Swimsuit Coverups you Can Wear in the Water (2025)

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Sometimes you just want a little extra coverage that you don’t have to take off before going for a refreshing dip. For those times, you may be tempted to sneak into the water wearing your coverup – think twice. Water and coverups don’t always go hand in hand, but don’t worry, there’s a solution:

Swimsuit coverups you can wear in the water generally come in the shape of swimsuits with coverup-like features built into their design. Think along the line of swimdresses, swim skirts, and tankinis that offer all coverage benefits of coverups without sacrificing on style, comfort, modesty, or safety when in the water.

With that said, we know there’s much more to the topic. So, let’s get right to it!

Can you wear a coverup while swimming?

Yes, you can technically wear anything while swimming. But really, you should never need to wear anything other than your swimsuit in the water. Fortunately, there are some swimsuits with coverup-like features that can fully replace your need for wearing a coverup while swimming. This might leave you asking …

Maldives
£49

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Pearl
£49

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Santorini
£49

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Turtle Swimsuit
£40

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Why would anyone want to wear a coverup while swimming?

For some, the thought of having an extra layer of soaked material flapping around their bodies while swimming is an off-putting one. Why would anyone want to feel weighed down while trying to glide through the water? Well, there are a few reasons we can think of, starting with …

Comfort

Some swimmers will simply feel better showing less skin, and that’s completely okay. Others will feel more at ease covering up “imperfections” such as excess fat in the tummy area, love handles, or cellulitis.

Modesty

When we think of modesty at the beach, coverups, in any shape or form, almost always come to mind. The added layer of material can help adherents of certain religions or belief systems to maintain modesty guidelines.

Sun Protection

Some people think that a coverup will be enough to keep their skin safe from any sunny day side effects.

Think again …

Coverups, due to their light and almost transparent material, do not provide sufficient protection from the sun. They offer minimal shielding from the sun’s rays but should never be relied on for total protection.

So, if your only motivation for wearing a coverup while swimming is to keep sun skin damage at bay, we recommend leaving the coverup off and using sunscreen instead.

Stripes 2-Pack Swim Shorts
£59

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Atlantic
£49

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Los Angeles Swim Shorts
£56

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Silver
£49

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The Different Types of Swimsuit Coverups That Can be Used in Water

Swimdresses

A swimdress takes on the role of both a swimsuit and coverup. It’s the perfect two-in-one alternative if you’re uncomfortable exposing your tummy and thigh area. The lengthier swimdress styles are especially helpful when it comes to hiding away cellulitis.

An added benefit of swimdresses is that they often feature built-in shorts. This means you’re guaranteed complete coverage and no risk of malfunction if comfort and modesty are your main concern.

How to choose a swimdress design:

If you want a design that flatters all body types, choose an A-line cut swim dress. These styles hug the body in the mid-section, meaning they hug the waist before flaring out slightly at the hips, creating an hourglass effect that naturally accentuates your curves.

Tankinis

Tankinis are two-piece swimsuits that usually offer extra coverage of the tummy area thanks to their longer design. They’re a favorite among long-torsoed women and also have the added benefit of being easy to take on and off when nature calls.

Perhaps their greatest advantage, however, is that some tankini styles also function as a coverup. There are tankini styles that have more material in the bottom half that extends over the buttocks, hips, and thigh area.

Pearl
£49

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Flamingo swim shorts
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£49

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Turtle Palm – Father and Son
£55

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Maldives
£49

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Swimsuit Coverups to Avoid Wearing in Water

All of Them

Wearing a coverup while swimming is uncomfortable at best and dangerous at worst. Most swimwear coverups aren’t designed to be worn in the water. Their fabric can quickly become water-logged and cling to your body, sometimes limiting your range of movement while slowing you down.

Swimsuits are designed to be semi-permeable, allowing water to smoothly pass through or glide across their surface. Unfortunately, the same can’t be said for the material used in coverups.

So, really, there are two reasons behind a swimsuit’s classic form-fitting design. It’s not only to flatter your figure but also to provide the function of limiting material bundling, which facilitates your movement in the water for safety and comfort.

The bottom line

Swimsuit coverups you can wear in the water are actually just swimsuit’s designed with coverup features! So,leave your coverup for out-of-water hours and step into your coverup swimsuit for swim time! Thanks to swimdresses and tankinis, you can enjoy all the benefits of swimming with the added coverage and comfort of a swimsuit without taking any risks or feeling weighed down.

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