I keep thinking about how rarely swimwear is designed for a body that has been through something, and POST SWIM is the label that made me stop and look. Lauren Yerkes spent years in fashion, and after her breast cancer treatment she found that the suits she knew no longer suited her changed body. So she made the ones she wanted to find, in California, with surgeries of every kind in mind: mastectomies, lumpectomies, hysterectomies, C-sections. I went deeper on a related idea in Eres Swimwear: Paris Swim and Lingerie Without the Fuss.

She launched the line on April 7, 2025, three years after her diagnosis, a date she chose to mark a new beginning. What moves me is that the choice stays with the wearer. Her Our Story page lays out the gap she wanted to close, and the clothes never feel clinical. A suit can offer privacy when she wants it, or let her decide what to share, on her own time.

The bikini pieces are where I would start, because you can mix them like a wardrobe. The Lily Bikini Bottom and the Ashley Bikini Bottom are the print options, and the Rose Classic Bikini Bottom is the quieter one, for when you would rather let the top do the talking. I would pair any of them with the Leslie or Livie tops, and the X The Chemo Club Lolo Halter Bikini Top is the one I would pick for a bit of fun.

Then the one-pieces. The Jessica One Piece and the Bonnie Contrast One Piece give you more coverage in a single, clean shape, and the Lynn Tankini Top is the layer-friendly route. Picture her walking down to the water in the Jessica One Piece, feeling entirely herself. My practical tip: decide which kind of coverage matters most to you first, since every body and every scar is different.

The rashguards and shorts take the same coverage-first thinking a little further. The Melanie Longline Rashguard and the Melanie Contrast Rashguard are the long-sleeve pair, and the X The Chemo Club Melanie Rashguard is the playful one, in a stripe that looks like it has a sense of humor. For the bottom half I like the Jill Swim Short and the Sophie Contrast Short, which look made for moving around rather than lying very still.

The Lisa Swim Skirt is the soft, easy option, and the X The Chemo Club Jill Boy Short and X The Chemo Club Head Scarf carry the same collaboration across the rest of the set. Picture her going from a swim to a long walk along the shore in the Melanie Longline Rashguard and Jill Swim Short. My note: choose the sleeves for the sun cover you want, then think about the bottom separately.

The separates are where I would really spend time, because they answer one question in many ways. The question is what I feel like wearing into the water today. The Zoey Bikini Top and the Joyce Bandeau Bikini Top are two very different starting points, and the Jen Top and Kim Top add more shapes to build around. The Mariella Bottom, Mary Bottom and Tam Bottom let you change the bottom half without redoing the whole decision.

Then three one-pieces: the Lauren One Piece, the Judy One Piece and the Ro One Piece. They are for the days you want one clean piece instead of a top and bottom, and they slip under a loose shirt for the walk to lunch.

What I would skip: bringing all three one-pieces on a short trip. One is plenty when the separates already give you room to change the mood. I would rather leave space in the bag for the suit I reach for twice.

Once the suit is chosen, I think about the stretch of time around the swim: the walk to the water, a pause in the sun, the trip back for lunch. A wrap is the easiest answer. The Summer Chintz Sarong and the Kaia Sarong are light and easy, and the Aminta Midi Sarong and Soleil Sarong are a little more dressed. The Antibes Pareo and Silk Cotton Pareo give two more ways to tie a length of fabric, and the Solar Bliss Enjolia Cover Up is the one for when you want a proper cover-up. The Willa Sarong and Lori Maxi Sarong round out short and long.

For accessories I would keep it simple. The Sculptor Sunglasses, Hazel Sunglasses or The Jody Sunglasses go with almost anything, and the Isla Hat adds a brim when you want shade. Tie a sarong at the waist before you leave the beach, then loosen it for air. What I would skip: carrying several wraps at once. One sarong and one accessory are plenty, and I like changing how a suit feels with a single layer instead of building a whole second outfit.

What I keep coming back to is the freedom to decide what a suit says. POST SWIM came from a gap its founder felt herself, and the clothes give more control over coverage without losing color or personality. A Quiet Leopard bikini bottom for someone ready to show more, a rashguard or swim skirt for someone who wants more cover, and both feel equally right. Start with the piece that meets your body where it is today. Although, honestly, the water has never asked for a dress code.