bad choices here.
4. Aqua Eve High-Waisted Twist-Front Bikini
swimsuit (s)
In Theory: My thought was that the dark color and sort of twisted, gathered detail would maybe add enough volume to mask the difference in fullness. Corset back for a custom fit, yes. Cinching on the bottoms lets you customize how high the leg rises, which seems awesome. Love the classically saturated “Reddish Blue” hue.
In Reality: Color, corset back and cinching at the legs, all great. Good quality. The front of the top is maybe a little meh; I do think it downplays the unevenness well (it’s worth noting that Elle hadn’t nursed yet when I snapped this photo, so my left boob was a little extra full), but it’s also not particularly exciting. Everything stays where it should. A great suit if you want a more conservative two-piece.
5. Hilinker Women’s Ruffle One-Shoulder Bikini
swimsuit (s)
In Theory: This one has the trifecta: ruffles for volume, distracting asymmetry, and an elegant (albeit safe), saturated black hue. Maybe a little basic, but pretty enough. I like the classic bottoms with medium coverage and a mid-rise.
In Reality: This was exactly as expected. It’s effective at flattering my bustline, and the asymmetry is interesting and pretty, although it does kinda give Amazon vibes, if that’s a thing. The quality is there, and while it’s not quite as thick and sturdy as a couple of the others, for under $40, it’s an easy win. Might be just a little more high-maintenance to keep this one in place while running or swimming. I do like the rise and coverage of the bottoms. Not too much, not too little.
6. VIMPUNEC Ruffle One-Shoulder Swimsuit
swimsuit (s)
In Theory: Seersucker vibes! Major ruffle action for camouflaging the bigger left boob thing. Retro, flirty, and looks cute as hell on the model.
In Reality: I really wish this was actual seersucker, but even though it’s just a pinstriped bathing suit fabric, it’s still pretty dang cute. The mega ruffle definitely de-emphasizes any difference in the bust, more so than any of the other two pieces here. Bottoms leave a little something to be desired on my straight middle, but I don’t dislike them. Comfy, and even with one sleeve it feels like it would stay put for most pool/beach activities.
And Then There Was The Near Nip-Slip…
7. Firpearl Women’s High-Waisted Bikini Set
swimsuit (size 6, but it’s 1-2 sizes too large)
In Theory: Oh look, another gathered fabric twisty thing situation. Again, was optimistic that this would help balance the difference in fullness. I liked the ruching on the high-rise bottoms, too, to help with a softer tummy. The fuller coverage looked more sporty than mumsy on the model, which I dig.
In Reality: Eh, the whole gathered fabric thing kinda works. The problem with this suit might simply be that it’s too big. I ordered the 6, which was the smallest size available (I’m usually closer to a 2, but I thought maybe this was a weird Amazon sizing thing and that a 6 was going to run small.) If I lifted my arms at all, it gapped near the twist and we got real close (and I mean real close) to nip-slip territory. Also, and again this might be because of the poor fit, it did, indeed just feel kinda dowdy. Would be curious to try it in a different size because I like the coverage and the simplicity.
Now, to consider which of those first three to keep. (All of them!?) And then…what to do once this babe is done nursing? Hang onto ol’ lefty, or scrap that one and reconstruct, too? (Not my idea of a good time…) If there are any mamas out there with similar experiences, I’d love to hear from you. 🙂
xo,
Em
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