Summary: Left on Friday is a female-founded swimwear brand that actually understands what women need in a suit. Their signature Smoothing Dream Fabric is custom-made with an Italian mill: it’s the softest fabric you’ll ever wear, quick-drying, compressive, and genuinely flattering. The Retreat Suit is their standout one-piece with a high waist and skinny straps that make you feel sexy without bearing it all. It comes in multiple colors and sizes (including tall), costs $200, and is the kind of investment piece that lasts forever. If you’ve spent years hunting for a swimsuit that you feel confident in, this brand — and this suit — is it.

What I Love:

• I tried the Retreat Suit in Legend — and the Smoothing Dream Fabric is genuinely the softest fabric out there. It moves with your body, compresses whether wet or dry, and dries in about two hours.
• The high waist and skinny straps feel sexy and flattering at the same time, which is rare.
• The lining comes in coordinating colors instead of that flat tan. It’s a small detail that changes everything about how the suit looks.
• The sizing is thoughtful with regular and tall options, so you’re not choosing between pooling at your feet or cutting you off at the hip.

What To Keep In Mind:

• At $200, it’s an investment — but you wear it for years, so the cost per wear is actually reasonable.
• Try it on if you can (their Venice CA store is great) because sizing matters and you want to get it right.
• It’s machine washable, and I’d recommend air drying to keep the quality intact
• This is a functional suit made for activity. They have other styles if you’re looking for different coverage or a more minimal aesthetic.

I grew up going to summer camp in Maine — three, four, or seven-week sessions — and I loved it. (So did my parents, haha!) It was very structured. We had four periods of activities a day: swimming, boating, team sports, and individuals (like art class, archery, dance). And it was rigorous. In swim class, we weren’t just playing Marco Polo — we were learning strokes, treading water, swimming laps, and even swimming to Cherry Island, a half mile round trip swim. My camp also required we wear a uniform of a branded T-shirt and khaki shorts. There was something very equalizing and freeing about not having to think about how you looked.

And the dress code for swim class? A solid navy, or navy and white striped one-piece bathing suit. I felt fine wearing Speedos until I was 13. Then it got harder to find anything flattering or remotely cute. I remember going to TJ Maxx with my mom before camp, combing the aisles of the swim section to try to find anything that fit right. I was never 100% confident or happy about what we found.

“I remember going to TJ Maxx with my mom before camp, combing the aisles of the swim section to try to find anything that fit right.”

Because my summers were spent mostly at camp, one-piece suits were basically all I wore until college. I remember the moment I realized everyone else was wearing bikinis, and then a whole new set of concerns came up: How much coverage on the bottom? High-rise or low? Did my stomach feel “bikini-ready?” I felt so exposed.

There’s something strange about how everyone covers up in real life and then goes to the beach half-naked. Swimwear feels vulnerable, and it’s just so hard to find anything — bikini or one-piece — that makes you feel truly good.

A few years ago, a friend of mine was consulting for a new swimwear brand: Left on Friday. She gifted me a green high-waisted bikini and white linen coverup, and I was so surprised by how flattering they were. The bathing suit was comfortable, sporty but sexy, and really smoothed me out in a nice way. And the coverup — an oversized linen shirt — turned into my favorite and most worn piece for everyday life. Now I’ve purchased four of them.

I loved the brand, so when I was packing for my trip to Iceland last month, I ordered my first one-piece swimsuit from LOF. I felt cute and comfortable in the Blue Lagoon and in hot springs on my journey. My boyfriend even preferred the look of the one-piece over my bikinis. Now that we’re approaching summer, I think I might be a one-piece girl this year, and Left on Friday is my new go-to. So let’s get into what I have, what I’m eyeing, and what makes LOF so great!

About Left on Friday

Left on Friday is a female-founded brand by Shannon and Laura, who both spent 11+ years on the product team at Lululemon. Shannon was a VP of Women’s Design and Laura led the Speed to Market team. So they actually knew what they were doing. They couldn’t find a swimsuit brand that they loved — so they decided to create one.

Swimwear is such a hard thing to shop for. You’re buying something that’s supposed to make you feel good in your own body, and most brands don’t seem to understand that. When swimwear designed by women who actually wear swimsuits — not just design them — you can feel the difference. It’s designed for real women’s bodies, not just models or beauty standards. 

“When swimwear designed by women who actually wear swimsuits — not just design them — you can feel the difference.”

Their signature fabric — Smoothing Dream Fabric® — is a custom blend developed with an Italian mill. It’s hands down the softest suit I’ve ever tried. Thin enough that it doesn’t show the lining or bunch up when you move, compressive whether wet or dry, and it dries in like two hours. The fabric handles chlorine, salt water, fade, and snags. Machine washable.

What got me is the lining comes in coordinating colors instead of that flat tan that makes everything feel cheap. The purple suit I tested had a lighter shade lining that actually makes the suit look more intentional. Those are the kind of details that you miss when they are not there.

The LOF brand and designs are decidedly sporty and functional — they are made for movement, not just lounging around… though you can do that in them too! Whether you’re chasing your kids around, playing beach volleyball, surfing, or lagoon hopping in Iceland like me, Left on Friday is going to be your new go-to. I also love that they have a range of skimpy to modest suits — you can find styles that are high coverage and family-friendly. 

“The LOF brand and designs are decidedly sporty and functional — they are made for movement, not just lounging around.”

They also include these zipper pouches with every purchase. I didn’t realize how useful they were until I traveled with my suit. Wet swimsuit goes in, doesn’t soak your whole bag. That’s actually genius! One pouch fit my one-piece and my boyfriend’s swim trunks. They also double as a great dry bag if you’re throwing your wallet and phone in your beach bag!

Beyond swimwear, LOF also carry activewear and loungewear — and I’m dying to try more. I mentioned the Getaway button down above (I’ve purchased four of them at this point), but I also have their sweatshirts and sweatpants on rotation. I recently snagged two pairs of their Day Trip Shorts at their Venice, CA store and they’re now my go-to summer short. Perfect for hot days, great shape, comfortable enough to actually wear.

My pick: The Retreat Suit in Legend 

The Retreat Suit is my new favorite one-piece. It has medium bum coverage with a super high waist and skinny straps that make it feel sexy and flattering without bearing it all. I picked Legend — a dark eggplant purple.

“It has medium bum coverage with a super high waist and skinny straps that make it feel sexy and flattering without bearing it all.”

I ordered both a regular S and M, and kept the M. That length worked best for my body — I’m 5’5″ with an athletic build. They also come in a tall length if you have a longer torso or are taller. The sizing is really thoughtful. The fabric smooths your whole body without feeling restrictive. The construction is genuinely flattering. If you’re in Los Angeles, make sure to stop by their store to try some on to find the right size for you!

I’m eyeing a classic black next, and maybe the fuchsia (Aloha) for something fun. At $200 it’s definitely an investment. But I’m willing to pay top dollar when I don’t have to think about it — I know the quality is there, I know it’ll flatter me, and I know I’ll feel confident in it. A good suit lasts forever, and this is the kind of piece that justifies the price tag. My mom is a big swimmer, so I just sent her a matching suit for Mother’s Day in May.

My final thoughts

After really putting this suit to the test, I’m giving Left on Friday 5 stars — and honestly everything else I’ve purchased from them too. I’m relieved to have found a brand that I can reliably buy from and know it’ll be flattering and high quality. I felt as cute and confident in the hot tub with my boyfriend as I did in a public lagoon in Iceland.

“I’m relieved to have found a brand that I can reliably buy from and know it’ll be flattering and high quality.”

No more combing the aisles of TJ Maxx for some off-brand suit that doesn’t fit right. LOF makes true investment pieces: ones that last, ones that make you feel good, ones you don’t have to second-guess. Swimwear is just hard!! LOF allows me to exhale.

Grace Abbott is a LA-based freelance Brand & Marketing Strategist and a Contributing Editor at The Good Trade. She has a degree in Graphic Design from Parsons School of Design and is the founder of How To Go Freelance — a brand dedicated to empowering creatives to monetize their skills and build personal brands. Beyond work, she’s always studying a new spiritual modality, painting her bedroom a new color, practicing Pilates, hosting friends, or going on a nature walk with her chihuahua, Donnie. Find her on Substack or Instagram.