When she’s not busy headlining Hulu’s The Kardashians with the rest of her family, Kim Kardashian is building up her billion-dollar brand. These efforts include the launch of a new skincare line in June (despite outside claims of trademark infringement by a business using the SKNN name). And, of course, there’s SKIMS. The shapewear line was initially introduced by the star back in 2019 and has since grown into as much of a viral sensation as herself – even climbing the upper echelons of the sports world when it became the official underwear for the 2022 Beijing Olympics. After taking a look into the offerings for us more regular folks, though, I came up with four SKIMS products we should all totally splurge on and three to avoid.
Love It: SKIMS Metallic Monokini
While the world waits with bated breath for fall and pumpkin spice lattes, I’m still over here in the heat of summertime. And one thing Kim Kardashian does well is make a wild swimsuit design look effortless, hence why the SKIMS metallic monokini is a must-have. It’s pricey at $108, much like everything else on the site, but I’m all for its intriguing cut-out design. In fact, the suit is kinda giving me adult Zenon vibes – if the older Disney Channel generation catches my drift.
The 41-year-old mogul famously donned a simple black version of the monokini last year – while working out in the gym. (That’s not where the water is, Kim!) And the Internet had an absolute field day over the juxtaposition there. I’m just saying, one could go viral in much the same way, in theory, with an even flashier color.
Leave It: SKIMS Swim Gloves
Ah, this old chestnut. I had a very serious bone to pick with the reality star over her new summer “trend” of “swim gloves” when they dropped on the SKIMS site. The reverse farmer’s tan alone that it would seemingly induce with enough sun exposure, or lack thereof, is a hard no for me. Tan lines from monokinis are, at least, underneath one’s clothes…
Yet, the swim gloves in question sold out almost instantly online. Not to mention, Kourtney Kardashian made a pretty good case for them when she posted herself wearing them. So, maybe I’m just not appreciating the fashion enough here, or maybe, just maybe, I’m right. Either way, I’m more likely to buy Kim’s beige Beats by Dre collaboration than her take on underwater accessories.
Love It: SKIMS FITS Everybody Bodysuit
Now, we can’t exactly talk about SKIMS without talking about bodysuits, which Kim Kardashian has elevated to something of an art form in her time. She’s even in the process of updating the design of her iconic line, courtesy of Khloe Kardashian’s complaints about it in Season 1 of The Kardashians, to have a wider crotch area. As Khloe hilariously put it, some of us just have a “bigger vagina than most.”
SKIMS has a really cool abstract design for the Summer Mesh t-shirt bodysuit that I wish I'd gotten my hands on. That would surely turn heads, especially if you opt to not wear any coverage underneath. Unfortunately, all sizes are currently out of stock for the $88 walking conversation piece. The good news, though, is that there are plenty of other similar options out there in a variety of colors with the FITS Everybody bodysuit, and that one'll only cost ya $62 bucks.
Leave It: SKIMS Faux Leather Mock Neck Bodysuit
I can understand bodysuits with little to no coverage if there’s something more to it print-wise. But I draw the line at the added uncomfortable-ness that is leather or faux leather. Again, who wants those unique problems and logistics? Well, Kim Kardashian apparently does for anyone who buys the SKIMS faux leather mock neck bodysuit.
Sure, it’s cute, but at what cost? (Besides the $98 before taxes and shipping.) Kim Kardashian is known to dabble in full bodysuits made out of leather with matching fetish masks during fashion week herself. Not to mention, she was seen wearing another one to her ex-husband’s Donda album listening party last year. She’s clocked in the experience in this area, so to speak. For the rest of us, though, I say save yourself the trouble when you inevitably have no one around to zip you in or zip you out of this attire. There are plenty of non-leather, long-sleeved bodysuits to choose from on SKIMS!
Love It: SKIMS Cotton Rib Boxer
Along with the age-old quest for dresses with pockets, surely I’m not the only woman out there who thinks that we deserve more options in the boxer department (besides from a boyfriend's dresser)? Right? Right. Kim Kardashian would apparently agree with me, given she has a whole collection of boxers on SKIMS. And the price ain’t too shabby, either, all things considered.
Leave It: SKIMS Perforated Seamless Short
Regina George said it best when she said “fetch” would never be a thing. Likewise, I didn’t think Kim Kardashian would try to make “perforated seamless shorts” a thing. But here we are. If you translate the nomenclature, they’re mesh shorts, essentially, and I can’t really envision any scenario where they would be a reasonable option.
The SKIMS item is being marketed on the site as an “attention-grabbing,” “sporty” fashion statement. So…what? For exercise? There are "super seamless leggings" and more in this collection as well. It would surely be “attention-grabbing” if I were to be doing my squats at Planet Fitness in literally any of the seamless bottoms. The other potential – layering it underneath gym shorts for at the gym – seems equally cringe. The matching mesh top, though – well, a girl can work with that.
Love It: SKIMS Ultra Fine Mesh Catsuit
And yet, speaking of mesh, there is a way to marry it with the concept of sexy – and it is the SKIMS ultra fine mesh catsuit. It’s less as more and more as less, somehow, someway, as one. Meaning, since it’s full body and mesh, it kind of is the best of both worlds in the lingerie department (or “after hours,” as the site calls it). You can show off a little something-something, while simultaneously holding all the bits and bobs securely in place to achieve the flowy silhouette look. And the exposed seam design is actually pretty cute. (It naturally bypasses the more basic catsuit and the jokey comparisons of them to the movie adaptation of Cats!) So, all in all, this one is another must-have – so long as you don’t mind how un-sexy getting it off would likely be.
That’s all for now, folks. As for Kim Kardashian herself, check out the Queen of Catsuits and Swim Gloves and the rest of her family when their reality series returns for its second season on September 22 for Hulu subscribers! And as always, we have compiled the other great shows streaming now on Hulu.
