Most swimwear is sold as a set. This is convenient for the manufacturer and genuinely inconvenient for the person wearing it. If you are a size 10 on top and a 12 on the bottom — or you prefer a triangle top with more coverage on the bottom — a matching set forces a compromise.
Mix and match separates solve this. Here is what you need to know.
What does mix and match mean in swimwear?
Mix and match simply means buying bikini tops and bottoms individually, rather than as a fixed pair. You choose each piece separately, in the size and style that suits you, and they are designed to work together across the range.
At Raw X Salt, every top and every bottom is sold separately. There is no set pricing or pairing requirement. You can combine any top with any bottom in any colour or print from the current range.
Why buy separates instead of a set?
Different sizes on top and bottom
This is the most practical reason. The average person is not the same size across their top and bottom half. Buying separates means you can buy each in the size that actually fits, rather than defaulting to the size that fits better and making do with the other.
Style flexibility
You may want a bandeau on top with a cheeky bottom, or a triangle top with more coverage below. Sets limit your options. Separates let you combine cuts and coverages to suit your body and your preference.
Wear rate
Most people wear out one half of a set faster than the other. If you swim laps, your top gets more chlorine exposure. If you prefer sunbathing, the bottom fades faster. Buying separates means you can replace just the piece that wears out, rather than retiring the whole set.
Build a range over time
When you buy separates, you are building a wardrobe rather than accumulating sets. One top can rotate with three bottoms. One print bottom can pair with multiple block colour tops. You end up with more combinations from fewer pieces.
How to mix prints and block colours
A common question is whether you can pair a printed top with a block colour bottom, or vice versa. You can, and it works well with a few principles:
- Match a colour from the print. If the print contains blue tones, pair it with a solid that picks up that blue. Holiday Blues pairs naturally with Zephyr (sky blue). Tan Lines pairs with Clay (earth tone) or Intenso (black).
- Treat Intenso (black) as a neutral. Intenso works with any print. It grounds louder prints and adds contrast to more subtle ones.
- Mix prints only if the colour palette connects. Two prints with clashing palettes tend to fight each other. Two prints in the same tonal family can work, but it requires more confidence.
Raw X Salt separates: what's available
Tops
Available styles include bandeau, triangle, and more structured supportive cuts. All come in sizes XS to XL. Current prints and colours: Holiday Blues, Tan Lines, Intenso, Zephyr, and Clay.
Bottoms
Available cuts range from cheeky to mid-coverage to fuller coverage. Our bestselling bottom is the Aloha Shortie — a versatile mid-coverage style with a slightly longer leg. The Shape Shifter has adjustable tie sides and works across a range of sizes. All bottoms are available in sizes XS to XL.
Sizing for mix and match
Our swimwear runs true to Australian sizing. If you are between sizes, we suggest sizing up for comfort. Because tops and bottoms are sized and priced separately, you can order your actual size in each without any compromise.
Our full size guide includes measurements for both tops and bottoms.
All made from recycled fabric
Every Raw X Salt separate — tops, bottoms, and one pieces — is made from certified recycled fabrics. Solid colour styles use ECONYL® regenerated nylon (from ghost fishing nets and industrial waste). Printed styles use REPREVE® recycled nylon. Both are chlorine-resistant, UPF50, and built to last across many seasons.