BALEAF Racerback Modest Bathing Suit

I didn’t give 5 stars ONLY because it hasn’t been in the water yet, so I haven’t assessed how the suit soaks and ‘drags’ or holds up yet. But it looks excellent and I really would give it 5 stars I’m sure once I’ve swum.

Now…as to sizing and fit…
I’m 5 ft 6.5 inches and approx. 195 lbs (recently ~215, so I wasn’t leaping to fit smaller just yet, in case who knows…). In addition, my fitting issue is that my chest is always an inch bigger than my hips proportionately, while all the women’s sizing charts show the reverse, ie hips a bit bigger than chest measurement. That being said, I was looking for some level of comfortable/sporty chest support and compression in this suit because I want to lap swim, and I don’t need an additional pocket of water between my boobs dragging down my suit, slowing me down, and needing me to yank up and remove said water every lap or so. So, I was happy to roll the dice on a smaller chest size suit for a better swim fit. On a side note, for this purpose, I do wish the neck was cut a bit higher. Please note that it’s a little more scoop-y than sport needs would dictate.

I first ordered the 42, based on the measurements in the bust-waist-hip sizing chart (I’m 45.5-38-44.5) that Baleaf provides in this listing, but the suit felt too big…the crotch fell a little lower, there were a few folds between the boobs, and the thigh openings seem to fall lower than my thigh crease and turn into some sort of boy short thing. I did a little more investigation, and found this other chart that I’m attaching which I dug up somewhere on some reviewer’s site, and boy, was it helpful. It shows sizing by height and weight, rather than by B-W-H measurements, and of course, YMMV but I think it should be taken into account for size. The suit stretches both ways, so some people might use the stretch horizontally if needed, or those with short or long torsos should take this into account as well. I have long legs, hence I needed less stretchy torso length if that makes sense. That’s why the 42 crotch was falling lower for me.

I ordered the 40 and it fit just right. Which, if I had gone strictly by the B-W-H chart, I wouldn’t even have tried (because note that my bust measurement would have been 4″ bigger than the suit size maximum! I didn’t even need to re-try the 42 but I did since I had both in the house, and there was no comparison. I would even say I’m hovering on the edge of 38. Like if I was a competition swimmer getting the classic tight fit, I would be able to go with 38. I’m content to get started with the 40 though. It’s snug enough, but comfortable, easy to get on and off (dry so far haha), but when/if it stretches after some use, I can see it getting less efficient.

I went into this detail because the other reviews helped me so much, and I hope this adds to someone’s insight (or further confusion!)

The cup liners are annoying and have weird folds out of the package, and I may pull them out to lap swim, because I basically do not care if nipple outlines offend lol! But I’ll try them out anyway to start. If they add soggy drag, then they’ll come out. But, otherwise the bust fit is nice, the shelf band hits in the right place, and there is no side spillage.

Overall…I’m very pleased with this suit and look forward to using it, and will come back to Baleaf for more if it works out.

Update: It’s performing great in the water, so I’m changing to 5 stars. I never bothered with the liners and it was fine. There is a little more pouching around the stomach with excess material when wet, but not noticeable at my level of swimming. I am really happy with this suit.

Comfortable, well-made, no ride-up in the rear, flattering. I wish this came in lots of colors.

I love this swimsuit (navy, size L) . I bought it for an aqua exercise class. I wanted strong support in the bust and leg-holes and arm-holes that fit snugly, but comfortably. This BALEAF suit meets these requirements perfectly. And, it looks really good. Modest, stylish one-pieces with good bust support are hard to find. I finally found one!

I started swimming laps in June ’22 and realized I needed a new suit. I first purchased a Speedo with a conservative fit and built in bra. I am 63, 5’1″ and around 115 -117 lbs. I wear a 32 DD bra. I am pretty fit and work out regularly but short and short waisted. The Speedo was perfect and it still fits beautifully but it faded from navy to sort of an ugly blue gray in just a couple of months. It seems to just keep getting worse. The fit is still perfect but it is embarrassing to wear as it faded more at the seams and looks like it will fall apart any second! So I’ve been looking for a replacement. I tried a couple of TYR styles with built in bras but terrible fit with both. I am not a big person but they made me look heavy and they dug in everywhere or would dig in the back and be big in the bottom. I also originally tried Dolphin Aquashape before I purchased the Speedo and they also fit oddly. So now here I am staring at myself in the mirror with the Bayleaf. I really like the fit but it does run big in my opinion. I ordered an x-small (32) and a small (34). I didn’t even need to try on the 34 because I could tell it would be too big all over. The x-small fits well but if it came in a xx-small I would have tried it. It is comfortable but if it stretches a little it is going to be a little on the big side. Comes up nice on the sides of the top so know side spillage around the breasts But there is almost a little too much material. I don’t know if the pads inside will work well but I tried it both ways and I can go without them if they tend to fold over inside the cup. Back fits nicely and is comfortable. Covers the bum. It ain’t sexy but I am swimming laps so who cares! I will try it in the water in the next couple of days and hope it works out. I really hope the color holds. I rinse my suits after every swim with cool water. Fingers crossed! I hope this review helps. It’s long but I know how hard it is for women of a certain age to find a suit that works.

I purchased this swimsuit back in April and have been using it regularly for my swimming sessions. I’m thrilled with how well it’s held up! The quality is exceptional and the fabric is sturdy, providing great coverage in all the right places. I followed the size chart carefully and, although I usually wear medium-sized clothes, I opted for a large which fits me perfectly.

While it doesn’t have tummy control, I’m very pleased with the coverage it offers for my hips and butt. Just like another reviewer mentioned, the hips are barely exposed and it effectively covers the parts of my butt where I have the most cellulite. This has made me feel very comfortable and confident.

I’ve been washing this swimsuit in the machine with cold water, avoiding fabric softeners, and hanging it to dry. Despite this regular use and washing, it still looks fantastic. Normally, I dread shopping for swimsuits, but this online purchase has been a game-changer. I’m so satisfied that I’ve already ordered another one in blue. I only wish they offered more colors in this model!

This swimsuit is perfect for my aqua fit classes and lap swimming. While it might not be my first choice for a beach vacation, it excels in functionality and comfort for pool activities. Highly recommend!

I’m attaching pictures of the swimsuit right after washing it and after two months of use to show how well it holds up.

No, seriously. I have searched high and low for a swimsuit that wasn’t too revealing. This is it. It covers everything I want to to cover. It is really comfy and fits great. The color hasn’t faded and I’ve had it a few months. Is really lightweight and doesn’t drag. The elastic is holding up well. I’ll buy it again when the time comes.

Entalla muy bien, no es escotado cosa que agradezco. Lo recomiendo.