Summer has arrived, and it’s time to strip down to cope with the heat and plunge into the pool or sea. There’s a vast array of choices for men’s trendy swimwear, but aside from going for this year’s men’s designer swimwear trends, there are many factors to consider when selecting the right swimwear. VOCLA is a UK retailer of male swimwear, with over 250 styles of designer men’s swimwear. We’ve put together this men’s swimwear guide to give you some help and advice.

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WHAT ARE THE DIFFERENT MEN'S SWIMWEAR STYLES?

Let’s start this men’s swimsuit guide by looking at the different styles:

• Swimming Briefs – often referred to as ‘Speedos’, given that the swim brief evolved from the original Speedo. It's an underwear brief adapted for swimming: short legs, low waist, waterproof materials, and a body sculpting fit. Swim brief styles tend to be more popular in Europe. There are also some hybrid versions, known as men’s micro swimwear.
• A bikini swimming brief – a skimpy style with a super low rise waist and high cut legs. Therefore, a great style to help achieve a fantastic tan!
• Tanga swimwear – this has no side material, therefore removing the chance of any chafing. Furthermore, it’s a great style for those with larger quads.
• Swimming Thong – increasing in popularity, thong swimwear is the sexiest style, with very little fabric to the rear, if any.
• Swimming Trunks – similar to the swimming brief, trunks are body sculpting with a low-rise waist. But they have longer legs, helping provide more cover. Although swimming trunks can vary in length, most have a length that gives a square cut shape. A ‘sunga‘ or 'Brazil-cut trunk' is a slightly shorter-legged version of a traditional swimming trunk. A swimming boxer has a longer leg than a trunk. And a ‘jammer’ is an even longer swimming trunk, a length closer to the knees.
• Swim Shorts – these vary from those with very short legs to those with longer legs, or ‘board shorts’. Shorter and mid-length shorts are more popular in Europe, and longer board shorts are more popular in the USA and Australia. But there are also different cuts. A 'Bermuda short' has straight leg openings, with small side slits to aid leg movement. A 'Jogging' cut is a looser fit, with rounded legs.

There are three main popular styles: swim briefs, trunks and shorts. Bikinis and Tangas are versions of a swim brief. Sungas and boxers are versions of a swimming trunk. Swimming thongs are a relative newcomer to the market but are increasingly popular.

Did you know? ‘Speedo’ is the name of the Australian swimwear brand that developed the first swimming brief in 1960.

Pictured: 2eros Bondi Swim Short

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WHICH SWIMWEAR IS GOOD FOR MY BODY TYPE?

So, we have three main swimwear styles to choose from, but which is best? We recommend you choose the best style for your body shape and type:

• Larger Guys: Go for longer lengths (boardies) as these help cover up a little more. Solid colours are better than patterns and stripes, which can accentuate your size.
• Slimmer Guys: Go for baggy swim shorts that will help increase the appearance of your size and swim briefs that help show off your slender shape.
• Stocky but Buff Guys: As your body shape tends to be squarer, go for the square-cut swimming trunks to match.
• Taller Guys: Longer-leg swimwear will help reduce the appearance of leg length, so opt for longer board shorts rather than shortie shorts and swimming boxers over swimming briefs. Horizontal striped swimwear patterns will also help reduce the appearance of height.
• Shorter Guys: Short-leg swimwear will help increase the appearance of leg length, so opt for short shorts and mini swimwear.

Pictured: 2eros V10 swim brief style

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WHICH MATERIALS ARE USED IN SWIMWEAR?

Many years ago, male swimwear was manufactured with cotton. Why, we ask! Cotton helps to retain water for longer, becomes heavy in the water, wrinkles, and the colours fade. Man-made materials such as nylon, polyamide, and polyester are much better. They are quick drying, durable, hold their colour for longer, and feel smoother against the skin.

• Polyamide – Polyamide is a very popular material for swimming briefs and trunks. It is super smooth and feels more comfortable in these fitted styles. The smooth nature also helps water pass over the swimwear more easily, providing better swimming performance. Most swimming briefs and trunks are made with a combination of polyamide and elastane/spandex/lycra, to provide quick drying and smooth-touch properties with stretch for a sculpting fit.
• Nylon – Nylon is used for some swimwear, although it has less stretch than polyamide.
• Polyester – Polyester is a very popular material used in swimming shorts. It is lightweight, which is ideal as they have more material, making it harder to swim in them compared to swim briefs and trunks. Some swimwear is made with a polyester mesh material perforated with tiny holes. This ventilates you and is perfect on a hot beach day.

Pictured: aussieBum Club swim briefs in nylon material

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WHICH FEATURES SHOULD I CONSIDER FOR SWIMWEAR?

No men’s swimwear guide would be complete if it didn’t look at some of the features that can help with your swimwear. Our advice is to focus on the following features.

LINING

Swim shorts need an internal lining to help keep everything in place whilst swimming. Most have an internal mesh lining that is cut to be shaped like a brief.

Swimming briefs and trunks have an optional lining in the pouch area. Unlined swimwear is more likely to expose what's inside the pouch area, especially when wet!

POCKETS

Many swim shorts have pockets to the side, front, back or even inside the mesh lining. Some pockets have a zip fastening to help keep items waterproof when swimming. Other pockets are either open or have a button fastening, which lacks practicality when you are in the water, but pocket shorts are handy if you want a versatile pair of shorts that takes you from the beach to the bar.

DRAWSTRINGS

Drawstrings are sewn into the waistband and help hold everything securely in place when swimming. Additionally, they provide a flexible fit around the waist. Drawstrings can be internal or external, which is simply a fashion choice. One piece of advice to consider is the drawstring ends. Metal toggles will stop the drawstrings from fraying, and they will last longer.

ENHANCEMENT

A popular trend at VOCLA is the increase in pouch-enhancing men’s swimwear. There are three types of enhancement:

• Padded men’s swimwear – a front pad in the pouch gives a rounder and fuller appearance.
• Men’s pouch swimwear – a larger pouch is created for extra comfort, but you should consider that everything droops downwards when you come out of the water!
• Men’s bum-enhancing swimwear – seams at the rear help to contour your butt cheeks. You are unlikely to see padding in the buttocks as it is too difficult for the pads to remain in shape over time.

CODE22 Power Shape is a great example of a range of padded men’s swimwear with removable front pouch pads.

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Hopefully, this men’s swimwear guide has given you some help and advice. We have over 250 men’s designer swimwear styles at VOCLA, from niche and top global brands. Available all year round. Therefore, one of the UK’s best ranges. Please contact us if you need further help selecting the best swimwear.