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Sunday, February 28, 2016

Dreaming of Summer: OLU Swimwear Review

I'm so excited my fingers can't keep up with what my mind wants it to type. Recently, I won a giveaway hosted by OLU Australia on Instagram, and I was allowed to choose a bikini of my choice from their website. Guess you can call this my first time getting #bloggermail!

They have 3 collections: Prime, Fluro, and Bonbon. They also have an option to mix and match the top and the bottom, which I thought was pretty neat, as most swimwear brands don't allow you to do that (if they do they typically sell the top and bottom separately at sky high prices). I ended up choosing "Prime Inky Noir" because I am a sucker for all things black and white. 




Before I get into the review, here is a basic overview of their brand and their products:

Style Selection

The Prime Collection



The Prime Collections consists of your most basic colors: black, white and navy. OLU's basic collection comes with a twist: their tops and bottoms are lined with a mesh trim at the sides which adds a little something to an otherwise plain suit. I really like the details that they added, as it makes the suit more intricate. The back features a simple yet elegant cross back.

 The Bonbon Collection

The Bonbon Collection is more pastel toned, and features a double strap design, with one of the two straps crossing in the back. The top has a black band, while the cups are coloured. The bottoms are a plain solid colour. This design is simple yet fun.

The Fluro Collection


The Fluro Collection has neon colours, with black trimming on the side and on the cups. I think the black piping adds to the suit, and the cutouts on the bottoms make it different. This design sports a more athletic look. The back features a triple-strap design. 

Mix and Match


This unique feature allows you to mix and match the top and bottom of your choice to make your our personalised swimsuit. Pretty cool huh! However, I really hope they can come out with more colours and styles in the near future!

Sizing

They fit pretty true to size. I'd suggest using the centimetre measurement if you aren't familiar with your number size, as it is the most accurate (number sizing is different at different stores). If you are unsure with your size, I'd suggest contacting them; their customer service is excellent. 

Customer Service

Their customer service is hands down awesome. The owner, Darwin, answered all my questions promptly and even helped my find my size when I was unsure! I was going to wing it and order S until he suggested me to order XS because he thought it would fit me better. I was a little nervous because I am never an XS, but I went along with it and I'm glad I did. The suit fits perfect! They also have a really nice website that has lots of information regarding their brand as well as how to care for your suit.

Mission

On their website, OLU states their mission as: 

“To reward the pursuit of individual greatness with confidence, comfort and innovative design.”

Their motto is honourable, and the level of commitment the owner shows really upholds their mission! 

Onto the review of the actual suit...

Packaging/Delivery Time

The package took around a week to arrive (5-7 working days), which is not bad, considering the package shipped from Australia. On the website, the shipping price is $10 for within Australia, and $15 everywhere else. It's a little pricy, but the packaging is really adorable. 



I'm the type of person to value packaging, and this definitely meets my standard! The box is made out of very thick cardboard, finished with a matte black and white paint. The closure is metallic, which makes the box feel even more high-quality. On the inside, the suit is wrapped in OLU-printed tissue paper, and an OLU sticker to keep everything together. 


Material

On the website, it states that their suits are made out of Polyamide-Spandex. When I read this, I assumed it would be the thin swimsuit material you typically find. I was pleasantly surprised to find that the material is thick and opaque--it definitely will not be transparent when wet. Both the top and bottom have tags that say OLU on it.


The detail of the mesh is well made, and doesn't feel flimsy. There is no clasp on this suit, but the straps are very thick and secure. All of their suits also come with removable padding.


The bottoms are hipster-style, and are full coverage. The mesh at the sides are again, very sturdy. It fits snug, and the white piping at the sides really help keep the suit secure. 


Fitting

The suit fits really well, and the straps are tight enough that it doesn't move around, but not so tight that it cuts into your skin. I got an XS in both the top and the bottom. For reference, I usually wear 24/25w jeans and S tops. If you are unsure about your size, I would suggest checking out their size guide. My only complaint is that the cups on the top are more wide-set than most, which isn't that big of a deal if you are into showing cleavage (LOL that I have none of). 

Pricing

OLU suits are more expensive than your regular swimsuit, but I do think that they are well worth it if you want to get a swimsuit that will last. They retail for $85 each, plus $15 shipping if you live outside of Australia. If you plan on investing in a good swimsuit, I would recommend OLU 100%, but if you just want a suit to wear once or twice, I would say go for a cheaper option (but honestly who buys a suit to wear only one or two time).

Ratings

Style Selection: 4/5
Size Selection: 5/5
Customer Service: 5/5
Packaging: 5/5
Delivery Time: 4/5 (I live outside of Australia though)
Material: 5/5
Fitting: 4/5
Pricing: 3.5/5

Final Verdict: 4.44/5 


I honestly really love the suit, and would recommend it if you want a good quality suit that will last you a while. Can't wait for summer! Hope you guys enjoyed the review! If you have any questions on sizing, drop me a comment below and I'd love to help you out! Also, if you want to get a suit for yourself, go ahead and use my promo code embrx10 for 10% off your next order!

Until next time, 

-R

*This swimsuit was kindly sent to me by OLU Swimwear. All opinions are my own. 

Special shoutout to my good friend and self-proclaimed manager, Gain, for helping me stay organised and on schedule.



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12 comments:

  1. Lovely - I have shared this in OLU Facebook too :)

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  2. Love the style of this suit! I want it...

    http://poiseinwings.blogspot.com/

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. It's so cute right?! You can get one too <3 use my code embrx10 for 10% off!

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  3. Replies
    1. thank you so much sheila! I'm in love with your new blog name btw! If you want a suit, be sure to use my code embrx10 for a discount <3

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  4. This is such a cute bikini! I love the details on it. So lucky to have won, I feel like I never win these types of giveaways :(

    xx
    Kara

    www.kay-ng.blogspot.com

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    1. Same! This was the first time I ever won anything :P. If you want to get one for yourself you can use my code embrx10 !

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  5. i love the swimsuit! definitely one to add to the wishlist as it's too expensive for me :( but maybe someone can always treat me on my birthday haha

    xo Sarah
    http://absolutelysarahx.blogspot.com

    ReplyDelete
  6. It's so perfect right? Thanks for commenting Sarah <3. I agree it is on the pricey side but it is totally worth it! If you are going to buy it don't forget to use my code embrx10 for a discount <3.

    ReplyDelete