Chicwish Swimwear Review: Know BEFORE You Buy

Planning a winter getaway, looking ahead to summer? If you’re on the hunt for affordable statement swimwear, you’ve come to the right place! In this post, I’ll share insight on one of my favorite places to score eye-catching, artful swimsuits… and we’ll talk about the pitfalls. Chicwish swimwear is amazing. However, there are some caveats you need to know BEFORE placing your order. This Chicwish swimwear review will cover those in detail, along with sizing, quality, and shipping info.

To begin, I want to point out that I’m not basing this Chicwish swimwear review upon a single swimsuit (that wouldn’t give me enough information to adequately judge the quality or sizing).  Rather, I have six swimsuits from this retailer –  yes 6 of them! That’s a hint toward my overall conclusion about this retailer. But, let’s dive into the evidence first…

Lemon Print Two-Piece ($20.93) | Note: Back coverage is a bit cheeky on this one

Is it Legit? Chicwish Swimwear

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What is Chicwish?

Chances are if you are reading this Chicwish swimwear review, you may have stumbled upon Chicwish via social media. The international company has a heavy social media presence and is very active on Pinterest, Instagram, and Facebook. But before you go lumping Chicwish in with the likes of SHEIN (read my review on that company here), I want to point out that this particular retailer is a step above. I would compare it’s quality to ZARA or the higher priced items at H&M.

Chicwish caters to women who have an especially feminine or vintage aesthetic, as well as those who love classic elegance. Sound familiar? Yeah, that’s totally my vibe! I appreciate that the brand offers some really unique items, the types of girly pieces I won’t find anywhere else. You can read my review of Chicwish’s clothing here.

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A post shared by Lindsay Veremis (@anchoredinelegance)

 

Let’s Talk Swimwear – Chicwish Swimwear Review

The Pros

• Really Affordable Pricing

Aside from its femininity, the appeal of Chicwish is often the price. This is especially the case with its swimwear! You can nab incredible styles (and amazing construction) for under $25!

In fact, I’m still trying to figure out how exactly the brand is able to sell a suit like the one I’m wearing above for less than $21… At this price point, I would expect a sacrifice in fabrication. Perhaps scratchy materials or cups that are unlined/unpadded, uneven hems, etc. Instead, Chicwish offers high quality construction, plus a lot of attention to detail – padded cups, double layering, etc.

• Uniquely Dramatic Styles

To me, this is the main benefit of shopping Chicwish swimwear. The brand is super inventive with its styles – see a few of them below. They are the kind of pieces you’d expect at a specialty boutique – dramatic ruffles, architectural twists and details, edgy one pieces, even mommy and me styles. It also leans toward the elegant side, with plenty of vintage-inspired pieces that offer a retro feel.

• Wide Range of Coverage Options

Best of all, it carries a range of coverage options. Message to brands: cheeky styles may be popular right now, but some of us are the hunt for modest coverage too! Whether you favor a higher cut leg/backside or prefer full coverage high-waisted styles, you can find it on Chicwish.

• High quality fabrics/construction

I’ve been pleasantly surprised by the quality of Chicwish’s fabrics. They feel thick and supportive.  This black number is a great example of that.  It almost felt like a shapewear garment. In fact, the top is so beautifully made, I also use it as a bodysuit. When I study the construction of these swimsuits, I would expect a much higher price tag. They are just as nice as swimsuits I’ve paid $100 for!

Black V-Neck Ruffled Swimsuit ($36) | Flowy Maxi Skirt ($47)

The Cons

• Sizing runs small

If you take away anything from this Chicwish swimwear review, this is my most important point: Chicwish swimsuits run significantly smaller than most brands (petite gals you’ll love this brand). Do not simply order your normal size, you must read the sizing guidelines! Moreover, you should be reading them for each individual item. While they are 100 percent accurate, they are not consistent from suit to suit.

I got lazy with this on my last order — and it came back to bite me. I checked the size guide for two of the four suits I ordered and found the measurements were the same. Then, I incorrectly assumed those measurements would be consistent for the orange suit below. No such luck. I had been ordering a medium in Chicwish suits (typically a perfect fit for my 33-26-36 measurements).

However, sizing for the zippered orange style was more like what you’d find in a traditional department store. As a result, the suit was pretty large on me… and it was completely my fault. I went back to look at the sizing guide and the measurements were right there. If I had simply read them, I would have another perfect fit.

Moral of the story? Read the size guides and you’ll be fine.

• Some styles only run up to size L

Chicwish swimwear definitely caters to the petite crowd. A lot of the swimsuits are only available in small, medium, or large. There are a few styles that offer an XL option (like this orange number), but those are the rarity. If you are curvy or have measurements larger than 36-30-39 you might find Chicwish swimwear a challenge.

• Cup padding is pretty thick

This is a rather subjective opinion, but I feel like the cup padding is a bit much in some Chicwish swimwear styles. I ended up removing it in the swimsuits I own that have twisted, architectural details at the bust line (this $21 stunner is an example of that). I have a rather large rib cage, so combining that with thick cup padding felt a bit confining. However, some of you may actually appreciate this feature!

Other Chicwish Swimwear FAQS

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Can you shop Chicwish on Amazon?

Yes, but the selection is more limited and you will not find any Chicwish swimwear there. Chicwish’s Amazon site offers outerwear (sweaters and coats) but no swimsuits. Amazon is a great way to test out the brand and get super fast delivery. However, if you want the brand’s full selection – and the ability to use the coupon codes it regularly shares on its website and social media – you’ll need to go to the main website.

CLICK HERE to browse Chicwish on Amazon

Ruffle Bikini ($36) 

What’s the shipping time like? Return policy?

So this is an area where Chicwish recently made a big improvement! As of September, 2021 the brand started offering U.S. customers free returns (less the $8 shipping label cost). You need to have the original tags on the item and you must return it within 30 days from the date your order shipped to you. Shipping time varies. Sometimes I’ve received my items super quick (in less than a week). On other occasions, it has taken the full two weeks. To be on the safe side, I would plan on your order arriving within 8-12 business days.

Can you share what size you order in Chicwish swimwear?

You bet! Normally, I am a size small in swimwear – that is NOT the case with Chicwish. In almost all of their swimsuits, I need a medium – rather than my traditional size. The tops are significantly smaller than what you would find in department store sizing. Make sure you read those size guidelines carefully! I’m 4’11 and about 112 lbs – curvier on the bottom than the top.

Happy shopping!