I trust a swimwear label more when its founders know how fabric works, and BOAMAR does not start from a mood board. Alexandra Hoyos and her twin sister worked in Colombia's textile trade before starting their own beachwear label in Medellín, which I think explains why the whole thing feels practical rather than precious.

The brand's story ties swimwear to everyday life, relationships, travel and the wish to collect summer memories (a very good reason to own a swimsuit, honestly). It also puts technical construction right beside comfort and design, so the clothes are meant to support a real day and not only look good next to a pool. That is the point of view I keep coming back to, and by now BOAMAR has found fans well beyond Colombia, in more than ten countries.

Swim is the clearest expression of that focus on construction and on feeling secure in what you chose. The Sophie Bikini Bottom, the Naos Bikini Top and the Naos Bikini Bottom are an easy place to begin a two-piece, while the Saal Bottom and the Page Bottom leave room to pair a separate shape with a top already in the drawer. For a one-piece, the Fibi One Piece Swimsuit, the Love One Piece and the Lorne One Piece make the decision wonderfully direct.

In my fashion dreams, she starts the morning in the Naos set and changes into the Fibi One Piece Swimsuit when she wants to swim without thinking about it. My tip: check the top and bottom fit separately, and move around in both before you pack them.

The travel-minded side of BOAMAR shows in its dresses, which carry a day well past the shoreline. The Verona Dress, the Avalon Dress and the Dasha Dress are the shorter options, while the Ochre Long Dress, the Verona Long Dress and the Lazuli Long Dress are the ones I would think about for a slower afternoon or a dinner after the beach. I went deeper on a related idea in Alexis Dresses: Which Ones Are Worth Buying?. I went deeper on a related idea in AMOR MIA Dresses: What's Worth Your Money.

Picture her pulling the Verona Dress on after a swim, still close enough to the water to hear it, then saving the Lazuli Long Dress for the walk into town. What I would skip is guessing at the fabric from the name alone. Read the garment details and care notes first, especially if the dress has to be worn more than once between washes on a trip.

This small group is a reminder that the BOAMAR point of view reaches past the swimsuit. The Makis Top and the Rauw Top are the way to build a look around a top, and the Tara Mini Skirt brings in a different proportion. The Jlo Top has a name that stands apart from the others, but I would hold it to the same test, which is whether it works with the bottoms and layers already in your suitcase.

Picture her at a late lunch in the Makis Top and the Tara Mini Skirt, then slipping into the Rauw Top when the afternoon turns into a long walk. One practical note: check the product page for fabric and intended styling before treating a swim top as a day top.

BOAMAR makes the most sense to me when I think about the whole day around a swim, not just the minutes in the water. I would start with the shape I know I will actually wear, then add a dress for the walk to lunch or the trip back to town. I would skip a suit chosen only because its color looks beautiful on a screen, since the fit has to feel right sitting, walking and swimming. The best starting point is the piece you can forget about adjusting. Although I suspect the long dresses will end up doing most of the work.