I Found a Bunch of Nipple Covers You Can Swim In
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Until this summer, I was under the impression that all women’s swimsuits were padded — orat leastlightly lined — in the chest area. The swimsuits I’d been wearing for the last several years (mostly full-coverage ones fromAerie) had removable pads that concealed even the slightest outline of a nipple. But this summer, I wanted some new swimsuits, and while I perused (and tested some suits forthe Strategist Swimsuit Project), I came to the realization that I had been living under a very well-padded rock. Unpadded swimsuits — and the nipple-shaped protrusions that come with them — are the status quo in 2026.
Many of the Strategist’s favorite suits — including the waist-cinching ones fromLeft on Fridayand crinkle ones fromYouswim— lack the padding that has prevented me from having anElaine Benes momentup until now. I’m all for the “Free the Nipple” movement — for everyone but myself. Especially on family vacations and at my parents’ suburban country club, I’d prefer that everything underneath my swimsuit remain neatly hidden, so I wondered if there was a solution for this nipple conundrum. Then, a solution came to me while I was putting some pasties on underneath a dress: What’s to stop me from wearing these under a swimsuit, too? Nothing, it turns out.
Over the past couple of years, I’ve been using a pair of pasties from a now-defunct brand calledOkkoto prevent any poking and shadowy outlines in my sundresses and tank tops. Like most nipple covers on the market, they’re made of a combination of silicone and adhesive, and when I tested my theory underwater, they didn’t budge underneath my Left on Friday one-piece, even when I was swimming laps. Still, the Strategist writer in me wondered if there was something better — something I could still buy today should I lose my antique pasties. So I put a trio of popular (still available) nipple covers to the test.
A pair for larger chests
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With five shades and three sizes, Nippies’ adhesive pasties are the most inclusive nipple covers I’ve come across. As a 32C, I tried them in a size one, which is meant for A through C cups, and found they covered everything that needed to be covered even though I was at the top of the size range. In the lightest shade, crème, I could never see the nipple covers through even my sheerestwhite teesand tanks, and the smooth taper on the edges prevents any semblance of an outline from showing throughmosttops. On thinner pieces in my wardrobe, like myOrganic Basics smooth bodysuit, the edges of the nipple covers were more obvious than my concealed nipples, but I couldn’t see the outline of the pasties when I wore them underneath my swimsuits.
In water, the adhesive Nippies were so secure that I forgot I was wearing them as I swam around the lake at my friend’s house upstate. As I was deciding whether or not to jump off the dock, losing my pasties wasn’t even a concern in my mind — just my fear of grazing the seaweed below. While I swam around the lake and then sunbathed afterward, my pasties didn’t move until I removed them myself before I hopped in the shower. Each time I’ve worn them since, whether on land or in water, they’ve remained just as sticky so long as I clean them properly — that is, with some gentle soap and water. Then I let them air-dry.
A set for sensitive skin
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As someone with skin so sensitive that the right combination of heat andlinen sheetscan leave me itching all night, I’m sympathetic to anyone who’s worried about putting adhesive-lined silicone on their nearest and dearest. I’ve never had a problem with the adhesive damaging my skin, even during all-day wear, but I wanted to see if the nonadhesive pasties worked any differently. The covers themselves feel just as secure as their adhesive counterparts. Even when I ventured to the center of lakeen noodle, I only had to worry about keeping up with my friends — no shifty business was happening underneath my suit.
These aren’t available in Nippies’ third size (for DD+ cups), so you’re out of luck if you have bigger boobs. However, the size two is supposed to be compatible with cup sizes D and larger. I tried the nonadhesive pasties in size one and found they were more perceptible under thin tops than the adhesive ones and occasionally failed to conceal poking. They’re flimsier than the adhesive pasties, so I’d guess the lack of structure makes them less powerful against the force of a nipple. Under thick pieces, like my one-pieces from Left on Friday, this wasn’t a problem, but I feel it’s worth noting for folks who prefer thinner suits. I also noticed that some swimsuits initially bunched along the surface of the pasties, but that could be fixed by ensuring the suit is taut against the nipple cover.
My new favorite pasties
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On the subject of poking, I found myself preferring these pasties from Nood because they’re the thickest at the center — meaning I didn’t have to worry about cold water causing any pointy surprises. According to a representative from Nood, “They are designed to stay securely in place through heat, humidity, and swimming” — and that’s been the case whether I wore them in the water or on one of the many recent 90-plus-degree days. I trusted them to stay in place when hopping off a boat in Lake Michigan, and they did just that from the moment I submerged myself in the chilly water and in the 30 minutes I spent swimming afterward. Just like the Nippies pasties, these are so secure I forgot I was wearing them until I took them off hours later. Occasionally, I’ve even almost gotten in the shower with them because I forgot they were still on.
The Noods are available in fewer shades than the Nippies — four rather than five — and come in just two sizes (three-inch and four-inch). In the lightest shade, Nood 3, and the three-inch size, the pasties fit my 32C chest perfectly. They also don’t irritate my skin.
With proper care, most nipple covers will work just fine in water.
I’ve lost track of how many times I’ve worn my Okko nipple covers, but I’m planning to wear my new pasties from Nood and Nippies just as many times — if not more. Most nipple covers can be worn more than 50 times with proper care, which just means washing them with mild soap and letting them air-dry. So far, they haven’t lost any stickiness, even though I’ve worn them everywhere from chlorinated pools to Lake Michigan. (The salty Atlantic water is on my list, too, but I haven’t made my way to Rockaway yet.) That’s not too bad for the $29 price tag.
Some unpadded swimsuits we like
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A curve-accentuating one-piece that isn’t too skimpy.
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When I tried all the suits at Left on Friday, this one was my favorite.
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A full-coverage swimsuit that's flattering rather than frumpy.
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"For the Nolita–Cou Cou crowd," as one writer says.
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I like that the gold rings on this bikini top match my jewelry.
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