Suncheeter boosts your confidence through fit. When something fits well, you stop thinking about it and just enjoy the day. Our UPF50+ fabric covers and stays put, sizes run 10 to 22, and a zip or sleeve sits in place - no stretching out of shape ir dragging. If a size is wrong, you exchange it within 30 days, unworn, with labels on.
How our swimwear boosts your confidence
Psychologist Marika Tiggemann, from Flinders University, ran a study with 102 female undergraduates. She asked one group to imagine trying on a swimsuit, and another group to imagine trying on jeans and a sweater. The swimsuit group reported feeling more self conscious and uncomfortable, with worse body feelings and more self-objectification. That result stuck with me.
Years ago I worked as a product developer in the jeans industry. I built a fit system for women's jeans and ran customer research to discover what women found most challenging when buying jeans. Fit turned out to be the single biggest challenge women faced when buying a pair of jeans. I think the same thing is true of swimwear.
If swimwear doesn't fit, you notice it all day, even if nobody else does. Something digs in, or shows more than expected, and that takes your attention away from the beach or the pool. I am designing to build back ease, comfort and confidence.
Not everyone reacts the same way but it shows the trend, the way most people in the group felt when they pictured a swimsuit rather than ordinary clothes.
Our swimwear is designed to offer cover up and confidence. The UPF50+ fabric covers and protects, the stretchy fabric stays in place whether it is wet or dry, the zip at the neck moves with ease even with wet hands. Every small design choice works to make our garments fit well and become easy to wear on the beach. Every pattern is measured, then adjusted again once samples come back, until the fit is right. That takes time, but it's worth it.
Look at two styles side by side. The A line Swim Dress in Hibiscus drapes loosely and does not stick to itself when wet. It gently flares over the tummy and hips.
The Zip Neck Rash Top in Navy has side ties, so you can wear it higher or longer depending on your preference, with a soft gather across the front. Our Leggings feature flat waistbands and a slight compression ensuring they don't bag or sag whether wet or dry.
None of this is about making you look a certain way. It's about the fabric doing its job well enough that you forget it's there.
What UPF50+ fabric actually does
Fit is one part of feeling okay in a swimsuit. The other part is being able to forget about the sun, protected by UPF50+ fabric which is also chlorine resistant, so regular time in the pool does not wear it out the way ordinary swimwear can.
When you swim, our rash tops and swim dresses hold their shape. They don't stretch and go baggy the way ordinary fabric can. Our swim leggings have a slight compression and a firm waistband, and they don't stretch or go baggy, wet or dry.
A rash top or swim dress with a sleeve and a zip that goes right up to the neck covers more skin than a bikini does. Swim leggings cover your legs too, which helps if you're walking the beach or snorkelling. Less skin exposed to sun and wind means less to think about during the day.
Loose, stretched-out fabric can also drag in open water, which matters if you are swimming any distance rather than paddling on the shore. Fabric that keeps its shape, stays light in the water instead of pulling at you with every stroke. That is part of why we test the fit in the pool and not only in a fitting room.
Sizes, mix-and-match and exchanges, in plain terms
We are Australian owned, and every item in the shop is built from the same set of sizes, from size 10 to size 22. That is a deliberate choice, not a marketing line. I am a size 14 and I test the first samples myself. We build each block from that fit and apply it the same way across swim dresses, rash tops and swim leggings. If you are a 14 in a swim dress, you will likely be a 14 in a rash top.
However we all know women's bodies don't fit into a symmetrical format especially as you get older. You can still mix sizes across styles if that suits you better, even our swim crop top and swim briefs are sold separately to accomodate different body sizes. If you're unsure, start, our size guide on the site can help with the numbers.
Once an exchange request comes in, we handle it from Melbourne, not overseas. It usually takes days, not weeks and all it takes is an email to me. Garments exchange within 30 days, returned unworn with the labels still attached.
Frequently asked questions
Does swimwear really change how confident you feel?
A study by Marika Tiggemann at Flinders University found that people who imagined trying on a swimsuit reported worse body feelings and more self-objectification than people who imagined trying on jeans and a sweater.
Why does a swimsuit feel different from other clothing?
In the same study, imagining a change room produced more self-objectification than imagining a public beach, so the swimsuit itself seems to be the trigger, not an audience.
What does UPF50+ mean for this swimwear?
Our fabric is rated UPF50+ and it is also chlorine resistant, so it keeps its shape and coverage through regular time in the pool.
What sizes are available?
Sizes run from 10 to 22, across swim dresses, rash tops and swim leggings.
What happens if a size doesn't work out?
You can exchange it within 30 days, as long as it is unworn and the labels are still attached.
What happens if I can't work out my size?
You can email me at info@suncheeter.com.au and I will help as quickly as I can. The size guide on the site can help too.
References
- Trying on swimsuits really is the worst, study confirms. TODAY. https://www.today.com/health/trying-swimsuits-really-worst-study-confirms-731186
- Imagining trying on swimsuits worsens women's mood, study finds. CBS News. https://www.cbsnews.com/news/imagining-trying-on-swimsuits-worsens-womens-mood-study-finds/
- Sun protective clothing. Cancer Council Australia. https://www.cancer.org.au/cancer-information/causes-and-prevention/sun-safety/be-sunsmart/sun-protective-clothing
