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Over the past few weeks I took the challenge of embarking on an epic hunt for the perfect one-piece maillot swimsuit that is stylish, bold, and sassy, yet somewhat modest, without being matronly or dipping too heavily into my meager accumulation of funds.

Now you understand what I mean by “epic hunt.”

Some of my favorites, style and color wise, came from fancy designers and were priced at upwards up $250 – which, let’s be honest, is just asinine for 1/4 yard of spandex, no matter how adorable it is. And the more reasonably priced maillots just didn’t fit as nicely, weren’t made as well, or weren’t quite unique enough for my tastes. Fortunately, women’s one-pieces have gotten much more attractive and appealing these past few years, so the options weren’t quite as horrifying, nor the search quite as harrowing, as I’d imagined. One-pieces are back in style! I still like tasteful and playful bikinis when among family and friends, but since I’ll be working and potentially splashing in the lake/pool with high schoolers at a professional fine arts camp this summer, I’d feel more comfortable and appropriate donning a one-piece around them instead.

In swimwear, I prefer brighter color choices, unique silhouettes, a standout detail or two, and a fun, slightly skin bearing back (it is a swimsuit after all!). So, throughout the past month I ordered over a dozen of my top pick swimsuits to try on (and return!) and researched hundreds more online.

Below are the winners for this season’s maillots. They were selected based on quality, fit, price, color, style, and general attractiveness.

First place:

Caspian Paisley Bandeau Tank from J. Crew, $98.

This suit was inspired by Moroccan tiles, which I think is lovely and refreshing, and the colors are much greener and more vibrant in person (they also complement a green-eyed, gold-complexioned, honey brunette perfectly… ;-), which, obviously, is one of the reasons why I chose the suit). Though I think the colors of are universally flattering and would look good on pretty much anyone. The pattern is unexpected and fun. The suit is slimming, figure flattering, comfortable, supportive, high quality, modest yet still very attractive, practical for swimming, sunning, and water sports, and worth its price tag. Plus J. Crew offers free shipping and free returns on all swimwear  for risk free try-ons – a big bonus in my book. Unfortunately, I don’t think the model does this swimsuit justice, as it looked a million times more awesome than the picture displays and it is a great option for curvy ladies. A definite winner because it scored an “A” in all categories.

Second Place:

St. Augustine maillot by Minkpink for Anthropologie, $106.

This suit is AMAZING! I will be the first to admit that the pattern is a little funky, and you look at the suit and kind of think “Huh…this could either be really cute or really, really ugly.” I went back and forth on it while browsing online, trying to decide if it would be beautiful or hideous, but I eventually bought it to try on because I couldn’t stop thinking about it! Something about it really struck a chord with me. It’s like a piece of fine art work. Luckily, it’s really cute…much cuter in person! It’s a beautiful seafoam color with pretty, rich detailing and, again, the coloring looks phenomenal on someone with golden undertones and brown hair. The back of the suit is really special and eye-catching. It marches right on the fine line between modest and sexy. It fits well, covers everything it should while still being attractive, is comfortable, and quite figure-flattering. This was absolutely my first choice suit, until I read the label and saw the words “avoid contact with sunscreen and other lotions.” Cue screeching halt on my perfect swimsuit daydream. Please forgive me, but it’s a SWIMSUIT. A $106 swimsuit (now on sale for $60!) and you want me to keep it away from sunscreen? If I didn’t love it so much, I would return it immediately for being so stupidly impractical. And, of course, now I’m curious – what is sunscreen going to do to it? Bleach it, erode it, or do absolutely nothing and it’s just one of those silly warnings they have to plaster on stuff nowadays? Regardless, this suit is completely worth a try-on, especially at the sale price, because it really is completely stunning in person.

Third Place:

Jersey Lomellina Asymmetrical Blouson Tank for J. Crew, $118.

This swimsuit is great if you’re looking for something a little different. It comes in four earthy colors, is incredibly comfortable, and the fitted-on-the-bottom, loose-up-top, one-shoulder look is both modern, classic, and extremely flattering! The material is so soft and silky! The support of the suit, as well as its quality, is just excellent. In general, I found that all of J. crew’s suits (and I ordered at least 6 of them to try on – both one-pieces and bikinis) are really well made and have a wonderful fit. If I had to choose just one brand of swimwear based on style and quality this summer, I’d steer you toward J. Crew. They have a huge variety of bikinis, one-pieces, solids, patterns, earthy tones, and brights.

Honorable Mention:

Athleta Shirrendipity One-Piece, $69.

This one-piece comes in a slew of great solid colors – everything from brights to earth tones – and is a real bargain. I loved the understated simplicity of a solid colored suit with an eye-catching back and a great silhouette that speaks for itself. It can be sporty (Athleta is a fitness brand), playful, or sexy. It’s fully lined as well, which is nice. What impressed me the most was how high quality this suit was. It was full of all these genius little details that you’ve secretly always wished swimsuit designers would include in their designs. Though J. Crew suits are a close second, this suit was the most well made. However, the V-neck was a little plungier than I was looking for (not inappropriate, just not what I was after this summer) and the torso runs a little short on it, even for someone who’s only 5’4″ with a short torso to begin with. Luckily, it is available in tall sizes, so don’t let that stop you from ordering. And the bright green is super fun!

Honorable Mention:

Lauren by Ralph Lauren Kashmir Paisley One-Piece, $98.

This maillot is great! The colors are brighter in person, but I found the one-shoulder, lower-back, cross strap, front ruching, and paisley print to be really flattering and unique looking. It was comfortable to wear, fits well, and is lined. I do think the suit would do a little better on someone slightly taller than 5’4″ because the strap is not adjustable and was just a little loose on me. But if you’re looking for something playful with a trendy silhouette, I’d point you in this direction.

What do you think?

Happy Swimming!