swimwear trendspotting at the bay area's coolest sauna
sporty maillot one-pieces, quirked-up bikinis, and sauna totes.
My eyes are closed. I’m lying on a striped beach towel on a wooden platform lounger, limbs splayed out beneath direct sunlight, face covered by the protective brim of a pink umbrella. The synth-y wail of a Cocteau Twins song is playing in the background, but I can’t make out which direction it’s coming from. It doesn’t matter. My skin is warm, my bones are warm, everything is good.
This is how I spent last Saturday at a bayside sauna in Richmond called good hot. It’s one of the Bay Area’s coolest and most welcoming wellness spaces. Against the backdrop of a wellness culture that’s obsessed with wealth-flexing and self-optimization (SF tech bro immortality biohackers), good hot stands out for its mission of inclusivity, centering “the comfort of queer, BIPOC and bathers of different abilities.”
Everything about good hot’s visual language is very lowercase letters, very round shapes. The website gives you a sense of its eco-artsy-minimalism vibe, which is even more evident in person. You reserve one of their saunas ahead of time—ideal for small groups—and show up with your suit and towel and snacks. When we first pulled up in the parking lot, I thought, this feels like a mini Sea Ranch, with the wood beam design elements and beach rocks as reception desk decor.
It’s just a perfectly serene little spot overlooking the bay.
For the duration of your reservation, you can alternate between the wood sauna and a cold plunge in the bay (I stuck a foot in the water and decided a cold plunge was NOT in the cards for me). Afterwards, you can socialize and sunbathe over a kettle of peppermint tea from Oaktown Spice Shop. Our group pooled together some rice crackers, tangerines and nuts, and the group next to us were pros because they brought metal bowls and prepared some kind of orzo salad thing. Next time, I would pack a pesto turkey sandwich and some vinegar chips.
I’m interested in how wellness spaces connect with sartorial trends, such as the way stolen Wi Spa shirts have become a cultural signifier in pockets of LA.
So, I put on my trendspotting cap at good hot to observe how people dress at the Bay Area’s coolest sauna. Here are my notes.
Sauna Totes
Everyone brought a sauna bag, most of which were canvas totes big enough to store a towel or two, a change of clothes, and other personal knick knacks. I saw a Sandy Liang x Baggu cursive embroidery tote from that collab wayyy back when, and a monogramed L.L. Bean tote.
There were a few totes from local institutions like SFMOMA and Tokyo Fish Market. And some patterned Baggus were in the mix as well, which are ideal for carrying damp clothes. As for me, I brought my Alex Mill tote.
It’s not a place for flashy bags. Although, the girl carrying the Sandy x Baggu sauna tote also had a Fendi logo purse in the cubby area!
One-piece maillot suits
There was a pretty even split of one-piece and two-piece suits (I’ll get to those later), but in general, one-piece suits skewed towards a maillot style. Think tank top straps and higher cut legs. Styles tended to be classic and simple. When you’re sitting in a 175 degree sauna, you don’t want any large metal rings or embellishments burning your skin.
Andie Swim Laguna suit (XS-3X)—saw sooo many classic black swimsuits with low cut backs.
Left on Friday (XS-2XL)—dark brown was another popular color, this particular suit is giving Berkeley clog mom.
J.Crew Nia gingham suit (0-24)—printed suits were on the subtle side, like a checked gingham or small polka dots. The wide straps also make this passable as a bodysuit that I’d style with a pair of silk pants.
LIDO ombre print suit (XS-XL)—directly inspired by the woman I saw taking a cold plunge in the most vibrant sunset ombre printed suit!
Summersalt Black Ruched Backflip suit (2-22)—love this deep V plunge neck take on a classic black suit.
Araks Berry Luna suit (XS-2XL)—saw someone in a contrast trim suit similar to this one, very sporty and feminine at the same time.
Damson Madder checked Lilibet suit (UK6-UK20)—this printed suit is giving Oakland girl with microbangs who goes to North Light after her appointment at Pony Studios. I might order it.
Baserange brown heart cutout suit (XS-XL)—this also feels bodysuit-passing, and would be versatile tucked into a cotton skirt or low rise loose jeans for summer.
Quirked-Up Bikinis
Think: mismatched sets, unexpected colors, and a decent amount of cheeky swim shorts. Saw one girl wearing men’s floral print board shorts with a bikini top and black Teva Hurricanes.
Below the fold, 8 suits from small independent brands inspired by the bikinis/two-pieces of sauna scene: