February might be the month of love but here in Montreal, it’s also the coldest month of winter. Is there a correlation? Ahahah, probably! I recently asked you guys via Instagram if you’d like to read swimwear reviews this winter and y’all said it was preferable. So here we are! Today, we’ll talk about a brand I really appreciate because of its young and refreshing energy: RAQ apparel .
[ These sets were gifted to me by RAQ apparel. All thoughts and opinions are my own.]
Last summer, I had the opportunity to try their very first product, a classic black bikini, that I actually really liked. It was simple but efficient, and honestly flattering. This is the kind of uncomplicated bikini I wish I had when I was 16. It still works now, though.
And a few months after I got to try their orignal black bikini, the brand launched their colour collection: 3 rich colorways made to look gorgeous on any skin tones. Red, green and dark blue. 
If I had to pick one I would naturally go for the green as it’s kind of a turquoise which is one of my favorite colors, but to my surprise I received all three colors. With that being said, I now know that I need more red in my life. When I tried this first red set, I felt like it was made for me. It’s a strong red and feels like a good lipstick. I just feel amazing when I put it on.
RAQ bikini tops have a triangular shape made of two parts linked by a vertical seam. I always thought such a pattern would only work for people with no projection but it actually works very well for me and for a lot of other women (from what I saw on IG).
The wires are relatively wide and flexible but they stay into place comfortably and are quite secure.
The band is a little special compared to other full bust bikinis. Usually we tend to see plastic/metal barrel closures or even hooks and eyes. Here the band is similar to the ones in my Andrea Iyamah bikini. It is basically a long hook that you can close at 3 different settings. I wear it at the tightest one, as I am usually a 30GG and received the tops in size 32G/10G. Talking with the designer, she told me that they noticed this type of closure can be tricky for some customers, so they changed it for a regular barrel closure in their most recent styles (including an improved version of the black original RAQ bikini, and some great animal prints).
This is one of the reasons why I like this brand. They very quickly adapt to customers feedback. The last 3 releases have been much improved and are super practical! I haven’t tried them myself but it shows from the stock pictures already.
If you have read my review of their original bikini, you also know that the original coordinate was a bit weird sizing and fit wise. Well, they switched it for a much better pattern. Actually now they even do high waisted briefs (in black).
On my body, there is maybe a bit of extra fabric that could be removed from the front to get a perfect fit, but it is nothing problematic. I much prefer this cut as the original one was both too big and too small for me. This one is secure in my usual UK 10 and I love how it fits my bum.
The material is nice and thick. It’s comfortable and seems like it will stay beautiful for a very long time.
These three colors are actually beautiful and I am happy I got to try them all. Now something I love even more is the versatility of the halter neck straps. I have seen people wear them in many different ways but crossing them the way I did in these last pictures is my favorite. I feel like I am wearing a choker and it’s kind of stylish when you want to spice up a “regular” bikini a little bit. I love that it looks like the cups are just holding my breasts magically. Ahaha!
Yes, RAQ makes cool bikinis. I can’t wait for what they will create in the future. I have a crush on their Snake print. I am usually not an animal print lover but it looks sooooo stunning on their models (love that they hired a dark skin model this season).
If there is one thing that I would change, but maybe I was just unlucky, it’s that the red bikini top wires, for some reasons didn’t tack against my sternum, while the green and blue tops fitted perfectly. Maybe it was just that one product, but since I don’t know, I’d rather mention it.
What do you think of RAQ? Have you tried their swimwear yet?
Yours truly,
xoxo Wen
