This store specializes in Brazilian-cut bikinis. However, for those who prefer what I have come to call a "dumpy-butt" bikini, they have a few racks devoted to European-cut bikinis, which deliver a little more coverage, and American-cut bikinis. They also have a small, but super-cute selection of bikinis for little girls. The reason why you would want to come here, though, is for the Brazilian-cuts.
I didn't believe the salesperson when she first told me this, but Brazilian-cut bikinis are flat-out the most flattering bikini. For the uninitiated, this means the bottoms have more of a v-shape (resulting in a straighter line from the hip across the butt to the crotch) rather than a u-shape (which means a rounded edge that cups the butt instead). This means more skin shows with a Brazilian-cut bikini than with a regular bikini bottom. Apparently, Brazilian women believe that the more of your butt you cover, the bigger it looks. Having made the switch, I agree.
The salesperson was instrumental in getting me and my friend to try on and quickly grow fond of the skimpier bottoms. She was very sweet and very helpful. She spent lots of time with us, picking out styles she thought would be cute and providing feedback when we were narrowing down choices. She was knowledgeable about their stock and automatically provided separate bottoms that were one size up when she knew a piece was especially skimpy.
For a store that takes up such a small footprint, they have great selection. Their focus seems to be on Salinas Swimwear, which is now my preferred brand because of their designs and super-high quality. They also have bikinis from other Brazilian designers like OndadeMar and Vix, as well as lines like Custo Barcelona which make Brazilian-cut bikinis. These bikinis aren't cheap and that's why the store only gets four stars instead of five. All the ones I've tried on have been upwards of $100, which is a lot more than you'll pay in Brazil, but which I'm told is pretty standard. I wouldn't know because I used to buy swimwear only at Target and discount retailers. But, this is the only store in Seattle where you can go and try on this many Brazilian-cut bikinis in one afternoon.
Oh, yeah, one more thing about trying the bikinis on: the fitting rooms are curtained stalls that open out into the store. So, if you're shy, but you're shopping with a friend for her opinion, you're going to want to make her come over to you instead of prancing out into the store where even passers-by on the street can easily see you.
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