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Yet, My One-Piece Swimsuit Remained Unscathed Down A Rock Waterslide In Puerto Rico
By: Tiffany Johnson
Date: March 12, 2026 
Photo: Tiffany Johnson / So MoTiFFated
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A good swimsuit is hard to find! Not only a good looking one, but one that’s good quality. With quality comes price. For years, I have been hanging onto the same one that I purchased from H&M in college. Mind you, I graduated from undergrad more than a decade ago. Outside of the one’s that I purchased there; I made blind buys while online shopping from Victoria’s Secret during the pandemic, although they didn’t fit, they never found their way to get returned. After taking that loss, I was determined to find a swimsuit win, albeit four years later.
My ole faithful one-piece that I love is in black and as I praise throughout this site, I am determined to live my life in color. While I love a good bikini, I knew that wasn’t going to make the roster for my most recent trip to Puerto Rico. Given that I haven’t flown on a plane since I was a teenager, my main goal was to get myself there, safely. I wanted to eat my way through the city of San Juan, without worrying about if my belly button would be protruding out while wear said bikini. All of me was going to be covered more than usual and that shift was freeing. Having a brick-and-mortar store near me that only focuses on swimwear is a plus, and that gave me extra room to procrastinate because I knew that I could go in there the day before beginning my travel and I would be just fine. MY INTRODUCTION TO EVERYTHING BUT WATER
Photo: Tiffany Johnson / So MoTiFFated
I found out about this store while relaxing at The Spa at Ballantyne in Charlotte, NC. One of the ladies had a cute bathing suit that I complimented and she shared that she got it at SouthPark Mall. Seconds later, she looked at the tag to confirm that it came from Everything But Water (EBW). It amazed me that I never heard of this store before. I frequent that mall often, too. I must have been laser focused as I walked directly by it as I visited Cheesecake Factory to taste their Celebration Cheesecake for a Bath & Body Works x Milk Bar collaboration review that also made its way to my YouTube Channel.
I knew the store would be a luxury store as I am well aware of the clientele at Spa Ballantyne. While I have noticed more Black women visiting the spa, it wasn’t always like that when I started going a decade ago. I love seeing more women who look like me taking advantage of luxury, because we are more than deserving of the luxurious things this world has to offer. As a former corporate social responsibility (CSR) professional who worked in that field for a decade, the disparities that plague minority communities are harrowing. To see melanated women prioritizing self-care and making it a point to relax will always bring a smile to my face. Marriam-Webster defines melanated in two parts, “highly pigmented: containing melanin in high concentrations” and “of, relating to, or being a person of color and especially a Black person.” I definitely had to double check the spelling because while drafting this article in Microsoft Word, I kept getting the red squiggly line because its word library marks it as misspelled. My point is further validated. All things excellence, right to your inbox. Beauty essentials • Business strategy • Style curation Everything you need to nourish your confidence. THEIR MISSED MARKETING OPPORTUNITY
My initial mission for shopping with Everything But Water was to find a swim dress or tankini. I never heard of a swim dress before and the concept intrigued me. When browsing on their website, I didn’t pay it much mind that they had tall models with slim figures. I knew that I didn’t browse through every single product offered on their website, because when I’m on a mission, that has my focus. The product glossary at the top of the page for one-pieces showed “Tank, Halter, Shaping, Cut Out, One Size,” and its models showed diversity, played safe. Lose curls. Straight Hair. A bit of race diversity.
I’m a 34DDD and have been since I was in high school. It’s always interesting for me shopping for bathing suits because I’m top heavy and have a curvaceous figure, my bottoms are usually a medium. So, in a one-piece that will translate to a size large. It didn’t dawn on me until leaving the store, and doing my own research to learn that not many Black women shop in that store. So, I booked it to their Instagram. I was flabbergasted by their feed. 
Photo: Screenshot of Everything But Water’s Instagram Feed / Tiffany Johnson
Slightly over 350k followers on Instagram, and Black woman are few and far between. Their marketing definitely did not make me feel seen. As a shorter voluptuous Black woman with tight coily natural hair, I desire to be seen in marketing campaigns. Their Instagram feed showed a cookie-cutter marketing layout, featuring similar body types, not at all showing examples of their size availability being up to 3X, although their Instagram bio promotes, they offer tops up to size G.
As expensive as their products are, they should be reflective of the beauty that is displayed in our everyday lives. People vary in size, color, hair type, and so much more. Just to humor myself after the IG deep dive, I went further down the rabbit hole and browsed their website. I filtered for the 3X size to see which models were featured. There were approximately three that I counted, one older in age, that differed from the models they used to showcase the rest of their clothing. No shift in models for the extended size products, just a display of which sizes were available for purchase.
Not that H&M is much better, but when shopping with them online, their copy shows “Model Size: The model is 175cm/5'9" and wears a size S.” Imagine how helpful this would be to those that want to see themselves reflected in brand marketing, so they can get a feel for how something might look on them. This is a layered analysis, because I’m thick and want to visualize how it might wear on my body. The hook of this article title, Black Women Deserve Luxury Swim & Everything But Water Needs to Catch the Tide, is still my main point. I will reiterate this by breaking down the collective power of Black consumerism. Neilson, one of the most recognized global measurement companies in the world, released an exclusive diverse intelligence report titled, Engaging Black Audiences: How Brands Impact, Grow, and Win with Inclusion. The statistics are mind blowing. Their dedicated webpage to this topic detailed:
If I looked at their Instagram feed prior to shopping in-store, I am not sure that I would have made my expensive purchase. THE IN-STORE SHOPPING EXPERIENCE
Finding a swimsuit in-store at Everything But Water was mandatory, because I was on a time crunch. I could have purchased the swimsuit weeks prior online, guessing which ones would look good on my body and then returning the ones that didn’t. However, at this stage in my life I’m all about experiences. I’ve worked so hard throughout my life and at 32 years old, I want to be pampered. I want luxury experiences. I want to get out and create community. On a good day, all three can happen while shopping at the mall. So, I did.
First Impressions Their store in Charlotte, NC consisted of one salesperson. She was nice, but it was clear that she had a lot to do during her shift. Putting clothes on the rack, ringing up customers at the cash register, getting customers settled in the dressing room, while providing recommendations to me as a new customer was a lot. They have swim rompers, which I called ahead to have held because that was the closest thing to a swim dress, but seeing them in-person I realized they wouldn’t support my bust. So, pivoted to searching for a tankini. 
Photo: Tiffany Johnson / So MoTiFFated
Dressing Room
Adding to the customer experience when in the dressing room, they have a plethora of try-on panties that you can use when trying on their clothing. It’s stored in wooden box-like container at the end of the bench as listed on the photo above. They are very thin, and doubling up worked well! Highly recommend wearing two. They are breathable and are lean more towards the thong style. FYI.
The Winning Swimsuit
Back to the drawing board, I took time to browse on my own for something that would work well with my body. I wanted to show off what God gave me, while also keeping it classy. To do so, I knew that I needed to go with a one-piece, paired with a kimono to cover my backside. I tried on several while chatting with a friend and getting feedback, but for the sake of article length, I’ll stick to what worked best.
I love my complexion! Having my brown skin paired against bright color was going to make my outfit pop! My eyes immediately gravitated towards the apple-colored one-piece with gold hardware. I wear gold jewelry often, so I know how good it looks on me. Tiffany & Co. Jewelry is my favorite, but on this trip, I didn’t want to bring my most expensive pieces because anything can happen during travel. Ultimately, my Bezel Strand 18 in. Diamond Necklace in 18K Yellow Gold from Brilliant Earth made the final cut. Shopping my closet removes additional pressure of finding accessories to complete the look.
The swimsuit just felt right. Its material is stretchy and breathable. As someone with a 34DDD chest, I never felt like my girls were going to be on the loose. They felt secure and it wasn’t too revealing it the back. There was a nice u-shape that showed my voluptuousness and that gave me joy. I was able to do they tying myself, but given my bust, the strings can often get pulled tighter when I have a helping hand. Whenever wearing a swimsuit, I tell whomever I’m near to pull it tight and not to worry about my circulation. I’ll live! The end result was breathtaking. Literally.
The look would not have been complete without more gold. Building upon the 18k bezel necklace, one-piece with gold accents, the golden kimono just felt right! Its layer of comfortability was there because of its high slits on both sides, an adjustable belt placed at the waste, and butterfly sleeves that added a layer of freedom that was perfect for an island vacation.
Return Policy
Photo: Tiffany Johnson / So MoTiFFated
I purchased two one-pieces, just in case. The aqua color stood out to me because I immediately connected it to Tiffany Blue. I only ended up needing one swimsuit because I went to the girls’ trip a day late due to my public speaking engagement at my alma mater, NC State University. Our packing list said to bring multiple bathing suits, but I only had one day on the beach. Therefore, the teal one got returned.
Everything But Water has an interesting return policy having a 21-day window. Most retailers have a minimum timeframe of 30 days. This led me to believe that there is an unspoken layer of difficulty added during the return process. During my initial visit to the store, there was a woman trying to return her swimsuit to no avail. There was an issue with it not showing up in the system to the point that the clerk wouldn’t accept the item, mentioning the customer would have to come back after she checked with her manager. Furthermore, their non-refundable items are jewelry, health, beauty, plus gift cards. If you buy anything on sale, then it’s final and cannot be returned either. If you paid more than $50 in cash, then you won’t receive cash in return. They will literally mail you a check via the United States Postal Service (USPS). For them to be founded in 1984, and known for selling designer products, this return policy needs a refresh. My return process wasn’t seamless, but it was still accepted. I set up an account with them during purchase, so the receipt could be emailed to me. The last day to return my item was on 3/11/2026, so I made sure to return on March 10. Once there, it took me a minute to remember which email was associated with my account, but once determined, my receipt wasn’t listed in their system. If I didn’t have the email on my phone, I wouldn’t have been able to return the $100+ swimsuit. The clerk had to look at the transaction number on my receipt to get my information. I’m glad that it worked in my favor, but this is a significant area of improvement for them. Their system should easily show customer purchases to take the responsibility off the customer. As much as these products cost, the last thing a shopper should need to worry about is their purchases showing up in EBW’s system. MY PUERTO RICO WEAR TEST
Photo: Tiffany Johnson / So MoTiFFated
The Abigail One Piece Swimsuit is currently my favorite swimsuit! I mean . . . stunning! The way that it stands out in front of the beach has me in awe. Considering a bright colored swimsuit was a major shift the dark blue and black hues that I have worn over the past decade. My mind can’t be the only thing colorful. Adding color to my wardrobe is a promise that I made to myself. I definitely made good on that promise in San Juan, Puerto Rico!
Isla Verde Beach was filled with great energy and good vibes. Sitting under a beach umbrella with the side angle of the sun allows you to see the intricacies of the swimwear duo, highlighting the glistening gold mesh kimono combined with the bold gold bijoux.
Photo: Tiffany Johnson / So MoTiFFated
I’m 5 feet 4 inches, and the kimono blowing in the wind reveals that it has inches to spare without touching the ground. Everything But Water does not list their product measurements on their site, so its exact measurements are unknown. However, my eyes lead me to believe that this kimono is about 60 inches long.
It also survived climbing the El Yunque National Forest, which was grueling! That hike required so much concentration, but was so rewarding when you reached the top. This being the only tropical rainforest in the United States, there were so many hurdles along the way. Literally, climbing over tree branches, climbing up steep stairs where each case seemed to be two feet deep, to nearly slipping off rocks while waiting to go down a waterslide with a rock foundation. All of it was worth it and made me very proud of myself! The bonus was that my swimsuit held the test of time. Doing the hike in the morning made the afternoon on the beach more rewarding. I didn’t feel any friction forming at the back of the swimsuit. It dried relatively quickly as well as I was determined to air dry in the Puerto Rican heat.
IS IT A MOTIFFATED MUST-HAVE?
This is a stacked question. Noting my background in CSR and how vital it is for our differences to be valued and recognized in mainstream marketing, I’ll say the quality of the product is definitely there. Thinking from a positive lens, it could be possible that since they seemingly haven’t marketed to diverse communities that's why they lack brand recognition. With more people not knowing about their brand, that might have dominoed into their online marketing having minimum inclusivity. The spending power of the Black community is there. People, of any race, will go out of their way to pay for products with quality. People have also varied in size for centuries, and if they offer 3X sizes, then a 3X model should be showcased. If Everything But Water is increasing their multi-million-dollar brand through earned revenue, then they have increased money in their budget to update their communication and marketing.
Remember that as a consumer, you have the power. There are several ways to exert that power. A few ways are leaving reviews and engaging with EBW on social media. Keeping it classy of course, but doing so in a way that your point comes across clearly. Whether that notes their lack of diversity in their marketing, their return policy being antiquated, etc. They who hold the money have the power and companies depend on your discretionary spending to stay afloat. If you are in search of a high-quality, luxury swimsuit that will last you for a long time, then yes. It is worth the money. HOW EVERYTHING BUT WATER CAN EVOLVE: A STRATEGIC PATH FOR THEIR MARKETING
True inclusivity is a start, which includes showing their products on varying types of women that is a snapshot of the people that you see while running errands. My mind immediately wanted to use the example of Victoria Secret being forced to evolve their brand presence as their annual runway show made a return. However, through research and reading this Teen Vogue op-ed, I saw their attempt didn’t fulfill their promise.
I have learned throughout my career, that I give so freely of information that people take it and run with it, play-by-play, without sending the credit my way. If they would like to hire me as a consultant, I’ll go in depth at that time. Until then, hopefully, Everything But Water staff will view this article as the friend giving them the gentle nudge to do better. If they are wanting to capitalize off of selling to audiences of different races and full-figured women, then they need to feel welcomed. Period.
Have you or will you shop at Everything But Water?
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 Tiffany Johnson is the Founder and Editor-in-Chief of So MoTiFFated. With an MBA in Digital Marketing and a background in branding, she curates excellence across beauty, business, and style with the eye of an executive and the heart of a hype woman... Read Her Story!
1 Comment
3/12/2026 06:22:49 pm
As you can tell by the pictures in the article, I'm still elated that I bought that swimsuit and kimono! That being said, I still want to see more Black women represented in Everything But Water's marketing. Leave a Reply. |
