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I Tested the TikTok-Famous Swimwear With Special Sizing For Your Butt

Kitty and Vibe Swimwear
Kitty and Vibe Swimwear

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As Jennifer Lopez once asked: What you got? I answer: A big booty. Big, big booty.

Obscure 2014 song reference aside, shopping for swimwear as someone with a larger butt has always been a problem for me. Bikini sets that come in non-mix-and-match sizes were the bane of my swimwear shopping experiences growing up and continued to plague me well into my early twenties. At least until I was introduced to Kitty and Vibe.

This inclusive swimwear brand created its own sizing metric for booties, which focuses on shoppers' inseam measurements for the perfect fit. In addition to offering sizes S to 3XL, customers choose between "1" and "2", depending on their measurements. Smaller booties can opt for "1" to avoid sagging bottoms and bigger booties can opt for "2" for more coverage. Meanwhile, the brand offers up to a size G cup in their bikini tops. The brand recently started to extend sizing up to an H cup and through 5XL on select swimsuit styles and plans to expand through the rest of the collection by the end of the year.

Ruffle String Top
Ruffle String Top

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Shop now: $46-$52, kittyandvibe.com

"I started Kitty and Vibe with no experience in fashion because I felt like women deserved a swim brand that finally made them feel celebrated and not defeated," said Kitty and Vibe's founder Cameron Armstrong. "I wanted to create a brand that felt like a friend and offered opportunities a swim brand had never given before: a new sizing metric for bottoms that actually fit different booties, mood-boosting playlists that came with your order to make the try-on experience better, and polling for product development so the community had a say on what was offered."

The brand, which started in 2018, has rapidly expanded from a small Brooklyn apartment to a massive warehouse to meet demand. The brand went viral on TikTok in January 2021 with a video that has nearly 4 million views and over 400,000 likes. "TikTok has transformed our business. Our first viral video resonated with women all over the globe...and led a quarter of a million people to our website in one weekend," Armstrong said.

Over the past two and a half years, I've tried several different variations of Kitty and Vibe swimsuits. As someone who typically wears a 6/8 dress size, I initially thought a bikini bottom in size M2 would be the perfect fit. However, I've come to realize that my preferred amount of coverage is an L2. That being said, I recommend playing around with a few styles to find your perfect fit.

Cut Out One Piece Kitty and Vibe
Cut Out One Piece Kitty and Vibe

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Shop now: $95, kittyandvibe.com

For tops, I am usually a true 34D, so the D sizing fits me well. I have a preference for the scoop top, which can also be worn as a cute crop top, and the front tie top, which gives me my ideal boob tan. Regardless, double check the sizing guide to make sure your top will fit both your chest size and waist. A close friend of mine purchased a size F swim top, but the tie front was too big around her waist and she ended up returning it.

This unique opportunity to mix-and-match different prints, styles, and sizes to create your own perfect bikini is refreshing. Pair the scoop top with high-waisted bottoms, the front-tie top with side tie bottoms, or even the plunge top with full-coverage bottoms and create the suit that you'll feel most comfortable in. There's even one-piece options which were created based on the feedback of Kitty and Vibe consumers and Instagram users.

Ultimately, Kitty and Vibe is influencing the way we shop for swimwear as consumers. Swimsuits, and other clothing for that matter, shouldn't be one-size-fits-most; instead, they should cater to our bodies and make us feel comfortable in our skin. Kitty and Vibe isn't stopping at swimsuits, either. Armstrong confirmed that the brand will launch pajamas later this year—with booty sizing for all.