Free Shipping on US orders over $150
-
Collections
-
Bikini
- One Pieces
- Cover-Ups
- Men's
- Sale
- MODA GLAM x L'ANIMAL
- Nice Breed
-
The best Fourth of July swimsuit is one you would happily wear again in August. Choose a cut that suits your plans (a bikini for the beach, a one-piece for active pool days), pick a festive color or stripe instead of a full flag print, and check your measurements before you order. The rest of this guide shows how, with styling ideas for both women and men.
A Fourth of July swimsuit is any swimwear that nods to red, white and blue. That can be loud (stars, flags, bold stripes) or quiet (a single red piece, a crisp white bikini, navy trunks).
Style editors tend to group the look into a few moods. SI Swimsuit’s Fourth of July style guide sorts patriotic swimwear into four aesthetics:
You do not need to pick just one. Most people land between two, for example a sporty cut in a nautical stripe. Start with the mood that feels like you, then work out the cut.
Cut matters more than color. A suit that fits and supports you lets you stay in the water, play and sit comfortably through a long afternoon.
A bikini suits tanning, floating, beach walks and relaxed pool days. It is also the easiest way to mix and match: a red top with white bottoms, or a striped top with a solid navy bottom, gives you a patriotic look without a matching set. If you are shopping specifically for bikinis, our bikini collection is the place to start.
Some swimmers also prefer two-piece suits in waters where jellyfish or sea lice are common. U.S. Masters Swimming explains that less fabric across the belly means stinger cells are less likely to get trapped against the skin. If your holiday is on a coast with those critters, keep that in mind.
A one-piece is the better pick for swimming laps, beach volleyball, water games with kids and any day you want to stop thinking about your suit. It is also the easiest way to look put together at a rooftop party or backyard pool gathering, because it works with a pair of shorts or a wrap skirt right away. A red and white striped one-piece looks as celebratory as a full stars-and-stripes set, according to The Pioneer Woman’s 2026 roundup.
Browse our one-piece swimsuits for sculpting fits in classic shapes.
If you do not feel like a bikini or a one-piece, a tankini is a third route. Glamour’s Fourth of July swimsuit guide suggests it for exactly that situation. For men, swim shorts do the same job in a navy, red or pinstriped pattern. Our men’s swim shorts cover that side of the holiday.
| Plan for the day | Cut to consider | Why it works |
|---|---|---|
| Beach lounging and sun | Bikini | Easy to mix colors, minimal coverage, quick to dry |
| Pool games and swimming | One-piece | Stays put through movement |
| Rooftop or backyard party | One-piece or high-waisted bikini | Pairs with shorts or a skirt without extra fuss |
| Family beach day | One-piece or sporty two-piece | Comfortable for chasing kids |
| Boat or lake day | One-piece or well-secured bikini | Less to adjust when you are moving around |
The most recognizable Fourth of July palette is red, white and blue, and The Pioneer Woman notes that most of the season’s best swimsuits follow it. The same piece also makes the point that you do not need all three colors or stars and stripes to be festive.
Here is how to use that in practice.
A practical rule: if you would not wear it on August 15, think twice before buying it for July 4.
A holiday swimsuit often gets ordered a few weeks before the weekend, which leaves little room for a wrong size. A few checks save a lot of trouble.
Both bottoms and tops depend on accurate numbers. Monica Wise, founder of a swimwear label, told Glamour that hip measurements are the most important when shopping for a suit online, because that is where bottoms usually sit. She recommends measuring at the widest part of the hips and around the bum. She also notes that tie-side bottoms are a good choice if you cannot try a suit on in person, since they adjust.
If bust fit is your main worry, our guide to bikinis for a larger bust walks through measuring, trying on and inspecting a suit.
U.S. Masters Swimming advises comparing your measurements with the manufacturer’s size chart rather than assuming you are your usual size. Sizing differs between brands and between styles within one brand.
Swimwear is sometimes sold as final sale. Before you add anything to your cart, read the return terms. The same guidance suggests that ordering a few suits from a retailer with generous returns lets you try options and send back what does not work. Keep the hygiene liner and tags intact while you try a suit on so a return stays possible.
Good Housekeeping suggests looking for adjustable straps, molded cups, built-in bras or hook-and-eye back closures, and doing a few jumping jacks at home to see how the suit holds. For active days it recommends wider straps, higher necklines and a snug fit, and it calls one-pieces best for lap swimming.
Fabric can change the fit once it is wet. U.S. Masters Swimming points out that some suits feel right when dry, then stretch and shift in the water, which is why some swimmers size down for a snugger fit. If you are between sizes, read the product details and the size chart carefully before choosing.
For more on how adjustable designs work, see our guide to adjustable swimwear and fit.
The suit is only half of the look. The rest decides whether it works from the first swim to the evening fireworks.
Keep it simple and add one patriotic accent. A red bikini with a white cover-up, a straw hat and sandals is enough. Pick a cover-up you can throw on after swimming and wear to a beachside lunch. Our cover-ups are made for that move from sand to table, and our step-by-step beach outfit guide shows how to build the whole outfit.
A one-piece in a solid color is the polished choice. Add denim shorts or a wrap skirt, sunglasses and a bucket hat for the girly gingham or Americana look. If you are working out how denim shorts sit over swimwear, these jeans shorts styling ideas offer outfit combinations you can adapt.
This is where a striped suit and a white button-down tied at the waist shine. Choose shoes you can wear on grass, and bring a light layer for when the sun goes down.
Holiday plans often include a fresh manicure. If yours is acrylic, these prep steps for swimming with acrylic nails cover how to keep them intact in the water.
Pair navy or pinstriped swim shorts with a white tee, or go with a red short and a neutral top. Keep the pattern on one piece only. The Entertainment Tonight guide mentions blue pinstriped trunks as a subtle holiday option that stays in rotation afterward.
Here is how the four moods translate into a shopping list.
| Mood | Swimwear | Add |
|---|---|---|
| Sporty | Red or navy string bikini | Striped shorts, baseball cap |
| Girly gingham | Gingham or white two-piece | Denim shorts, bucket hat |
| Americana | Bold red and blue mix | White tank, bucket hat |
| Sweet stripes | Nautical striped one-piece or bikini | Neutral cover-up, flat sandals |
These combinations follow the aesthetics in the SI Swimsuit guide. Pick the row that fits your holiday, then fill in the pieces from your own closet before buying anything new.
We design swimwear with one idea in mind: a swimsuit should still feel right when the holiday is over. That is why we do not think of a Fourth of July suit as a costume.
The pieces we love most for the holiday are the ones with timeless lines. A well-cut one-piece in a deep red, a clean white bikini, a navy swim short. Add a cover-up and a hat and you have the whole look, without a single star.
Detail makes the difference. We care about the cut, the finish and the way a suit sits on the body, because that is what you notice at the beach, not the print. Our collections for women and men, and our collaborations with online fashion influencers, are built on that attention to detail.
Choose the silhouette that makes you feel confident, then let one color do the festive work.
Lital
If you are ready to put your holiday outfit together, start with the cut you will wear most. Our designer swimwear includes bikinis, one-piece swimsuits, cover-ups and men’s swim shorts, all created by Lital Simel-Rhedrick with timeless style in mind.
Browse the bikini collection for mix-and-match tops and bottoms, the one-piece swimsuits for sculpting fits, or head to L’ANIMAL to see every collection in one place.
No. A single red, white or navy piece is enough to read as festive. A red and white striped one-piece looks just as celebratory as a full stars-and-stripes set. Keeping to one or two colors also makes the suit easier to wear again.
Choose by activity. A bikini is great for lounging, sunbathing and mixing colors. A one-piece works best if you plan to swim laps, play pool games or run around with kids, since it tends to stay in place with movement.
Measure your hips at the widest point and your bust, then compare the numbers with the size chart of the brand you are buying. Tie-side bottoms give you extra room to adjust. Read the return terms before you order, since some swimwear is final sale.
Swim shorts in navy, red or a pinstripe are a simple choice. Keep the pattern subtle so the shorts work all summer, and pair them with a white or neutral top.
Order a few weeks ahead if you can. That leaves time to try the suit on, check the fit and make an exchange or return if needed before the holiday weekend.
