As a gay and trans person who both A.) loves swimming and B.) lives in a somewhat rural and conservative area, swimsuit shopping is not easy feat. Everyone is bringing their own baggage to swimwear, cis and trans, gay and straight alike, but I'm not letting anything stop me from spending as much of the summer in the water as I can.
Even if you have yet to take a dip this summer, there's still plenty of time to get in the water. Or, if you're just looking for something to lounge in on dry land while looking real, real good, that's a perfectly fine option too (only if you're willing to watch your friends do flips and tricks when they ask you to). Between these 10 LGBTQ+ swimwear brands, you're sure to find at least one suit to feel sexy and confident in.
Because baby, its hot gay summer!
Courtesy of the author
Of all my many swimsuits, the Ruxwood BRIEF 01 ($69.95) has been my #1 go to swimsuit for the past two years (as seen above). It's versatile, and provides high-wasited full coverage while still being incredibly sexy. It's been a great fit for sunning by the lake on Gay Beach Days and for playing with my kids at the pool. I'm also a fan of the huge fan of Ruxwood's four color options. While bright pinks and oranges are the safest option for swimwear in terms of visibility in the water, the "Sienna" colorway suits my autumn sensibilities, and is a breath of fresh air as a swimmer that does not look great in neons. Their sizing runs from XS (25"-26") to XXL (41"-46"), and I (44" at the true waist) could have comfortably sized down. 10/10 would absolutely buy again.
For something significantly less subtle, there's Nasty Pig. Nasty Pig is a gay underwear brand that's popular for their- frankly and affectionately- slutty men's underwear. They're called Nasty Pig, what else would you expect? They also make swimsuits that are just as tantalizing. You could opt for one of their barely there swim thongs for the broadest tan, or these popper-print briefs if you really want to feel the rush. If you're looking to serve less "gay dad" and more "gay daddy", this is an excellent option.
Chromat has been the gold standard in queer swim since launching in 2010. Their suits are sleek, structural, and innovative, with designs inspired by founder Becca McCharen-Tran's past work in architecture. They're also not just size and trans inclusive, but size and trans forward, especially their collaboration with trans artist Tourmaline. While it does front a steeper price tag than most other swim brands, a Chromat swim suit is well worth the investment.
I find Beefcake Swimwear intensely charming. When challenged to design more gender-neutral masculine leaning swimwear, I find a lot of brands fall flat. Not Beefcake though. Their retro inspired, gender-neutral, single piece swim suits ($99.00) have a very clear voice and visual style that breaks away from a lot of the other romper/singlet style suits. They come in a variety of unique patterns, and sizing runs from XS to 5X. Beefcake seems to have an innate understanding that when I see a hot butch at the beach, I'm already ogling at them as if they were an early 1900s strongman anyway, so let's just put them in the attire anyway!
Bear Skn's underwear and swim designs are crafted specifically for bigger bodies. Which as a big guy who likes big guys is great news. Their swimwear comes in three different cuts: briefs ($44.53), a shorter swim short named the "vers bottom" ($55.33), and traditional swim trunks ($59.50). Between their extended sizing (S-6X) and their current "2 for $79" swimwear sale, you can't go wrong with Bear Skn.
I have nothing but good things to say about Kitty and Vibe. They make fun patterns, carry an array of cute cuts, and are WAP inclusive. "WAP" this time being short for "wide ass p*ssy." When looking for swim briefs, I personally want a gusset that is pretty full coverage, even in a French cut/high leg style. It's is not easy to find! Kitty and Vibe size all their suits (XS-6X) based on the size of your butt, and how much coverage you're looking for, which I love. They also make an excruciatingly cute tankini ($68.00) that does not at all feel reminiscent of being a fat middle schooler buying an ugly tankini at the Kohl's because you can't find anything else. Their pride colab with Hayley Kiyoko is stunning, and I would absolutely buy one before they're gone.
Kaftko is another fat and queer centric brand I've been obsessed with for a long while. I have restock alerts set for four different designs. They have two different cuts of both their briefs ($62.00-$72.00, XS-3X) and shorts ($74.00-$85.00, XS-3X), but the real seller is that all of the patterns for their swimwear also come in matching kaftans ($110.00-$120.00). Just because I'm swimming in a lake in landlocked Idaho does not mean I can't live my Palm Springs fantasy.
I have been a fan of Rebirth Garments since I first found the brand as a 14-year-old on tumblr. Their swim line, like all their garments, are made to order and made to measure, making it one of the most size inclusive brands around. Rebirth Garments' mission is "create gender non-conforming wearables and accessories for queer and trans disabled folks of all sizes and ages," with all their work going to embody that ethos. Their designs are also incredibly innovative and fashion forward. Aesthetically and politicly, there are few better places to by a swimsuit than from Rebirth Garments.
Marek + Richard combines my desire to be a hot gay man with my love of novelty bumper stickers. If you're unafraid to rock a real honest-to-goodness banana hammock, or love getting straight to the point, this is the brand for you. Maybe you'd like some briefs to match your song of the summer? Their sizing is hit or miss. Most items run from S-XL, but they're a super fun option for the twink and twink-adjacent community.
Yer Won is a London-based shop run off of Etsy that brings a real sense of whimsy to dressing for a dip in the pool. Their striped catsuit ($120.24) with the matching swim cap ($53.44) brings a real "Grey Gardens chic" sort of vibe that I- and apparently Bowen Yang and Joel Kim-Booster- really dig. Sizing runs from S-XL, but custom orders are available. If you're trying to be at the beach at 6, but you need to get to your shift as court jester at 7, this is the way to go.
