5 Affordable Bathing Suits That Will Flaunt Your Summer Bod

As I write this article, I can hardly believe my eyes… there’s actual sun in Syracuse. I know, I know, it sounds like a joke, but Weather.com doesn’t lie. It’s 63° and you know what that means– summer’s right around the corner, and so is beach season.

Endless days of tanning, blissful naps on the sand, and soothing swims in the ocean lie before us, and all we need is the perfect bathing suit. Here’s the kicker, though. Bathing suit prices can easily reach well over $200-$300, and for a student population that’s been living off of Grubhub deals for the past 13 weeks, that’s downright unreasonable. But fear not, broke college fashionistas! We Jerks have scoured the Internet for bikinis and bathing suits that look designer, but come without the sticker-shock.

Here are five flirty swimsuits to keep both you and your wallet happy.

Color Blocked

Left: Triangl Brigitte — Blue Musk, $99

Right: Victoria’s Secret — Stitched Flirt Bandeau, on sale $39

For $99, that bikini better be wedgie-proof, nip-slip proof, and all around indestructible. If you’re feeling the color-blocking trend, but not feeling the anxiety-inducing prices of Triangl, look no further than Victoria’s Secret. Their bikinis are exactly the same– questioning if copyright infringement is going on here? Unsure, but at least they’re practically a third of the price. So don’t be square and buy Triangl. Soak up the sun and your leftover cash in this sexy Victoria’s Secret suit.

All Ruffled Up

Left: Lisa Marie Fernandez Mira — Flounce Sueded Maillot, $430

Right: Aerie — Aerie flounce one-piece swimsuit $44.95

For this sassy off-the-shoulder trend, a similar look can be found in Aerie for 10% of the designer price. TEN. PERCENT. Why spend $430 on a bathing suit that looks straight out of Morticia Adam’s closet when you can have a fresh, brightly colored replica for hundreds of dollars less? The neon turquoise shade the Aerie suit comes in is perfect for summer, as vibrant as the ocean, and sure to pop against your sun-kissed skin. Sorry, Lisa Mira. Black velvet is so last season.

Just Peachy

Left: Eberjey — So Solid Mason One-Piece, $159

Right: Nasty Gal — Alina Swimsuit in Peach, $78

For my pastel-loving ladies, head right over to Nasty Gal to score this gorgeous peach number. It shows just the right amount of skin — hello, side boob — without being too scandalous. The original Eberjey suit’s pretty too, but it just can’t compete when the Nasty Gal one is half the price and much more flattering.

So Crochet

Left: KIINI Swimwear — Tasmin bikini, $285 (from everythingbutwater.com)

Right: Aerie — Crochet Triangle Bikini Top, $34.95

Although KIINI bikinis (hah) are handmade and on HuffPost’s hottest swimmer list for 2016, the joint $285 price tag for the set seems a little excessive. Crochet swimwear is definitely the move for 2016, but if you’re ballin’ on a budget like I am, try checking out one of Aerie’s cute knit ensembles. The one pictured on the right is only $34.95... our cheapest option yet! With that extra money laying around, you’ll have more than enough to treat yourself to a round at Chuck’s—or 10. It is almost finals week, after all.

Criss-Crossed

Left: Free People — Avalon One Piece, $304

Right: PacSun — LA Hearts Strappy Side One Piece Swimsuit, $42.95

Just like the infamous criss-cross shirts we’ve all worn to Lucy’s lately (don’t even try to deny it), our favorite flirty shirts are now popular swimsuits styles as well. Just because it’s trendy, doesn’t mean you have to break the bank—looking at you, $304 Free People swimsuit. Honestly. For hundreds of dollars less, you can achieve the exact same look at PacSun, As an added bonus, it comes in black too. Less money and extra badass? Sign me up!