Newport News sells cheap fantasy, as do many of the plus size clothiers who insist upon near-anorexic models. While I don’t buy into the fantasy, I would buy some of these suits under $50.

Beware of linking on MXM fashions website: the loud drum music might scare you or anyone around you when you log on (Could you find some other way to seem hip, MXM? you know, like offering great clothes?) In sizing of 16-24, shoppers can take a gander at a horizontally striped one piece, or sarong [...]

Maximum Woman is like the clearinghouse of plus fashion. If you want to go straight to the best picks, visit them. Also true of their swimwear - take a look at this narrow, but very on-the-pulse, section.

Love Your Peaches has some almost lingerie-like styles, and offers a custom adjustment service. According to their site, “Love Your Peaches swimwear is custom-made with fabric and color choices found nowhere else in Plus Sizes.  Choose your favorite style and your favorite color(s).  Since our swimwear is sold as separates, this allows our customers to [...]

LL Bean has a guide for women looking for a swimsuit that fits their body type. The types remind vaguely of those IQ tests given to children: shapes are qualified as triangle, rectangle, circle, and star. The designs and color choices are OK, but I’m half expecting to see a “square peg round hole” branding [...]

Laraine’s is a strange collection of oddments that happens to include swimsuits. Brands include Delta Burke, Roxanne, and Miraclesuit among others. The navigation is amateurish and difficult, and the suits aren’t groundbreaking. I’m thinking this might be one of those wholesale fronts.

There was a day when I held my breath in anticipation waiting for the Lane Bryant page to load. Now, in fear. The trend continues with the swimwear: while the maillots are okay, the print pieces are very poorly executed. It’s plus women and prints - the prints must be just so, or they just [...]

You know those comments I made about the 1920s look and swimsuits?

Land’s End heard me.

OK, I take what I said about the 20s style back.

If you’re on a tight budget, you’re size 24 or under, and you need a swimsuit right away, Kmart steps up in its usual way: as minimally as possible while still being able to claim it serves the market. That said, there’s a couple of suits that are actually pretty nice looking. Pricing is around [...]

For around $100 you can pick up a Kiyonna one-piece swimsuit. Sizes run up to 24, and colors are limited to brown, black, and blue.  Designs are based on bust shape. Women with wider hips might want to give these designs a pass, but for women more top heavy who treat that as an asset, [...]