A swimsuit is a close cousin of polewear: a tight, stretchy garment made from a synthetic yarn and elastane, built to stay on a moving body with a lot of skin showing. That family resemblance is why a swimsuit can work for a pole class, and why plenty of beginners reach for one. But a swimsuit was engineered for water, not for a steel pole, and the places where those two jobs differ are exactly the places that decide whether it helps you or gets in your way.
What does a swimsuit get right for pole?
The fabric and the fit, mostly.
Swim fabric is the same kind of knit that polewear is made from. The LYCRA Company describes the most durable swimwear fabrics as ones that combine a strong yarn such as nylon or polyester with an elastane fiber, which is the same basic recipe as most pole shorts. A home sewing tutorial from WeAllSew calls for "four-way swimwear fabric with at least 50% stretch," along with a lining that stretches just as much. A fabric that stretches that far in every direction will move with you through a climb or a straddle.
The fit is right for the same reason. Swimsuits are cut close to the body on purpose. The sewing blogger behind Mabey She Made It explains why: once you are in the water, swimsuit fabric gets heavier and will either fly away from the body or sag unless it is tight. So a swimsuit is patterned to hug you, which is what a pole garment needs as well. Loose fabric is fabric between your skin and the pole.
Bikini bottoms also get the most important thing right without trying: they leave your thighs bare. Pole grip comes from skin, and the inner thigh is one of the main contact points. We covered why in Why pole shorts expose skin.
Where does swimwear work against you?
In three places: coverage on the torso, how the top is held on, and what the garment has been through before it gets to class.
Torso coverage. A one-piece covers your stomach, back and sides. Dragonfly, which makes polewear, lists the contact points a pole move can use as "your thighs, knee crease, hips or side of the torso." A one-piece swimsuit puts fabric over the side of the torso, and that matters as soon as you start learning holds that press your side or waist into the pole. For a first class it rarely matters. For anything past that, a bikini or a separate top and shorts gives you that skin back.
The top. A swim top is built to survive swimming, which mostly means staying in place while you move forward through water. A pole top has to stay in place while you hang upside down, twist and press your chest or ribs into a pole. Tie-string tops, thin straps and decorative hardware like rings and clasps are all fine in a pool and less fine when your whole body weight is turning on them. If you wear a swim top, choose one with wide straps and no metal, and test it before you invert. Our post on what makes a good pole top goes through what actually keeps a top in place upside down.
What it has been through. This is the one people do not think of. Swimwear lives in chlorine, salt water and sunscreen. The LYCRA Company says chlorine, UV, heat, body oils and sunscreen oils "all attack unprotected spandex at a molecular level," which is why so many swimsuits bag and sag after a season. That is a durability point, but it is also a grip point. A suit that has been to the beach carries sunscreen in the fabric, and pole studios ask you to keep oils away from the pole. S Factor's class guidance, for example, asks students to avoid lotions or oils on class days because they make it difficult for you and your classmates to grip the pole. A swimsuit fresh from a sunscreen day is a lotion you are wearing.
Is chlorine-resistant swimwear better for pole?
Not in any way that matters on the pole. Chlorine-resistant elastane exists because pools are hard on stretch fiber; the LYCRA Company says its LYCRA XTRA LIFE fiber lasts up to 10 times longer than unprotected spandex, which is the company's own figure from its pool and lab testing. A pole studio has no chlorine in it. What ages polewear is sweat, stretch and washing, which we covered in How to wash polewear. A chlorine-resistant suit is a sensible buy if you swim. It is not a reason to choose one for pole.
How do you check a swimsuit before class?
The same way you would check a pair of pole shorts. Dragonfly suggests checking "the waistband, leg openings and crotch coverage with a squat and knee lift." Add two pole-specific checks:
- Lift one knee to your chest and look at the inner thigh. If the leg opening of the bottoms sits low enough to cover it, the bottoms will cost you grip.
- Bend forward and twist. If the top shifts when you are upright, it will shift more upside down.
Then wash it before class if it has seen the beach, so you are not bringing sunscreen to the pole.
Quick answers
Can I wear a bikini to my first pole class? Usually yes, if it fits snugly, leaves your thighs free, and the top stays put when you bend and twist. Check your studio's dress code first.
Is a one-piece swimsuit OK for pole? For a first class, often. It covers your sides and stomach, which you will want bare for some moves later on.
Does swimwear fabric grip the pole? No more than other stretch knits. Skin does the gripping; the fabric's job is to stay out of the way.
Should I wash a swimsuit before wearing it to pole? If it has had sunscreen or lotion on it, yes. Oils on fabric end up on the pole.
Sources
- Swimwear Fibers from LYCRA Brand - The LYCRA Company
- Discover the Secret to Durable Swimwear - The LYCRA Company
- How to Sew a Swimsuit for Summer - WeAllSew
- 15+ Tips to Sewing Swimsuits You'll Love - Mabey She Made It
- Why Pole Dancers Wear Tiny Shorts - Dragonfly
- What should I wear to class? - S Factor