After living near the beach for nearly half my life, I’m pretty confident in the best beachwear for over 40, plus all the extras I always have with me at the beach or pool.

I wasn’t going to buy another swimsuit this year, until I saw the new colors by Athleta…I mean, I think you’ll agree that I had no choice!

Beachwear For Over 40
Athleta Swim Separates

I’ve waxed poetic about my love for Athleta swimwear and that’s not changing any time soon. I’ve been wearing their swimwear for as long as I can remember.

Like pretty much everyone else, I think trying on swimwear ranks right up there with getting a yearly ObyGyn exam, ha. We as women are WAY too hard on ourselves. It comes from so many external sources, and I’m over it.

I like my swimwear to cover all the bits, be able to move with me, wear well (I tend to keep my suits for many years), and have classic styling. My top picks have held up to salt water, chlorine, and wash well. In fact, they all last so long that I rarely have reason to replace them.

Scoop Bikini (sized up to M) | Cinch bottoms (TTS, S)

The nice thing about Athleta is they fit TTS and have multiple cup sizes which are very accurate in my experience. I tried on several swim tops and they all fit well. Here are a few options that are equally cute, and you can’t go wrong with any of their styles, IMO! See their entire swimwear line here.

One thing I can say about Athleta swimwear is that I feel perfectly confident walking around in public with these on. You don’t have to have a perfect body to wear their stuff!

Scoop Bikini (sized up to M) | Cinch bottoms (TTS, S)

I also bought the Surge Short for when I want to have a little more coverage (slipped over my bikini bottom in these pictures). They have a built-in “underwear” and are as comfortable and stretchy as any bathing suit. I LOVE these. Over the years, I’ve bought three different pairs of their swim shorts and still have and wear all of them. So good.

Scoop Bikini (sized up to M) | Cinch bottoms (TTS, S) | Surge Shorts (TTS, S)

More Favorite Athleta swimwear

Beachwear For Over 40
Robin Piccone Swim Separates

The other swim brand I wear is Robin Piccone.

I adore the Ava Knot Front Tee Bikini Top. I love that it covers up my chest area where I prefer to minimize sun exposure, and it’s so cute! It is well worth the investment.

Bikini Swim Tee (up to M) | Cinch bottoms (TTS, S)

I also have the classic Ava black one-piece, the only one-piece I own and actually love.

Ava black one-piece (sized up to M)

Favorite Robin Piccone swimwear

Beachwear For Over 40
Rash Guards

My other favorite piece is from Lululemon. This is the same rash guard that Rachel wrote about. It’s so good and I’m thrilled it’s back again this year! Normally I find rash guards irritating as they tend to be too tight around the body or neck. This one is designed for a looser fit and it is sheer perfection.

Rash guard (TTS, wearing S)

Beachwear For Over 40
My Favorite Swim Cover-up

I have now had the Robin Piccone Michelle Tunic Cover-up for four years. I LOVE it. It’s comfortable, washes well, and super cute. I’m so glad they are still making it! Such a classic. And it comes in three colors.

White Cover-up (up to M)

Favorite Cover-Ups

Beachwear For Over 40
The Perfect Protective Hat

Next up – hats. Last year I had zero hats. Now I have three! After being diagnosed with Basal Cell Carcinoma this year, I feel the need to protect my face in as many ways as possible.

I recently ordered the Janessa Leone Simone Packable hat and I seriously adore it. I can now see why Rachel has so many hats.

I used to think I hated hats. The issue is my head is a little large. Now that I’ve discovered hats with a variety of sizes, I realize I can actually wear them.

My two current favorite brands are Janessa Leone and Rag & Bone, both in size large.

While my Rag & Bone hat is no longer available, these are my top picks for cute straw hats, including my Janessa Leone Simone Packable hat.

My affordable picks (I’ve tried in-store at Nordstrom) also come in size small, medium, and large.

Beachwear For Over 40
Beach Bag and Waterproof Sandals

My Mar Y Sol bag has been sold out for a while, but they came out with a very similar style that is equally as good. I’ve taken it to the beach countless times and it’s still in perfect condition.

Similar bag here!

Other Affordable Bag Options

I do not like sand messing up my shoes, so these Birkenstock sandals are absolutely my favorite ever. I’ve been wearing these regularly for two years and also leave them outside to take the dogs potty — they still look brand new.

They are unbeatable, and they also made it into our Best Summer Sandals 2022! If something ever happened to them, I’d replace in a heartbeat.

Birkenstock Arizona Essentials (wearing 36)

Beachwear For Over 40
Don’t Forget Good Sunglasses

And don’t forget good sunglasses. I usually prefer polarized sunglasses as my eyes are extra sensitive, but especially at the beach or pool where the glare is just too much for my eyes and leads to headaches! For more information, this article is great – What Are The Benefits of Polarized Lenses?

This will be my fourth summer with these Chanel polarized sunglasses which are the perfect classic pair that look good with everything! More importantly though — just wear good protective sunglasses!!! Our eyes are one of our most important assets.

Chanel sunglasses

I usually recommend going in store to try on sunglasses as they fit everyone so differently. I have a stylist who helps me pick out sunglasses and will be brutally honest with me. If you don’t have that, bring a friend.

We wear our sunglasses more than anything else (for me, multiple times a day) so it’s worth making sure you get something you love.

I hope this helps to make swim shopping a little less daunting. And please always let me know if you have any questions about style or sizing!

x Tammy

Related Articles:
Best Sunscreens For Face…And Everything Else!
Swoon-Worthy SPF Swimwear for Women (You’ll Actually Want)
My Beach Packing List + The Lululemon Swimwear I’m Obsessing Over