How to Fix Saggy Swimsuit Bottoms? (Complete Guide & Easy DIY Tips)

Last Updated on December 12, 2024 by Sarah Keene

Choosing a swimsuit for your body type sometimes feels like a very challenging experience. But then you somehow manage to find a proper-fitting, supportive, and even comfortable bathing suit. However, as time goes by, the bottoms begin to sag. Or maybe you just wound up buying a pretty suit with too large bottoms.

Whatever the scenario, if the common denominator is a pair of saggy bottoms, here’s how to fix saggy swimsuit bottoms.

And here’s one quick tip for women looking for swimwear that sort of balances out their proportions. Go for high-waist bottoms since they add dimension. But choose a ruched-style swimsuit if you’re heavier at the top.

 

 

How To Fix Saggy Swimsuit Bottoms?

Here are 6 tips to fix your saggy swimsuit bottoms:

1. Add Elastic to the Waist

It’s a very simple thing to do. Start by creating a lining to install the elastic band along the waistband of your swimsuit bottoms. Cut the band by a few inches, shorter than the waistline in order to make the band more snug-fitting.

Just don’t make it very tight because you don’t want your swimsuit to feel uncomfortable or even to be see-through.

2. Attach Drawstrings to the Waist

What to do when your bikini bottoms start to sag? Just like the first method of adding an elastic band to the waist, you begin by creating a lining along the waistband of your swimsuit bottoms. But instead of the elastic band, attach drawstrings. So you can tie your bikini bottoms, thus keep them in place.

And just to make the whole thing easier, attach a safety pin at the end of that drawstring.

3. Get Matching Straps

Find a material that matches the one your swimsuit is made of. Attach one piece on one side and the other on the second side of your swimwear. This helps in transforming it into a tie-style bikini.

But, more importantly, it keeps everything in place. At the same time, making your beach look more stylish.

4. Scrunch Up the Bottoms

Now here’s another brilliant idea – scrunching up the bottoms of your bikini. Meaning creating a ruffled design. It’s the most effective and common way of fixing saggy swimwear bottoms. But not many know how to go about it.

So here are the step-by-step instructions.

• Pick a matching thread. Feed it into the needle hole, tie some knots, and then get started.
• You begin halfway down along the backside of your bikini bottoms. This should be the center in terms of the width of your swimsuit. After all, you don’t want your one butt cheek to look smaller or bigger than the other.
• Once in the center, poke the needle through from the inside, so the tail end or knots of the thread don’t show on the outside. And then poke the needle back through the fabric. The distance between the first and second poke being roughly 1 cm. And this gives you the first scrunch.
• Keep scrunching 5-6 times more. Stop once you’re 1.5 inches away from the top. And also keep in mind to avoid pulling too tight during the scrunching part.
• After 5 to 6 scrunches, feed that thread back through the holes. You can repeat this 3-4 times, which keeps the scrunches from falling out.
• Now tie the end with the beginning of the thread and that’s about it.

Watch the video below to get a better picture of how it’s done!

5. Resize the Swimsuit Bottoms

Now this one’s a bit tricky because when not done right, you could turn your swimwear into something unwearable entirely. On that note, a basic understanding of tailoring skills does go a long way here. You have to cut your bikini bottoms and then sew the cut-up pieces back together.

Just to avoid ruining your swimsuit altogether, take proper measurements at least twice before cutting. So you don’t feel the need to replace it in case something goes wrong. Measure your waist, hips, etc. properly. And always leave some room for alteration in the future because weight fluctuations are a part of life.

6. Sew-In the Waist

By far, this is the easiest of all the methods for fixing the saggy bottoms of your swimsuit. All you have to do is fold in the waist section and sew that part to accommodate your waist. Don’t sew too tight as that might lead to the stitching coming undone at a time when it’s just not convenient.

This is a very useful approach for when you even gain some weight in the future.

Can You Alter Swimsuit Bottoms?

Yes! You can fix your saggy swimsuit bottoms!

The material often used for swimsuits is not always easy to work with, right? You can’t re-structure your swimwear, or even make the slightest modifications because of the quality and texture of the fabric. But then that’s just what it looks like.

Once you know HOW to make the changes, it doesn’t take a very long time to bring the size down, adjust the legs, alter a strap, etc.

Here are the most common problems with swimsuits fitting:

Too Big

Sometimes the bathing suit can feel very big in size. And it’s probably because you’ve lost weight. Or because, at the time of buying, there just wasn’t a smaller size available at such a discounted rate. Whatever the case, you now have a swimsuit that looks too big and also unflattering.

So it’s only natural to want to size down. But you can’t shrink the size if your swimwear’s material has stretched out over time. After all, swimsuits losing their elasticity due to wear is only common. So you can’t really make amends when that happens. You just have to go and get a new one.

Her is one helpful video to show you exactly how to proceed and fix a sagging swimsuit bottom that is too big.

Too Small

Agreed that a large swimsuit can feel very uncomfortable and maybe even look a bit off. But the same can be said about one that’s too small. The level of discomfort you have to deal with when the sizing is too small can ruin your experience entirely.

Did you know that swimsuits, more often than not, have a certain amount of integrated seam allowance? So you can indeed loosen this up in order to make a little room for your natural curves.

And if not that, then there’s another option too. Placing strategic panels!

The size of your top and bottom doesn’t match

This is a very frequent problem for women when buying a two-piece suit as a set. It can be very frustrating to find one that fits your body type proportions perfectly.

Too Boring

Many women don’t necessarily want to alter their swimsuit because it’s too big or small. They simply want to add a different life to it altogether. After all, it is boring to wear the same style again and again. You can always buy new swimwear and experiment with different styles. But why not get a little creative with the one you already own!

For example, making high-waist bottoms into low-waist, changing a two-piece into a one-piece, etc.

Why Do Swimsuit Bottoms Get Saggy?

Fabric of poor quality

Even the most attractive swimwear can be of low quality. If a swimsuit contains more than 70% nylon, it will stretch more quickly than others. You can only solve the problem temporarily in this scenario, but the swimsuit will stretch out again over time, making the fabric more transparent. As a result, we recommend just choosing a denser fabric in this case.

Inappropriate use

For surfing and water sports, it is recommended that you wear sports swimsuits. For example, if you wear the same swimsuit or pull your swimsuit too high for different sports, the bottom of the swimsuit will certainly sag.

Furthermore, in some instances (for example, when swimming in a pool), it is preferable to wear an indoor swimsuit. However, you can use the separate one for sunbathing and resting around the outdoor pool. It will wear out much faster if you use the same swimsuit for different activities.

Getting in Shape

This is most likely to occur if you purchased your swimsuit when you were heavier than you are today. Although your shape has shrunk as a result of losing weight or getting in shape, the shape of the swimsuit has not changed. However, on the other hand, you like it so much that you decide to shrink it a bit or tighten the elastic.

How Do I Keep My Swimsuit Bottoms From Sagging?

You can prevent getting saggy bathing suits by doing a few simple things.  Here are some useful tips below.

Tips for Maintaining/Caring For Your Swimsuit Bottoms to Keep Them From Sagging

Know that you can increase the shape-retention capacity of your swimsuit. Do that keeping in mind the following instructions.

• Did you know that tanning products can actually break down swimsuit elasticity? It’s the oil present in tanning formulas that does this.
• It’s in the best interest of the durability of your bikini to wash it right after the swim. Or at least rinse it to get rid of minerals and salt.
• Swimming pool chlorine also affects the stretchability of swimwear, thus making it sag over time.
• Avoid using fabric softeners for washing. And always wash your bathing suit in cold water. If you’re washing it in the machine, which is not as friendly as hand-washing, then use the gentle cycle. Also, don’t forget to place it in the mesh bag.
• Likewise, don’t place the swimsuit in the dryer as this too can wear out the elasticity. Instead, hang it to dry.

Most Common Swimsuit Mistakes Women Make

Purchasing swimsuit bottoms that are too big

When it comes to avoiding a saggy bottom, avoid wearing bottoms that are too big. Many ladies choose a size larger thinking they will avoid bulging.

If that happens to you, know that you are inviting some type of sagging in the swimsuit’s buttocks area. Particularly when exiting the pool. As a matter of fact, it is possible that your bottoms will come off when diving as a result of this.

You should not forget about the stretchiness of swimsuits. Because of that, they expand over time. If your swimsuit bottoms are already too big when you buy them, with time they likely won’t fit you anymore and get more stretched out and increasingly bigger.

Also, when you try on a new wear, walk around in it, and make sure everything stays where it should be, that’s the sign of a well-fitting suit.

Continue to wear an old suit

Yes, we all have a favorite swimsuit that looks great on us and gets us a lot of praises. But, girl, you’ve had that on you for a long time and it’s time to move on!

Women have a strong attachment to their clothes, and we often find it difficult to let go of that one piece. And how will you make room for new clothes if you don’t declutter?

Let’s face it, the design of your old swimwear may be obsolete, the material may be worn out, or worse, it may no longer fit you as well as it once did.

So let go and take a step forward. Get rid of that old swimsuit and you’ll be one step closer to appearing better by purchasing a new one.

Lack of Top support

Although bandeau and triangle bikinis are cute, they are not suitable for women with larger busts.

It doesn’t matter how much you adorable your swim wears, they are useless if they don’t provide enough support or show bikini nipples you don’t want to show! Wide bands and straps that will keep your bottom comfy and lifted, that is what I mean by support.

Look for a halter or underwire style if you really want to feel comfortable in your swimwear.

Purchasing a Single Swimsuit for All Occasions

For all water related activities like surfing, swimming, and sunbathing you indulge in, you shouldn’t buy the same type of swimwear. If you are like many other women who use the same suit for these activities, I implore you to reconsider.

For activities like diving, swimming, and paddle boarding, swimwear that is easy to loose or come off is not an option. Why? Because you don’t want your bikini to untie or your top to come off as soon as you jump into the water, especially if you are going to be paddle boarding, or lap swimming.

Swimsuits with an athletic look are perfect and required for this activity. These are, without a doubt, better fitted to keep you safe and supported while doing athletic activities. They are adorable and provide stability and support in several athletic circumstances.

Being Obsessed with Tan lines

Cutouts and straps are everywhere in swimwear, especially in the colorful, trendy ones. If you’re worried about tan lines, you are definitely enjoying wearing your swimsuit as much as you should. Make things right by bringing an umbrella to the pool or the beach.

Sunscreen lotion is another highly efficient method, you should use a sun protection lotion with a high SPF. To avoid tan lines, use and reapply your sunscreen at least every 60 minutes.

Undermining the One-Piece Swimsuit Style

Frankly, not all one-piece swimsuits appear to be worn out or shabby. Sporty, fashionable, attractive, and even comfy one-piece swimsuit is available from a variety of athletic companies these days.

Buying one-size set of swimsuits

Purchasing a one-size set of swimsuits is a huge mistake that many individuals make. Buying a two-piece set may appear to be a more cost-effective option, but most people are not the same size on top and bottom. This might result in gaping or overstuffed breast cups, a droopy butt, or leg holes that block off circulation.

Of course, it is not appealing, but the solution is to mix and match styles. It’s even possible to mix and match brands! It’s perfectly acceptable to have different patterns or colors for your top and bottom – and it’s sometimes even cuter than a matching set.

Believing that bikinis aren’t attractive on you

If you’ve never worn a bikini before you should consider getting one because they look great on everyone. Consider a high-waisted garment if you’re a conservative dresser who doesn’t want to reveal too much skin. Your pals will adore your new throwback style.

Not trying new appearances

What is the best way to figure out what we enjoy and what looks good on us? By attempting something different!

Experimenting with our appearance is something that most of us avoid or are afraid to do. We are so used to a certain look that we’ve never considered how a different look can completely change our personality. Why keep to the same style when there are so many other styles and alternatives for swimsuits out there.

Conclusion

So there are plenty of ways for you to fix saggy swimwear bottoms. And also so many different tips to keep in mind to keep your swimsuit bottoms from sagging in the first place.

But what you should remember is that the material of bikinis and bathing suits is prone to wearing and stretching out over time. You can indeed take steps to prevent this from happening too soon, but you certainly can’t avoid it altogether. Especially if you hit the pool or beach more frequently!