FASHION
More for less: What’s the Deal with Overpriced Swimwear?
By: Lianna Gourmos Edited By: Bella Gallus
With summer approaching, everybody’s on the hunt for the perfect swimsuit. However, a bikini top alone being more expensive than a pair of jeans is definitely a problem. It seems that options are limited to extremely expensive or fast-fashion swimsuits. The overpriced swimsuit phenomenon also contributes to body image culture amongst youth in society. Is paying that much for a piece of cloth really worth it? And what are the hidden consequences of resorting to fast fashion options?
Facing the swimsuit market can be daunting. There are both pros and cons in comfort, price, and design that come with choosing a cute bikini for vacation. In an article for The Cut, two women weigh their opposing opinions on whether it is worth it to purchase an expensive swimsuit. “People spend money lots of different ways to feel less vulnerable, because feeling vulnerable in situations that are supposed to be fun sucks,” says Allison Davis. Davis explains how purchasing the Marlene swimsuit from Malia Mills for a staggering $365 was “an insurance policy on a good, anxiety-free beach-going experience,” as the swimsuit is made from comfortable fabric and flatters the body without unwanted slipping. While comfort is priority for Davis, others don’t think it matters as much. “How many times a year do you wear a bathing suit?” asks Jenn Gann. “You’re not going to wear it that much and when you do, you’re likely hidden in the water or underneath a cover-up.” Gann believes expensive swimwear is therefore unnecessary due to the short-lived swimsuit season. Of course, there are areas of the world in which people sport swimsuits all year round. In this case, perhaps a pricier bikini would be worth adding to one’s collection if they will get more use out of it. But when there are sought-after expensive items, there will always be a market for “dupes.”
When fast-fashion brands copy other brands’ designs, customers suddenly realize that they can get the cute bikini they saw in the storefront for less than $10 on Shein, a global online fast-fashion retailer. Consumers turn to fast fashion sites such as Shein to find trendy yet affordable clothing. Although the cheap swimsuit prices are appealing, Shein’s quality and sizing is unreliable. Still, people who don’t want to pay an absurd price for a bikini they will only wear a few times may turn to the cheapest option. “You do get what you pay for,” says Sabra Krock, the creative director of Everything But Water swimwear. “Inexpensive suits fade faster, pull, pill, and get baggy when wet. A more expensive suit is well worth the investment and, with proper care, will last beautifully for years.” The problem within this truth is that many consumers have come to not care about the quality of their clothing. Today, especially among younger people, aesthetics are prioritized. Everyone scavenges the Internet for the bikinis with the cutest colors and prints, and plenty are available on Shein. Shein’s designs, unfortunately, tend to be stolen from pricier clothing brands, especially their swimsuits. They have the upper hand when it comes to affordability, and are on equal ground regarding their designs. Therefore, teens and young adults purchase more swimsuits from Shein than they need, contributing to the environmental waste that fast fashion causes. Most of the time, these cheap swimsuits don’t even fit right, and are often not returnable. This vicious cycle results in excess amounts of clothing waste and harms the environment as well as the nature of consumerism amongst young adults.
Another harmful consequence of the swimsuit market’s dramatically different products is how swimwear prices and brand labels contribute to body image amongst teens and young adults. A research study at Chapman University shows that most women report more body dissatisfaction directly after seeing media images of bikini models. “Our results show that seeing slender and bikini-clad models had an immediate and direct impact on how women feel about their own bodies – and that impact was mostly negative,” said David A. Frederick, Ph.D, assistant professor of health psychology at Chapman University and lead author on the study. Nearly half the subjects involved in the study reported that they were less interested in wearing a bikini in public after seeing these images. Many people fall into the harmful belief that they should only buy something trendy or of good quality if they look a certain way. Swimsuit models in magazines and advertisements typically have very toned, fit bodies, especially those of high-end swimwear brands, such as Triangl. Meanwhile, Shein’s swimsuit models vary in body type, or the product is not displayed on a model at all. Rheyanne Weaver, EmpowerHER writer for GoodTherapy health blog, says that out of 100 women interviewed for a study, 96% believed that what they wear affects how confident they feel. If people are only seeing one body type modeling higher-quality swimsuits, they may avoid purchasing expensive swimwear because they do not look like the model. This correlation may be a factor in who is purchasing more expensive swimwear and why. In recent years, swimsuit advertisements have certainly become more body-inclusive, but these stereotypical models still have a significant impact on consumer behavior.
So what’s the solution for having to choose between overpriced and excessively cheap bikinis? For starters, there are plenty of things society as a whole can collectively do, including avoiding shopping from fast fashion sites to prevent environmental waste and encouraging companies to incorporate more inclusive body images into high-end swimwear advertisements. This summer, shopping from small businesses, resell sites, and even brands like Hollister and Cotton On, which provide some more affordable options at a great quality, can help alleviate the stark contrast in swimsuit market prices.