My experience with Jolyn

I love Jolyn. I’ll admit I geek out on branding, and when I got into swimming for cross-training while ramping up for the 2019 Chicago Marathon, I looked around a lot for swim brands that make me feel the same kinship I feel with Oiselle or certain running events. I can’t remember what exactly brought me to their website the first time, but after trying a few fixed-back training suits, I thought a tie-back might fit me more comfortably and I loved the color and pattern options, as well as the fact that the suits are made in America.

I didn’t know what I was doing on sizing, and I didn’t own a tape measure, so (stop me if you know this one) I brought up the size chart for my favorite running brand, found the size I usually wear in their products, and used those measurements to interpolate my Jolyn size. This approach didn’t really work very well for me, and as a result, I am hitting pause on my usual approach of “relative sizing” so you can understand how exactly these products fit, based on the specific sizes I bought and my actual body measurements. So, I’m going to get into detail on what sizes I bought and what my specific measurements are so you can get a better understanding. This might be too much measurement info for some people (I say this because I am one of those people!) and I encourage you to close this tab if, like me, the more you think about body measurements, the worse you feel.

How is training swimwear sized?

Honest to God, I have no idea.

Do Jolyn two-pieces and one-pieces fit the same?

In my experience, Jolyn’s two-pieces do not fit the same as Jolyn’s one-piece swimsuits.

Should I follow the Jolyn size chart or listen to customer reviews?

The size that Jolyn’s size chart suggested for tops was one size larger than the size I ended up liking (that is, knowing what I know, if I looked at the Jolyn size chart, I’d go one size down from the recommended size). For bottoms, I would size up one size from what the Jolyn size chart recommends. As a less standardized basis of comparison, I ended up sizing up one size from my regular casual swimwear size in both tops and bottoms.

Jolyn swim tops relative to bra sizing

I’ve bought three different styles of swim tops, and sized down relative to the size chart.

Every Jolyn swimsuit I’ve ever tried, how it fit, and whether I kept it

For some background I’m going to share my current body measurements, because I don’t know how swimwear is actually sized, so I have to look at a size chart to make sense of things. Again, this is not the approach I think is best for running apparel, but to start to make sense of this size chart I think it’s critical.

Measurements

Torso: 61 inches (This is the measurement from the top of your shoulder, across the bust, through your legs, and back up to top of the shoulder.)
Bust: About 34 inches. I generally wear a 32C, but bra sizes are also fake (a story for another day), so we’re going measurements only.
Underband: 28-29 inches
Waist: 27-28 inches
Hips: 36-37 inches

One-Pieces

Heath Onesie

Size: 28
Product: Here
Specifications: Fixed-back one-piece for training
How it fit: Small. I don’t even know that I could get the straps over my shoulders.
Fit notes: Looking at the size chart, the 28 is in line with my bust, waist, and hip measurements, but short in the torso for me.
Bottom line: Sent it back, ordered a size up

Scotty 2 Onesie

Size: 30, 32
Product: Here
Specifications: Fixed-back one-piece for training
How it fit: Small. I don’t even know that I could get the straps over my shoulders.
Fit notes: I ordered this in two sizes (see below) in case one fit better than the other. I went up one and two sizes from my waist measurement. Looking at the torso measurement, this should fit or err on the side of being too long. Neither was too long. If I recall correctly, the 30 was still quite tight in the shoulders for me.
Bottom line: I sent this back and decided the two-piece suits I’d ordered would be a better solution for me.

Two-Pieces

Tops

Tomcat Top

Size: Large
Product: Here
Specifications: Tie-back training top with vents
How it fit: This was the right fit.
Fit notes: It’s important to note that, again, I went with the size chart here. I am not well-endowed by any stretch of the imagination, but I really don’t think I’d have enough space and coverage in the cups if I were any bigger. I also ran in this after breaking my rib last summer - the tie-back gave my ribs enough space while supporting me enough to avoid the feeling of my breasts causing extra weight against my chest.
Bottom line: The right size. Comfortable to run in if you’re small up-top. I ended up with two.

Aaron Top

Size: Medium
Product: Here
Specifications: Tie-back training top
How it fit: This was the right fit.
Fit notes: I broke from the size chart based on the reviews that said the Tomcat runs small compared to other Jolyn tops.
Bottom line: Perfect. Bought it in two colors.

Jones Top

Size: Medium
Product: Here
Specifications: High-neck tie-back training top
How it fit: This was the right fit.
Fit notes: I continued my streak of buying the medium. This fit well and I’ve run in it once or twice successfully.
Bottom line: Perfect. Bought it in two colors.

Bottoms

Andy Bottoms

Size: Medium
Product: Here
Specifications: Training bottoms
How it fit: Alright. Swim bottoms generally fit loose in the back for me, even if they show a fair amout of cheek. It’s just how my body is set up. These are definitely among the worse offenders of the Jolyn bottoms I’ve tried.
Fit notes: These are definitely the right size. I usually buy a small in swimsuit bottoms, and the medium is the most right for me. I also bought these in a large, which I returned. Note, the size chart suggests I buy a size down, but I really can’t imagine the small fitting well for me.
Bottom line: The right size, the wrong fit.

Europe Bottoms

Size: Medium
Product: Here
Specifications: Training bottoms
How it fit: These are my sweet spot. All-around the coverage and amount of fabric I feel best in.
Fit notes: Still cuts across the butt a little bit, but they don’t bunch and they don’t
Bottom line: If I had to race a mile in a bikini with a ton of other people, I’d pick these.

Damien Bottoms

Size: Medium
Product: Here
Specifications: Training bottoms
How it fit: They’re a tad bit little.
Fit notes: These are listed as the same amount of coverage as the Europe, but I definitely preferred the Europe. My butt wasn’t all the way out but it was more out than in.
Bottom line: I don’t hate them but I never reached for them except to swim laps.

Glenn Bottoms

Size: Medium
Product: Here
Specifications: Training bottoms
How it fit: Teeeeeeeny tiny. They have about the same amount of coverage as the Damien, but they feel like they look tiny.
Fit notes: These manage to give me the diaper effect while simultaneously showing my entire butt. The seams on these are different than my other items from Jolyn: it’s described as a “seamless finish”, but on me it actually bunches and makes the diaper effect worse. However, it is more comfortable than the standard seam. If I had to run a mile in a bikini, I would pick these, but only if I was running where nobody could see me.
Bottom line: Not for me. If you have a great butt, these might be the bottoms for you. For me, it’s not my favorite feature on my body. These are great for swimming, but the second I get out I want to wrap my lower half in a towel.

Bottom line: Does Jolyn’s training swimwear run small?

In my experience, Jolyn’s training separates fit about one size smaller than casual swimwear, with a few exceptions. Jolyn one-pieces run short and small, and I’ve never successfully found one that fits my body well.

Jolyn discount

Use my JOLYNSIDER referral code here for $10 off an order of $50 or more