J.Crew: Seersucker Petal Bikini Review

This is one of J.Crew's swimsuits from this season, but the pieces are not matched the way J.Crew matches them.  The top is the Seersucker Petal String Top (item #15467), which retails for $44.  The top is alpha-sized, and is available in dark charcoal, papaya, bright sun, garden green, and rich purple.  J.Crew describes the top as such:

Styled in seersucker—a summer favorite—with pretty flower petal detail along the bust. J.Crew nylon/Lycra® spandex. Quick drying. Fade resistant. Retains its shape. Ties at neck and back. Fits A/B cups best; size up for more coverage. Lined. Import. Our swimsuits are machine washable, but we recommend hand washing as it helps keep the fabric and the shape of the suit looking newer, longer.

The bottom is not the Seersucker Petal Bikini, which is item #15500.  The bottom is actually the Seaside Seersucker Bikini (item #16605), which is also alpha-sized, but is only available in dark charcoal, papaya, and bright sun.  It retails for $42.  J.Crew describes the bottom as such:

A summer essential: our classic bikini bottom, now in seersucker J.Crew nylon/Lycra® spandex. Quick drying. Fade resistant. Retains its shape. Sits on hips. Full coverage. Lined. Import. Our swimsuits are machine washable, but we recommend hand washing as it helps keep the fabric and the shape of the suit looking newer, longer.

I tried both of these pieces on in a size small, in the bright sun color.  Another time I was in the store, I tried the same combination together in the bright sun color again, but this time with both pieces in a medium.  The top is a standard triangle string top, that ties around the neck and the back.  The bikini is a basic bikini bottom, with moderate front and back coverage. 

I found that the top fit a little bit on the small side.  It "fit" okay, but it was a little bit on the small size for my comfort level.  The medium top certainly provided more coverage, and I prefer the medium to the small; however, that's based on my comfort level.  I don't think the small looks so bad, but I just know that I would not feel comfortable wearing the size small.

As for the bottoms, the small was a little snug, but the medium was not really that much better, and even worse, had a little bit of bag and sag in the back, unfortunately.  The bottoms are on the lower-rise end, and provide a good bit of coverage in the back.

The fabric is much rougher than the sort of "standard" swimsuit material, but I think that is because it is seersucker.  The seersucker ridges are on the small to medium size.

The petal part of the Seersucker Petal bikini is a set of petals that trim the inner hem of the bikini top.  They're about medium size (not too large, not too small), and are a pretty prominent detail.  On the tops that I tried on, the petals were more fluffed, and less flat, like in the model pictures, and I'm honestly not sure which way I prefer them.  I think fluffed.  I think they are a pretty cute detail, but I'm not sure I would wear them with the Seersucker Petal Bikini bottom, as I think it might be a little bit of petal overkill, but I don't know - it could also be pretty cute.  (Also, I ordered a ruffle bikini bottom from J.Crew last summer, and I was not crazy about ruffles on the bottom.)

In the end, I left this one behind because I don't really wear string/triangle tops anymore.  I also couldn't make up my mind about the color.  I really like the garden green color, but the non-petal bikini doesn't come in that color, so I ended up passing.

What do you think?  Do you like this bikini?  Have you seen it or tried it on?  Do you own it?  Do you like the petal details?  Which color do you prefer?