Shopping for Swimwear in SA

When I moved back to SA 2 years ago, one of the things I had failed to stock up on whiel abroad was swimwear. I remember looking around for new swimwear here in Cape Town and was shocked at the prices. I then opted to wait for the sales or when the outdated stock was sent off to the outlets. I don’t think I was the only one who felt this way. So I did a recent poll on Instagram to see what you all had to say.

For those who follow me on my socials know that the beach is my top favourite spot in summer and a preferred destination for my definition of a holiday. The fun part is also swimwear! My ever-growing collection of swimwear grows every year as does my taking on new water sports to beat the heat down here in SA!

How much will South African women pay for swimwear?

My personal budget or limit to spend on swimwear is R400. I recently did a poll on Instagram and Twitter asking what women are willing to spend on for swimwear here in SA. The poll was:

Below R500 vs Over R500

92% of you said under R 500 with just 8% said over R 500. For those willing to spend over R500 all commented said it was on condition the fit was perfect especially for bigger bust areas. This is interesting as big busted women in South Africa constitute a large part of our fashion market, and I know most of those customers are not prepared to pay over R 1000 for a swimsuit. After all, it’s not like we all get to live right by the beach. My friend told me Storm in a G Cup sells the best swimsuits for bigger busted girls, but they are a bit pricey.

Where to shop smart for swimwear in Cape Town

When I was looking for swimwear 2 years ago I gave up on finding anything in Cape Town and bought one online on yesstyle.com instead. The swimsuit plus the delivery costs were still came under R 300 in total, it was a bit nerve-wrecking as I couldn’t try it on. Luckily, it fitted perfectly and I still love it.

Eventually, I learnt how to shop smart for my swimwear here in Cape Town. So here’s a list of where I have found some cute swimwear pieces for under R 500 for this summer 2019/2020.

The Cotton On Outlet

Located in the Southern Suburbs in Kenilworth, the Cotton On Outlet gives you real value for your buck with most items under R 200 here. I really wanted this white swimsuit but the retail price was going for R 600! I waited until the end of the year to find it down to R 200. I have bought many other pieces here since. The only downside is the availability of sizes. Here are some of the cute pieces I scored do far:

This was a surprise bargain but I scored a cute little striped one piece for under R200.

This season’s swimwear collection for 2019/2020 is actually really cool. Tropical prints ruffles and animal print bikinis and one-pieces are all under R400. I think that’s pretty good seeing as they are really nice stuff here.

My blogger friend Nadine from Livingitupct.com also said there an outlet called Beaches in Maitland which sells Woolworths swimwear. Pieces are said to go for R200 or less here. I’ve done my swimwear shop for the season, but I DO need to check this spot out soon.

What are you prepared to pay for swimwear in SA or anywhere else in the world? Feel free to share your tips.