Trends by nature lead from the catwalk down to the highstreet, so designer brands at the luxury end of the market tend to be at the forefront of bringing wearable, covetable fashion.  

I remember the front cover of a glossy magazine last summer where a super model was wearing an amazing two-piece; its botanical pattern leapt out at me.  It was bold yet delicate and pretty, and I vowed I needed it in my life.

When UK Swimwear approached me you could have called it clichéd fate.  Perusing their extensive range of familiar and boutique brands, I found a botany themed beauty in an even prettier form.  Italian Acqua and Sale‘s exotic Ponza collection offered a bikini and a swimsuit, and it was the latter I succumbed to.

**UK Swimwear sent me the Acqua and Sale Ponza swimsuit in a UK 16**

From its luxurious silky fabric that glistens with a soft sheen, to the minute crystal branding, Ponza is every inch the decadent treat.  Featuring a heavily ruched bandeau style top, the swimsuit can be worn strapless or with the halter strap affixed for a glamorous two way styling option.

The realistic painterly botany print has a oriental theme, with delicate water lilies and orchids depicted over a soft mint colour base.  It’s a fresh take on the naturalist aesthetic and looks super chic.

The swimsuits come in UK dress sizes, and while not cup sized, the bust area does have light foam padding to give a little shaping.  Two gentle plastic side bones add a little rigidity so the fabric stays upright and supports the side of the bust.

On the reverse, the deep scoop leaves the back exposed half way which is both sexy and convenient for sunbathing without intrusive strap lines.

The classic cut of the leg is high, which is ultra flattering round the bottom, but finishes low on the hip to offer a broader shape across the tummy.

The Ponza swimsuit fits me quite well for a 16.  My usual size 14 wasn’t available and I was hoping the 16 would provide more room in the bust area.  This kind of sizing up doesn’t really work.  It’s mostly a decent fit but I do have some excess fabric about the tummy, and frustratingly, not enough bust room.

This is sadly the problem with being bustier and taking the chance with dress sizes as opposed to cup sized wear.  I’m tempted to try removing the foam padding but it looks pretty fixed and damage would occur.  Having said that, the bandeau styling is very forgiving, and it isn’t incredibly obvious that I could do with more space up top.

The halter strap, while a great option provided, isn’t the most reliable and probably not up to holding any kind of a bust up.  The strap is stretchy and comfortable, but it feels like it wants a degree of rigidity.  And where the strap clips into place on either side above the cups is threatening to break away at any point.  These areas definitely need some reinforcement before I trust the swimsuit not to do an exposé on me!

And so…

Acqua and Sale’s Ponza swimwear is quite simply one of the most stunning designs I’ve seen.  The luscious print oozes decadence and wouldn’t look out of place on a luxury cruise.  It’s not particularly a swimsuit for the G plus fuller bust, but it can absolutely be enjoyed by anyone if you just want something that looks sublime while sipping your pina coladas.

You can buy the Acqua & Sale Ponza swimsuit from:

UK Swimwear

How do you find swimwear shopping on the whole?  Do you like dress sized swimwear or do you prefer cup sizes?  Is there a particular style you like to wear most?  Maybe you’re afraid to wear a certain style?  I’d love to hear your thoughts in the comments below.