A tankini top creeps upward when the body panel lacks the vertical length to clear the bust line and anchor over the hip bone. We cut our swim tops between 23.6 and 26.2 inches from high point shoulder to hem to prevent that upward pull during movement.
When you raise both arms, the front panel of any top lifts by two to four inches. If the hem rests at the natural waist, that movement pulls the lower edge into the narrowest hollow of the ribs. It catches there. A top needs sufficient vertical length to clear the full curve of the bust and extend past the high hip bone. Our patterns allocate extra length through the front body so the fabric has room to travel up and drop back down on its own without bunching around the midsection.
Take a soft tape measure and set the zero mark at the high point of your shoulder, right next to the neck seam. Let the tape run flat across the fullest point of the bust and down to where you want the fabric to end. Do not pull the tape tight against the rib cage. Note the total inches. If your drop measures 24 inches, a standard fashion tankini cut at 20 inches will sit above your swim skirt waistband. Matching your tape number to our finished garment length keeps the hem where you want it.
We grade the center back and side seams as sizes increase. Our tankini tops measure 23.6 inches from shoulder to hem in the smallest size and run up to 26.2 inches in the largest size. This progression accounts for bust depth taking up vertical fabric. A larger cup size consumes pattern length in the front panel. Adding hem drop across the size run keeps the bottom opening flat across the upper thighs instead of riding into a curve. ANFILIA tops use the same vertical grade across their size range.
The shoulder straps must hold the bust cup in place so the lower body of the shirt does not carry the weight. We use wide adjustable straps with coated metal sliders. Adjusting the straps shortens the bridge between shoulder and bust apex. Inside the chest band, we place soft foam cups in dedicated fabric pockets. You can pull them through the side slits to wash them or leave them in for shape. When the chest stays anchored, the body panel hangs loose and moves freely in the water.
Bodies rarely match the same size chart for bust and hips. A person who wears an extra large top might need a medium bottom to keep the waist snug. Buying a separate top lets you match the chest measurement directly to the bust chart without worrying about leg openings or waistband tension. You can pair our longer tops with an eight inch high waist brief or an eighteen inch swim skirt. The hem sits flat across the skirt waistband, keeping the midriff covered when you swim.
Use the shoulder to hem number from your tape measure against our size chart. Pick the size that fits your bust circumference first. The added body length covers the waistband of your skirt or shorts so the top stays in position when you swim.
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.
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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.
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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.
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