It’s here! It’s here! My full Dressing Room Diaries: Target Swimwear 2019 guide has arrived. If you’re new here, I do an annual Target swimsuit dressing room try-on session. You can check out The Official Guide To Target Swimwear 2017 and The Official Guide To Target Swimwear 2018. But today, I’m dishing Target’s two piece swimwear, one piece swimsuits, Target swim sizing and more. For reference throughout this post, it’s probably important for you to know, I’m 5’4″, typically wear a size 4 and weigh 135-140 pounds depending on the day. My torso is long and my legs are muscular so sometimes finding a suit that matches with those measurements can be tricky. We all know swimsuits can be wonky, so my sizing on Target suits runs the entire gamut. Also – zero editing on the photos so you get crappy dressing room lighting, my cellulite, bunched up underneath undies and cell phone snaps….just like if it were you trying it on yourself 
Now – let’s dive in to all the goodness that Target has to offer this season in their swimwear department! The Official Guide To Target Swimwear is HERE!
THE OFFICIAL GUIDE TO TARGET SWIMWEAR 2019
Before we get started, I’m disappointed to share that Tori Praver doesn’t appear to be introducing a new swimwear line this year, which was, of course, a favorite of mine. That said, there is a brand new line, Kona Sol, that I’m really excited about. I’ll just come right out and say it – the suits are very obviously designed for women with real bodies and I AM FREAKING HERE FOR IT! So, let’s talk swimsuit fits, styles and more…!
TARGET SWIMWEAR 2019 – TARGET BIKINIS
The color of this suit is what drew me in and I’m so glad, because it fits like a total dream. I’m wearing this hot pink suit (Pink Tie Top | Pink Ruched Bottom ) in a size small top and size small bottom, but I would definitely size up to a medium (my store didn’t have anything other than small!). This pink swimsuit would be perfect for busy beachgoers or active people – think beach sports or chasing around kids – because the straps stay put and can be tightened based on your body. As for the bottoms, the ruched bikini bottom ensures a snug fit (super snug in my case in these photos, LOL!). This suit is my #2 swimsuit pick of the year. The #1 pick is at the bottom, but this is a very close second thanks to color, fit and style (the tie strap is unique!).
Pink Tie Top | Pink Ruched Bottom
I love the mixture of pink and navy together, so when I initially saw this suit online, I was like YEP! MUST. TRY. ON. (Navy Macrame Top | Pink Polka Dot Bottom ) It helped that the model looks like a tall glass of water wearing it. Turns out – macrame isn’t for everyone. Or at least not for me. And the bottoms leave a lot to be desired. Again – ON ME. If side tie bottoms are typically a win for you, get wild with these, because the print is totally cute! I’m wearing a size medium top and size large bottoms. I will say that the macrame top material is way better quality than I imagined, so I feel like it would definitely hold up for a swim season or two and the bottoms aren’t see through (like I was worried about given their light color). I would recommend this for someone who has minimal curves and a small booty.
Navy Macrame Top | Pink Polka Dot Bottom
Okay bear with me here, because I am one of those people that SO BADLY wants to be able to wear a high waisted swimmer and it just falls miserably flat every time I try. This maroon suit from Xhilaration (Bandeau Top | High-Waisted Bottom) was no exception, but I really think the suit is cute and has potential for someone who isn’t me. First off – I love the maroon color and the fact that it’s strapless. The cut-out on the back is a nice detail, too. Also, it’s a little hard to see in these photos, but the fabric is textured, which isn’t weird at all. Online the texture looks…odd…but in person it’s really cute! In any case, I’m wearing a medium top and a size large bottom and I can’t really pinpoint why I don’t like it, if I’m being honest. Do you ever just put something on and feel uncomfortable? That’s me in this suit. I love it, but could not justify choosing it this season for myself since that’s how I felt in it. Rule of thumb: Don’t love it at the store, you’ll never reach for it at home. The search for my perfect high-waisted swimsuit drives on…
Bandeau Top | High-Waisted Bottom
If there was ever a good Athleta swimsuit dupe, this is it, my friends! This duo (Bralette Top | Boyshort Bottoms) is from Target’s new Kona Sol line and I was eager to try it on. The top is SO COMFORTABLE. Any of you who are used to wear sports bras or bralettes will love this, because the fit is spot on. I would say it’s true to size (I’m wearing a small) and fits snug without being too tight across the chest. It’s one of those suits that is super flattering for us gals in the itty bitty titty committee 🙂 Now, let’s discuss the boyshorts – I’m wearing a small, but I would ideally get a medium. They were just a bit more snug than I prefer and a medium would be true to size for me, so I would say these are a total win. If you’re looking for an athletic-style suit, definitely check this one out!
Bralette Top | Boyshort Bottoms
Another suit from the Kona Sol line was this green triangle suit (Cut-Out Triangle Top | Side Panel Bottom) since the material is super soft. I had not given it a second look online, but in the store I couldn’t resist. I SO wish this looked better on me (I tried multiple sizes to see if it was a fit issue) and I think the long and short of it is – it’s made for women with larger boobs. Even in the size XS top (pictured), I felt like I was going to topple out at any moment and it just felt loose all around. I really liked the coverage the bottoms gave me and overall – I think it’s just a really fab suit. To be honest, I think Kona Sol’s entire line is kicking it out of the park this year! In photos, top is XS and bottoms are small.
Cut-Out Triangle Top | Side Panel Bottom
And finally, we have my 2019 TARGET BIKINI OF THE YEAR – this side-tie olive dot suit from Xhilaration (Green Polka Dot Top | Green Polka Dot Bottom ). I have to be honest, I didn’t have high hopes for it, mostly because I feel like this specific brand is made more for juniors that women with hips, but I loved the color, so I snatched it up to try on. Turns out – I tried it on last and fell in love last. First things first – I’m wearing a medium on top and bottom. The top fits snug, but comfortable and the bottoms are the same. I could have sized up in the bottoms, but I feel like I would have had a saggy diaper look, so I would say to pick your normal size. This suit fits very similar to the Tori Praver suits of years past, which is why I think I like it so much — a bit more of an athletic fit and booty coverage. It’s safe to say I’m beyond the years of too much cheek. Overall, this is a huge winner in both fit, quality and style!
Green Polka Dot Top | Green Polka Dot Bottom
Now, let’s talk one pieces. I won’t lie to you – Target has some phenomenal one piece swimsuits this year and I grabbed a handful of my favorites in different brands to get a good idea of how each one fit. Let’s dive in…
TARGET SWIMWEAR 2019 – TARGET ONE PIECE SWIMSUITS
First up, we have a keyhole one piece from Kona Sol that was honestly my top pick when I saw it on the rack. Turns out, it’s the second runner up this year, but it’s still a fabulous suit that I think would be last multiple seasons. For starters, the fabric is high quality and it seemed modest to me, which I really liked to be honest. The keyhole is flirty, but not revealing. I tried it on in a size medium and it fit very well after I adjusted the straps a little bit. Bonus points for this suit since you can configure the back straps a couple different ways! I wasn’t overly thrilled with the blue color, but it kind of grew on me and it’s definitely darker in person than it appears online. In any case, this gets two thumbs up from me based on cut (no camel toe!), and ability to flatter on a variety of body types.
This next suit doesn’t get good reviews online and for the life of me – I can’t understand why. It’s an Xhilaration cut-out suit, which normally means I have to size up, so I tried it on in a large. Honestly, it fits very well through the shoulders, stomach and bust with zero pulling at the crotch area. For me, those are the big markers of a well made suit. The only thing I could see being an issue with wear-and-tear of this particular suit, is the way the straps hook in the back, but I did not have an issue with them. In fact, I liked that you could easily adjust them or criss-cross them if you wanted.
Bear with me, because this next suit as a TON of potential and is super cute – just not on me. In fact, it reminded me a lot of the Walmart ruffle suit I found last year. This Xhilaration ruffled one piece comes in pink, too! I wasn’t overly thrilled with the periwinkle color, but I do think it looks better in this photo than I thought it did at the time. Still, not enough for me to bring it home, because I immediately felt uncomfortable by the amount of boob slipping-out potential it held on my body. Now, if you have larger boobs, this will absolutely not be a problem because the fabric will have something to cling to! I’m wearing a size medium (I felt comfortable in it since the back straps allowed me to adjust things a bit) and I like that it had a bit more butt coverage in the back. I’m beyond the age of cheeky! Like I said – this suit has a ton of positives, but I just felt immediately uncomfortable in it because of the front, so I had to pass.
Next, I tried on this red bow cut-out suit and I was surprised by how much I liked it! The bow and cut-out are subtle, so if you’re looking for a simple suit this year, this might be your winner! The fabric is also textured a little bit, which is kind of hard to see in these super high quality photos 😉 I liked that, though, because it gave it a little something extra and made the fabric a little less see-through through the chest/stomach area. It’s from the Kona Sol collection, so it’s also got great coverage on the back end of things (winning!). I’m wearing a medium here and would say that it runs pretty true to size!
And finally, we have my 2019 TARGET ONE PIECE SWIMSUIT OF THE YEAR – it’s this black cut-out mesh one piece from Shade & Shore. When I grabbed it, it immediately reminded me of the strapless mesh cut-out winner from last year. I have to say – it fits amazingly well! My store only had size large left, but I think the medium would be the best fit for me since this was a little bit big in the shoulder strap. I love the back coverage and I didn’t feel like I had an awful camel toe, which is always a big hesitation for me in bargain swimwear. This suit gets a big thumbs up from me and I feel like it would be flattering across many different body types. I would 10/10 recommend it, especially since sizes already seem to be getting scooped up + sold out!
Whew! Okay friends, we covered A LOT of ground today. I mean – bikinis, one pieces and details…OH MY! But seriously – this might be my favorite post of the year and I hope it was a little bit helpful for those of you starting to navigate 2019 swimwear options and swimsuit styles. Whether you are planning a beach trip, live in a warm location or simply just daydreaming about summer (it will be here before we know it!) Target has some amazing swimsuit options this year. Let me know what you think, which your favorites are and of course, if you have any questions!
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