From Bathing Suits to Skirts, the Duggars Have Rocked Some Seriously Strange Swimwear Over the Years

The Duggars may have relaxed their dress code over the years, but don’t expect to see any of them in a bikini anytime soon.

The family’s commitment to modesty extends even into their swimsuits, which means they’re more likely to wear a long skirt and T-shirt at the beach than anything else.

While Jill Dillard (née Duggar)  may have broken the mould by modeling more modern bathing suits on her Instagram, everyone else is still pretty buttoned up.

The family actually doesn’t hit the beach all that often. In a July 2020 episode of the now-canceled Counting On, parents Jim Bob and Michelle Duggar revealed that some of their children never even learned to swim. As granddaughter Felicity took her first swim lesson, Jinger Vuolo revealed she’s only just starting to learn, too.

“I have a friend who’s been teaching me how to swim,” she explained on the show. “She learned from an instructor like how to teach her kids, and so she’s been teaching me.”

Jim Bob explained that his first few kids all took lessons, but the practice faded out once they had more children to keep an eye on. Jinger, the sixth Duggar kid, never had the opportunity to learn formally.

As the family grew, they eventually moved into a house with a pool, and some of the younger kids learned there. As for the middle kids, well, they were out of luck. “There’s a few of them that probably don’t feel really comfortable getting in the water,” Michelle said.

In the past, the Duggars tended to stay away from beaches and public lakes for the most part.

Though they enjoyed the occasional day in the water, they made a point of avoiding situations where the male family members could possibly be defrauded by seeing a woman dressed in such a way that it might “stir up desires that cannot be righteously fulfilled.” That meant any trips to the seaside where they might spot someone in a tankini were few and far between.

Despite that, the DIY-loving family has always been down to rig up a makeshift slip-n-slide at home or get a little crafty creating their own wading pool.

Following their time on the show, the Duggars have hit the beaches and lakes more often. In February 2021, Jessa Seewald (née Duggar) shared a family photo of their trip to Florida.

Posting a beachside photo, Jessa, who wore a long flowing skirt, wrote in the caption, “We traveled to Florida for a friend’s wedding last weekend, and ended up making a mini vacation out of our trip! The kids were in awe of the beauty of the beach!”

Meanwhile, Jana Duggar offered a glimpse of her trip to Beaver Lake in Arkansas, sharing a photo of her riding a jet ski seemingly in a red shirt and shorts. “Feels like summer!!” she captioned the series a snaps.

Jill, on the other hand, has gone so far as to partner with her favorite “favorite swimsuit and activewear company,” and even modeled the swimwear herself in a September 2021 post.

Check out the gallery below to see the occasions where the former TLC stars went swimming and get a glimpse of what they wore.