Choosing swimwear online becomes much simpler once you know what to check before you fall for a colour or silhouette. Start with your measurements, notice how much coverage and support you actually want, then read the construction notes on the product page with a practical eye. At Sea Palm, that means using the size guide, paying attention to fit details on each style, and asking Client Care before you order if you want a second opinion.
Begin with the fit you want, not only the size on the label
Swimwear sizing is rarely about a single number. Two women can wear the same nominal size and prefer a completely different fit. One may want a top that sits close and secure for swimming. Another may prefer a softer, more relaxed feel for a resort afternoon.
That is why the first question is not only, "What size am I?" It is, "How do I want this piece to feel on the body?" If you want more hold, you may choose a style with a denser structure or a more anchored shape. If you want something lighter and more expressive, an open crochet or macrame piece may be exactly right, but it still needs to sit comfortably and feel intentional.
Sea Palm's Artwear collection is especially helpful here because the product pages describe whether a piece is open weave, denser in construction, or designed as part of a fuller set.
Take a few measurements before you order
Before opening several tabs and comparing styles, measure yourself once in front of a mirror with a soft tape. Focus on the points that most directly affect swimwear fit:
Bust and underbust
Your bust measurement helps you understand cup coverage, while your underbust helps you judge how the top should anchor. If a bikini top is meant to feel secure, the band area should sit close without pinching or lifting away from the body.
Waist
Your waist matters for both bikini bottoms and sets with skirts or wrap elements. It also helps when you are deciding how high or low you want the bottom to sit.
Hips
Hip measurement gives you a better sense of how much ease you need through the bottom. If you prefer a cleaner fit without constant adjustment, this measurement is worth checking rather than guessing.
Once you have those numbers, compare them with Sea Palm's measurement guide. If you still hesitate, Sea Palm explicitly invites customers to contact the team for personalised fit help, which is especially useful when ordering for travel or pre-ordering a handcrafted piece.
How a bikini top should fit
A bikini top should feel secure enough that you are not adjusting it every few minutes, but not so tight that it distracts from the day. Good fit usually looks quiet. The neckline sits where it should, the underbust feels held, and the straps or ties are doing their job without digging in.
If you are shopping Sea Palm's handcrafted crochet pieces, look at the way the product is constructed rather than assuming every style will feel the same on the body.
The Karakum is described as a dense, close-knit crochet structure, which suggests a more substantial feel than the brand's more open weave Artwear pieces. If you like texture but want a little more visual coverage, that is a useful detail.
The Sahara and Lahbab are both handcrafted crochet bikinis, but the site notes that Lahbab features Sea Palm's richest and densest crochet pattern. That kind of difference matters. It helps you decide whether you want the airier look of openwork or the more grounded feel of denser knotwork.
How bikini bottoms should fit
Bottoms should stay in place when you walk, sit and shift naturally. If a bottom feels as though it is sliding, twisting or cutting in sharply, it is usually the wrong size or the wrong shape for the fit you want.
Think about rise and coverage in real life, not only in a product image. Ask yourself whether you want a piece for swimming, lounging, travelling between pool and lunch, or styling under a skirt or shirt later in the day. The right answer is not always the smallest size you can wear. It is the size that lets the piece sit cleanly and move with ease.
This is one reason a handmade style deserves a little more attention before ordering. Sea Palm pieces are produced in considered quantities, and because swimwear is not returnable for hygiene reasons, it is worth taking the time to choose carefully before checkout.
Use the construction notes on the product page
Sea Palm's product pages give more than mood and imagery. They also tell you how to read a piece.
For crochet and macrame pieces
If you are drawn to open texture, the Mojave is described as a handcrafted macrame bikini whose construction moulds to the body and creates shadow and depth as you move. That tells you the fit experience is part of the design. You are choosing something expressive, shaped by hand, and meant to sit differently from a flat machine-made fabric.
For fuller coverage through styling
If you want a ready-made answer to coverage without losing the impact of crochet, the Thar Set includes a handcrafted bikini and matching midi skirt. For some customers, that solves the sizing conversation in a practical way. You still choose the bikini fit carefully, but the complete look gives you an easy transition from the shoreline to lunch or the terrace.
If you are already exploring how these pieces move beyond the water, Sea Palm's earlier Journal article, How to Style Crochet Swimwear Beyond the Beach, is a useful companion read.
What to do if you are between sizes
If you fall between sizes, do not force a decision based only on habit. Instead, ask which part of the fit matters more in that specific piece.
If bust support is the priority, look closely at the top construction and speak to Client Care. If bottom comfort is your main concern, use your hip measurement and think about how you want the piece to sit after a full day in the sun.
Sea Palm also notes on several product pages that some sizes are available now while others are on pre-order. If you are buying for a specific trip, combine your sizing decision with the brand's worldwide shipping information. Orders are dispatched from Dubai, and the timing varies by destination, so fit questions are best resolved before you place a time-sensitive order.
Care matters to fit, too
Good fit is not only about what arrives on day one. It is also about how the piece keeps its shape. Sea Palm's care guidance recommends rinsing swimwear after use, hand washing in cold water with a gentle detergent, laying it flat to dry in the shade, and avoiding bleach, fabric softeners, dryers and twisting. Those small habits help preserve elasticity, colour and shape over time.
This matters even more with handcrafted styles, where texture and structure are central to the piece. If you buy carefully and care for the garment thoughtfully, the fit stays closer to what you loved when you first tried it on.
Order with more confidence
The best online swimwear purchase usually comes from a calm process rather than a rushed one. Measure once. Read the product page closely. Notice whether you want openness or more structure. Use the size guide, the returns policy, and Client Care before you commit, especially when choosing handcrafted swimwear that is meant to feel personal.
If you are ready to find your piece, explore Sea Palm's handcrafted swimwear and resortwear and choose the style that feels right for the way you actually want to move, travel and spend time under the sun.
