What Are Swim Shorts? Comfort, Coverage, and Style in One

Entry #47

What Are Swim Shorts? Comfort, Coverage, and Style in One

Posted on Saturday, June 28, 2025

What are swim shorts?

They're the answer to a question many women are quietly asking: Will I ever find swimwear I can actually feel good in?

Swim shorts might sound simple, but they’re quietly doing more than people realise, offering the radical idea that your swimwear should support your life, not just your camera roll.

Of course, bikinis have their place. But swim shorts deliver something entirely different: confidence, practicality, and versatility, all in one.

Let’s take a closer look.

What are swim shorts, exactly?

You can take a peek here for a visual, but in simple terms: think water-loving bike shorts. They let you move, wiggle, and wander without worry (and make your butt look cute too). Plus, because they look more like shorts than swimwear, you can wear them to the farmers market, on a coastal walk, or to that beachside cafe without anyone batting an eyelid.

Great swim shorts come in different sizes and lengths (short, mid, long), because surprise, surprise, not all bodies are the same, and not all days call for the same level of coverage.

Sheila swim shorts take it up a notch with quick-drying, UPF-rated fabric, colours you’ll love, and one goal: to move with you, not against you.

Looking for a pair that moves with you, from beach to brunch? Explore here.

The real benefits (beyond the obvious)

1. Freedom from the mental load

Let's talk about something rarely mentioned: the mental energy that goes into managing traditional swimwear. The constant checking, adjusting, repositioning.

Our swim shorts eliminate that distraction with gentle waistbands, soft seams, and cuts designed to actually flatter your body, freeing up mental bandwidth for what matters. Like focusing during that yoga class or simply enjoying your swim without a second thought.

2. Built for real bodies doing real things

Not to get all science-y on you, but swim shorts aren't just about coverage, they're about physics. When you're moving through water, climbing on rocks, or playing beach volleyball, you need swimwear that understands momentum, saltwater, and sand.

That’s why ours are fully lined, double-layered, and designed to work with your whole wardrobe: bikini tops, rash vests, oversized shirts, you name it.

And with UPF 50+ fabric, you’re covered in more ways than one.

3. The travel hack you didn't know you needed

Here’s where swim shorts get seriously clever: they blur the lines between swimwear, activewear, and everyday shorts. Suddenly, you’re packing three functions in one piece. No need to lug around backups ‘just in case.’

Just throw in a linen shirt, a tank or whatever the day calls for. You’re good to go.

Why some women are choosing swim shorts over bikinis

Swim shorts may not be splashed across magazine covers (yet), but something interesting is happening. Women are quietly choosing function over flash, comfort over contorting.

Let’s be clear: it’s not about rejecting femininity or chasing the latest trend. It’s about rejecting the idea that looking good and feeling good are mutually exclusive.

As one of our customers recently told us: “I get so much more wear out of this piece than I could have hoped for. Perfect for summer hikes to swimming spots, dance classes and styled under an oversized shirt for days running errands. The thing I love most is how incredible I feel when I wear it.”

It’s a small revelation that speaks to something bigger: the growing understanding that good design should enhance your life, not complicate it.

Love the debate of swim shorts vs bikinis? Meet us here.

What makes Sheila swim shorts different?

When our founder Clare started Sheila, it wasn't because the world needed another throwaway swimwear brand. It was because she couldn't find what she actually wanted to wear. Swim shorts that felt as good as they looked, that worked for real bodies with real agendas, and that didn't require a compromise between comfort and style.

Our swim shorts are designed in Australia with sustainable fabrics and cuts that understand different body types exist (revolutionary, we know).

The difference is in the details: waistbands that sit where they should, seams that don't create unexpected pressure points, and fabric that dries quickly but doesn't feel like plastic.

We've focused on creating swim shorts that solve real problems. Because feeling good in your body shouldn't be a luxury, it should be a given.