We cut our swim bottoms across three distinct constructions. A skirt with an attached brief, a skort with an inner short, and a standalone swim short perform differently in water and on dry land. The difference comes down to the inner layer, total fabric weight, and how the hem moves.
Our swim skirts use an attached four-way stretch brief sewn directly into the wide waistband. The outer skirt falls straight, while the inner brief grips the leg opening with flat elastic. When you climb a pool ladder, the skirt fabric drains water down the legs, and the brief stays anchored in place. It uses one layer of nylon and spandex blend over the seat, which cuts drying time down after you leave the water. The outer shell can float upward slightly when you kick across a lane, but the inner brief maintains coverage at the hips and groin throughout the stroke.
A swim skort replaces the inner brief with an undershort that runs three to five inches down the inner thigh. This gives two continuous layers of fabric over the seat and upper legs. When you sit down on a hot pool deck or a rough wooden bench, the double layer prevents heat and splintering from pressing through to the skin. The legs of the inner short keep the inner thighs from rubbing together when walking along a boardwalk. That extra fabric comes with a trade-off. Two layers of wet poly-spandex hold more water, meaning the skort takes longer to dry completely in the sun.
Our straight swim shorts do away with the outer panel entirely. We cut these with hem lengths from 10 inches up to 20.2 inches, depending on where you want the leg to end. Because there is only one layer of fabric, the garment sheds water fast and moves without shifting panels. If you bend down to chase a toddler through the splash pad, there is no outer hem to flip up or catch on your knees. The flat waistband uses internal elastic that lies flat against the waist. It stays anchored without bunching or rolling down during repetitive motion.
We grade our skorts and shorts in lengths starting at 10 inches for a high-thigh cut and extending to 20.2 inches for coverage near the knee. The longer cuts provide full thigh coverage against hot plastic pool chairs. On a 20.2 inch board short, the leg opening is cut wider than the thigh to allow an unhindered stride when walking. Skorts in the 15 to 17 inch range finish mid thigh on most bodies. When picking a hem number from our size chart, measure from your natural waistline down your outer thigh to see where that specific hem will land on your leg.
If your afternoon involves continuous laps and quick drying on a towel, the brief-lined swim skirt keeps bulk to a minimum. If you plan on walking long distances, bending down often, or spending hours sitting on hot surfaces, the inner short of a skort isolates the skin. The straight swim short offers the most direct utility. It gives you a single layer with zero floating fabric in the water. Look at the waist and hip rows on our chart. Match your measurements to the inner layer type that fits how you move through the day.
Take your waist and hip measurements with a flexible tape before selecting a cut. The inner brief or short determines how the bottom grips your body in the water, while the outer hem determines your exterior length. Check the product specifications for exact hem inches.
The four with the most notes behind them, one per listing.
We list side seam measurements in inches for every swim skirt we cut. Learning how we measure from the top of the waistband down to the hem edge helps you know where the fabric will hit.
Read it →
A tankini top creeps upward when the body panel lacks the vertical length to clear the bust line and anchor over the hip bone.
Read it →
Buying a two piece suit comes down to how your measurements align with our charts. A matched set gives you a coordinated cut in a single order.
Read it →
