I think I speak for 99% of the Instagram population when I say 'I need a Triangl bikini', right? They're terribly gorgeous, but also terribly expensive - especially for a student like myself (boo hoo). I'm not quite sure why I've never searched for dupes before, I guess I thought Triangl was so unique, it could not be replicated. I know high street shops like River Island and Primark have made their own versions with piping and similar materials, but still these didn't quite match my love for Triangl. I came across a blogger (I completely forgotten her name, I feel awful!!) and I was having a little feed stalk (as you do) and tapped on, what I thought was a photo of her Triangl bikini - it wasn't! It was dupe! Omfg omfg omfg, a new door had been opened! I immediately found her post on her blog about the dupe and found out how I could get my hands on a Triangl dupe.

I now have my own Triangl dupe (pictures above) and I expect you're reading this for the same reason I've just explained above! So, the 'secret' is, these little beauties are sold on the Chinese online store Aliexpress (a bit like a Chinese version of Amazon I think). I have to mention how amazing Aliexpress is. It's a fashionista's haven. They sell pretty much everything under the sun at a fraction of the retail price. You do have to be careful that you read the descriptions and feedback properly because sometimes they show a picture of the 'real thing' but really it's just a dupe. So make sure you know what you're buying. I was a little sceptical about ordering from this site for simple reasons like it being Chinese and never heard of it before, so I did a little research and it seemed to be legit, had good reviews and the two fashion bloggers I found had used it had nothing but praise for the site. 

Ok, onto the Triangl dupes. They have sooo many to choose from, just go into Swimwear and you can filter down your search if you like and 100's of different designs pop up. There are loads that are exact replicas of the Triangl ones and some that are exclusives. I was literally in awe at all the beautiful pieces, I tell you now you will be pulling your hair out choosing which design to go for! Maybe there's a Triangl design you have your heart set on? Chances are it'll be on Aliexpress! I wanted to buy several, but since I'd never heard of the site before, I thought it was more sensible to buy just the one to see how it goes. 

Prices range from £5 to around £20 (you can change the website to suit your currency) which depends on what seller you buy from and if you're buying bikini top and bottom separately or as a set. It works out cheaper to buy them as a set, which is what I did, but I thought it was really useful if you're a different size on the top than on the bottom. My bikini (find it here) was £9.86 when I bought it and is a dupe of Triangl's 'Bubble Mint' but for just a fifth of the price! Delivery was also free with this seller, but not for every seller.

Size wise was on point. Naturally I'd go for an XS and from what other bloggers have explained, they seem to be true to size. Like I said, if you're different top and bottom, go for the single pieces, this also means you can mix and match bikinis. The material is slightly stretchy, it's thick so you wouldn't want it to be too tight as it would definitely dig in. You can also adjust the top straps like a bra which is super handy. I went for the XS, I'm a UK6 and it fits absolutely perfectly! I literally cannot stress how well it fits! I've never been a fan of triangle shape bikini tops before as I thought they made me look flat chested, but this is so supportive and just looks gorgeous and flattering on! 

I should mention the quality of the pieces. Amazing. I do dressmaking myself and I can tell this is some really good sewing. Anyone who doesn't sew would be able to tell how well it has been done. The stitches are in perfect straight lines and finished off neatly and discreetly. The material seems to be the traditional Neoprene swimsuit style material which is really thick and the top is covered in mesh and piping. The bottoms slide on and the top is done up at the back with a clip that slides into place, again seems robust enough! As for the colours, I hope my images show a true representation but for clarification, the bottoms are turquoise and fairly bright, the white is pristine and pinky peachy colour is a pastel. The bloggers' posts I read explained their bikinis came in a Neoprene bag, similar to Triangl but mine didn't, it's worth to note that this obviously depends on the seller. I also noticed their biknis were a brand (I can't remember the name) which was displayed in the labels on the garments. Mine, however, doesn't have a brand name written on it anywhere, just the size on a small label. I guess this depends on the seller, also. 

As you probably know, stuff from China kinda takes forever... So this is the only downside but that's the price you pay for the bargain price you pay for these items! It took about 2 weeks and 4 days for my set to arrive, which is average, the site says it could take 15 days plus so not bad at all. You would need to order this in plenty of time if you want it for a holiday or something! Like me, I want it for my holiday next week and I was getting a little concerned that it wasn't going to arrive in time. Luckily, my seller (maybe not all of them do this) provided me with a tracking number and website so I was able to see what stage my parcel was at (although this wasn't always 100% accurate, my parcel seemed to be stuck in China for about two weeks!?).

The only negative I have about the bikini is the creases. What ever you do, do not put the iron directly onto the material! It will burn off... I have tried to iron out the creases over another shirt but it wasn't very successful. It isn't too noticeable when being worn though.

Overall, I'd definitely recommend Aliexpress for your Triangl dupes! Amazing quality for the money. I've even purchased some phone cases for less than a quid which I am more than happy with and intend to nab some more bikinis and other products soon too. I know eBay sell dupes as well, but I have heard some people's bad reviews about absolute monstrosities ending up on their doormat that have just been chucked in the bin. Also, eBay doesn't provide feedback which is a great advantage of Aliexpress who do. Give Aliexpress a go, try something cheap or the bikini I bought if you're a bit sceptical.

B x