Never have I ever thought the words "relatable" and "Gwyneth Paltrow" belonged in the same sentence. Everything changed when a photo crossed my desk of Goop's chic executive officer lounging on a yacht—stay with me here—in a swimwear-trend-proof, black one-piece. The setting was miles and tax brackets away from my summer plans, but the full-coverage swimsuit was so familiar. I'd recognize the red ribbon tag and precise cut anywhere. She was wearing a Left on Friday swimsuit—the same, and only, swim brand passing my fashion editor quality check for the past seven summers.
I didn't just identify the credit and guess why Gwyneth picked Left on Friday's under-$200 take on the classic black one-piece for her getaway. (For the sake of our shared taste, we're on first-name basis.) I know the brand story: Laura Low Ah Kee and Shannon Savage, co-founders and Lululemon alums, wanted Left on Friday to provide fits that can keep up with the reality of beach (or pool, or lake) trips for busy women. Cuts that won't ride up; fabric that doesn't pill on the pavement or fade in the sun. Five-star reviews praising Paltrow's Sunday suit's sculpting fabric and stays-in-place coverage prove they achieved their summertime mission. So does my firsthand experience.
From hopping between friends' rooftop pools (2018) to roadtripping between Swiss lakes and the French Riviera (2024), I've never not spent summer in a Left on Friday suit. The fabric is so much softer than others I've tried; I don't spend the day tugging at the bottom or adjusting the straps, because it stays in place no matter the itinerary. My gateway swimsuit, the Peak cut-out one-piece, lasted three years—and I only replaced it with an exact replica because I foolishly left my original at a hotel. In time, I branched out from a maillot to a high-rise bikini bottom and a plunge top, all with the same results: I feel good in every single one.
Gwyneth and I aren't Left on Friday's only converts. Marie Claire editor-in-chief Nikki Ogunnaike recently recommended one of the brand's bikinis in her seasonal packing list. Jessica Alba, Hilary Swank, and Busy Philipps are among the Instagram elite flashing Left on Friday swimsuits on vacation. Once someone tries Left on Friday, they don't often go back: a colleague once told me she dropped $500 on the brand's swimsuits after I raved about mine.
The founders say it's not rocket science that makes their suits so good—rather, an innate understanding of what women want when they're active. "Our suits resonate because they don’t force her to compromise and make her look and feel amazing. She can go on vacation and literally just pack Left on Friday and be covered for everything on her itinerary—from sun, to swimming to hiking, all the way to happy hour," the co-founders tell me in an email.
The size range is also a standout: there are tall cuts for women with longer torsos, and cup sizes ranging from A to D++. (And yes, every swimsuit is offered in every size.)
Already, more women are getting the Left on Friday memo. White Lotus star Michelle Monaghan spent some family time in the brand's rash guard swimsuit. Everyday shoppers gave several of bikinis and one-pieces their stamps of approval in the online review section, with glowing photos to match. The most common words they used? "Comfortable," "supportive," and "confidence-inducing."
At the time I'm writing this post, I'm also packing for an eight-day beach vacation. My Away carry-on has not one, not two, but four Left on Friday swimsuits packed inside: two Peak one-pieces in navy and black, a purple Sunday Top and Hi Tide Bottom, and a black Streamline suit. I might not have a Below Deck-level cruise lined up at my destination, but the minute I slip into my swimsuits and into the water, I'll feel as luxurious as Gwyneth Paltrow. In all the years I've worn them, they haven't lost their magic.
