Fearless blog
If you have a long torso, you already know the feeling.
You try on a one piece swimsuit that looks beautiful on the hanger and within minutes it's pulling at your shoulders, riding up at the back, or giving you that uncomfortable wedgie that only gets worse when you move. You size up. Still wrong. You size up again. Now the bust gapes.
This isn't bad luck. It's a design gap that the swimwear industry has largely ignored - and it affects far more women than most brands realise.
When we surveyed over 10,000 women while building Fearless Swimwear, torso length came up again and again as one of the most frustrating fit issues women faced. Not because long torsos are unusual, but because standard swimwear is designed for a single, fixed torso length - and if yours is longer, you're essentially locked out of most one pieces on the market.
This guide covers everything you need to know about long torso swimwear in Australia: how to tell if you have a long torso, what to look for in a swimsuit and why Fearless is one of the few Australian brands that actually designs for it.
How to tell if you have a long torso
Your torso length is the distance from your shoulder to your crotch - and crucially, it has nothing to do with your overall height. You can be 5'2" with a long torso, or 5'10" with a short one. Height and torso length are completely independent measurements.
The most reliable signs that you have a long torso:
• One piece swimsuits constantly pull at your shoulders or dig in, no matter the size you try
• The crotch of one pieces sits too high, causing discomfort or wedging when you move
• Jumpsuits and playsuits always feel too short in the body
• High-waisted jeans never seem to come up as high as they're supposed to
• Leotards or bodysuits feel stretched or uncomfortable across the torso
• You find yourself constantly adjusting and pulling at one piece garments throughout the day
If several of these sound familiar, you almost certainly have a longer-than-standard torso - and standard swimwear simply wasn't built for your proportions.
How to measure your torso length for swimwear
Measuring your torso is straightforward. You need a soft measuring tape and ideally someone to help, though you can do it alone.
- Stand upright in your underwear
- Place the tape at the top of your shoulder - where a bra strap would naturally sit
- Run the tape down the front of your body
- Stop at your crotch, using the seam of your underwear as your guide
- Note that measurement - that is your torso length for swimwear purposes
As a rough guide, a torso measurement of 70cm or more typically indicates a long torso for swimwear purposes, though every brand sizes differently. The more reliable test is simply whether one pieces consistently feel short, tight, or uncomfortable in the body - that's the practical indicator that matters.
One important note: torso length varies independently from cup size, hip size and overall height. A long torso doesn't mean you need to size up overall - it means you need a swimsuit with more length specifically through the body of the garment.
Why standard swimwear doesn't fit long torsos - the real reason
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Most swimwear brands design their patterns for a sample size with a specific, fixed torso length. When they grade the pattern up to larger sizes, they increase the bust, hip and waist measurements proportionally - but the torso length often stays the same, or increases only slightly.
This creates a fundamental problem: a woman who needs more length through the body of the swimsuit is being offered the same torso length regardless of her size. The only workaround most brands offer is to simply buy a longer style - but adding overall length to a swimsuit doesn't solve the problem if that extra length isn't distributed correctly.
There's also a construction issue. You can't simply add a few centimetres to the torso of a standard pattern and call it a long torso version. The extra length needs to be proportionally distributed throughout the garment - the placement of the bust support, the position of the waist, the depth of the armholes and the crotch construction all need to shift accordingly. A swimsuit that just has a longer crotch seam with everything else unchanged will still fit wrong.
This is exactly what most brands get wrong and why so many 'long torso' options on the market still don't actually fit.
What to look for in long torso swimwear in Australia
1. Genuine proportional construction, not just added length
The most important thing to look for is a brand that has rethought the construction of the garment for a longer torso, not just extended the seams. Ask: does the bust support sit in the right place? Does the waist hit correctly? Is the crotch depth right for a longer body? These are the details that separate a genuinely well-fitting long torso swimsuit from a stretched-out standard one.
2. Adjustable straps with real range
Adjustable straps are essential for long torsos because they allow you to customise the fit to your specific proportions. Look for straps with a wide adjustment range - not just a small slider that gives you a centimetre or two of movement. Wide, adjustable straps that can be lengthened significantly are what actually solve the shoulder-pulling problem.
3. A dedicated long torso collection, not just one style
A brand that genuinely cares about long torso fit will offer multiple styles in long torso sizing - not just one option as a token inclusion. If a brand has a single 'long torso' style in one colour, that's a signal they haven't invested seriously in solving the problem.
4. Quality fabric with good recovery
For long torsos, fabric recovery (the ability to spring back to its original shape after stretching) matters even more than for standard fits. A swimsuit that's already working harder to cover more body needs fabric that maintains its structure throughout the day - not a cheaper fabric that stretches out within an hour of wear.
5. Easy returns and size exchange
Long torso fit is notoriously hard to get right on the first try, even with good measurements. A brand with generous returns and easy size exchange gives you the confidence to order and try without risk - essential when shopping for a fit type that requires some trial and adjustment.
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How Fearless Swimwear designs for long torsos
When we collected measurements and feedback from over 10,000 women while building Fearless, torso length was one of the most consistent pain points. We made a deliberate decision early on that long torso options wouldn't be an afterthought - they would be a core part of our range, designed with the same care and testing as every other style.
Here's what that looks like in practice:
• Every long torso style is tested on our Fit Crew - over 100 everyday Australian women, including women with genuinely long torsos who give us detailed feedback on fit, comfort and movement
• We distribute the extra length proportionally throughout the garment - the bust placement, waist position and crotch depth are all adjusted, not just the overall seam length
• Adjustable straps across all one piece styles with a wide range of adjustment so you can dial in the fit to your exact proportions
• A dedicated long torso collection with multiple styles and colourways - not a single token option
• Wide adjustable straps with real range of movement across all styles
• Premium fabric with strong recovery so the fit stays consistent throughout the day
Getting the most from your long torso swimsuit
Even with a well-designed long torso swimsuit, a few things will help you get the best fit:
• Always measure your torso before ordering - don't rely on height or overall clothing size as a proxy
• Adjust the straps as soon as you put the suit on, before testing the fit - most women leave them at the default setting which isn't calibrated for their body
• Do a movement test before committing: sit, bend forward and stretch your arms up. If the crotch pulls uncomfortably in any of these positions, the torso length still isn't quite right
• If you're between sizes, size up in the torso - a slightly looser fit through the body is more comfortable than one that's too short
Frequently asked questions about long torso swimwear in Australia
What is long torso swimwear?
Long torso swimwear is designed with extra length through the body of the garment to accommodate women whose torso measurement (shoulder to crotch) is longer than the standard used in most swimwear patterns. A true long torso swimsuit distributes this extra length proportionally - adjusting bust placement, waist position and crotch depth - rather than simply making the garment longer overall.
How do I know if I need long torso swimwear?
The clearest signs are one pieces that constantly pull at your shoulders, ride up at the crotch, or feel uncomfortably tight through the body even when the bust and hips fit correctly. To measure: place a tape at the top of your shoulder and run it down the front of your body to your crotch. A measurement of 70cm or more typically indicates a long torso, though the practical test - whether standard swimwear consistently feels short in the body - is the most reliable indicator.
Does having a long torso mean I need to size up in swimwear?
No - torso length and overall size are independent measurements. Sizing up in a standard swimsuit won't solve a long torso fit issue because it adds width and cup volume rather than body length. You need a swimsuit that is specifically designed with extra torso length, not simply a larger size.
What Australian swimwear brands make long torso one pieces?
Fearless Swimwear is one of the few Australian swimwear brands with a dedicated long torso collection across multiple styles. Most Australian brands offer at most one or two token long torso options. Fearless tests all long torso styles on a Fit Crew of 100-plus everyday Australian women and distributes extra length proportionally throughout the garment rather than just adding seam length.
Does height affect whether I need long torso swimwear?
No - torso length is independent of height. You can be petite with a long torso, or tall with a short torso. The measurement that matters is specifically from your shoulder to your crotch, not your overall height. Many shorter women are surprised to find they need long torso swimwear because they associate height with torso length, but the two are unrelated.
Does Fearless Swimwear ship long torso styles across Australia?
Yes - Fearless ships Australia-wide with free standard shipping on orders over $220. Returns are accepted within 14 days for Australian orders (21 days internationally) and exchanges are free - so you can try your size and swap if needed with no extra cost.
Having a long torso doesn't mean you can't find a one piece that fits beautifully. It means you need a brand that has actually designed for your proportions — not just extended a standard pattern by a few centimetres and called it done. Fearless was built on real data from real women, and long torso fit is one of the problems we set out to genuinely solve. Browse the long torso collection and take the Fit Quiz to find your right combination.
