Feature: The Cyd Top

The challenge: Make a simple swim top that works for the most busts possible.
The variables: cup sizes, band sizes, and support demands (plus the coverage question). 

Over the past 9 years a lot of things have changed, including our bodies. On a very personal level, we know what it’s like for bodies to fluctuate and change; the natural ebb and flow of being human. Our goals for our swimwear line have always been: 1. For your swimsuit to make you feel comfortable and 2. For it to feel like it was custom made. In this vein, we try to maximize versatility and adjustability, and the Cyd top has been a years long journey in this. 

When we first designed the Cyd top in 2016, the intention was a surfwear inspired top that also worked for plus size bodies. Look at these amazing photos from that shoot!!

Fun Fact about this top: From the start, we’ve used two differently graded patterns for this top. In layman's terms, sizes XS-L were designed with slightly less cup depth and a lower scoop, while the XL-4X were patterned for a deeper cup. 

The best part of having an in-person store is that we get to see a lot of bodies in our swimwear and that gives us a great idea of when a pattern needs tweaking. While we loved the original back design and the fact that it didn’t have straps to tie up, we knew to get the perfect fit and support we’d have to incorporate an adjustable back. 

Voila! Cyd top round 2:

When we launched this revamped design, we knew we had a hit. The bust support increased tenfold with adjustable straps and wearability was increased to include more people of various band sizes (one of our major goals). 

But one thing just wasn’t quiiiiite right, and if you know us, you know we’re neurotic about getting that fit. 

Enter Cyd top round 3 (its current iteration):

The beautiful thing about the lace up ties on this top is that you can size up or down pretty easily to get the exact fit you want. We noticed that the band sizes were still skewing a bit too large, and some customers with smaller bands wouldn’t be able to tighten them quite enough for their desired support. So, we took a couple of extra inches off each size and now people with smaller AND larger bands can get the fit they need.

We also made one more adjustment — remember how I mentioned we used two different patterns for this top? Well, we’ve swapped the pattern used on the size Large so it now works for fuller busts. Sizes XS-M are great for smaller busts, while L and up will accommodate fuller cups with band sizes as small as 32”. 

While we know that it’s impossible for something to fit every single body, we like to think that the Cyd top gets pretty close. It provides enough bust support to do regular water activities, has a moderate amount of bust coverage (not too tiny, not fully covered), and works for busts up to 62” (up to a G/H cup).

PRO FIT TIP: If you’re finding that the top is not giving the support you want in the bust, make sure you’re pulling up the straps in the front enough before you tie the back. The lace up back works a bit like a corset — if you just pull on the straps at the bottom to tighten, it mostly tightens the band and you may not find it snug enough. 

Want one of your own? Shop the updated Cyd top here.

Click here to view the Size Chart and Community Fit Guide