Here’s something that will come as sweet comfort for most ladies: even top swimsuit model Jessica Gomes has moments she feels meh about putting on a bikini – but it isn’t photoshoot settings that make her most nervous.

“I go through that [anxious] feeling when I have to get into a swimsuit on the beach,” she told GRAZIA during a recent visit to Sydney. “I really want to feel good when I’m out in the sun, you know, having fun on holidays… I think we’re all a little ‘oh my god, summer’s coming’ sometimes.”

Gomes now lives for the most part in Los Angeles while she also pursues an acting career but has just been named the first face of Australian swim label JETS. The 33-year-old stars in the brand’s new Spring/Summer 2017 campaign shot on Sydney’s Northern Beaches by big-name fashion photographer Simon Lekias.

Jessica Gomes for JETS SS17
Credit: Simon Lekias

Given Gomes became a household name as a Sports Illustrated model and has spent much of her career since wearing swimwear, the new partnership is something of a commercial gimme.

“When this came about it was a no-brainer,” Gomes told GRAZIA at an intimate poolside launch event hosted by the brand in her honour recently. “I feel like I’ve been shot in so much JETS over the years – it’s so me. I’ve always loved their cuts and their fabrics are really thick.

“Every time I put a JETS swimsuit on I feel like Bond Girl.”

What exactly does she mean by that? “I think as a woman I feel most confident when I’m in something that really holds me in, in all the right places.”


Jessica Gomes for JETS SS17
Credit: Simon Lekias

JESSICA GOMES’ 5 TIPS FOR PICKING A PERFECT SWIMSUIT

TIP 1: COMFORT IS EVERYTHING

“As much as I love the little teeny triangles I could wear when I was 17, these days I feel most sexy when I feel comfortable and held in. I want to be able to dive into the ocean at Bondi Beach feeling secure – not that I’m going to fall out of my top.”

TIP 2: DON’T FEAR THE CHANGEROOM

“Go and try things on and see what shape makes your body look its best. Then buy what makes you feel the best and totally comfortable. I know that feeling all too well when you’re like ‘this bikini was such a bad idea’. I think about what’s going to be the best for me to make me feel the most comfortable and confident.”

TIP 3: CONSIDER IT AN INVESTMENT

“I think it’s important to spend a little bit more to get a good quality, timeless swimsuit that fits really well. I speak to people who are like, ‘I’ve had my JETS swimsuit for 10 years because it’s such good quality’. The brand is known for its classic shapes. They really do that classic black and white swimsuit perfectly.

TIP 4: REMEMBER MORE IS MORE

“I think covering up a bit more is now sexy – and one-piece swimsuits are a big trend.  I’ve always worn a one-piece on the catwalk for David Jones because I like covering my stomach sometimes. It’s not always following a trend or being in that little bikini. And covering up a little protects your skin as well. In this new collection, there’s this long-sleeved suit which looks like a wetsuit, but it’s not. You just zip it up, it protects you and looks amazing.

TIP 5: BUT DON’T RULE OUT BIKINIS

“My go-to swimsuit is either a really simple black bikini – JETS do one with full coverage that lifts your boobs up and has a thicker bottom – or I love the high-waisted with a bandeau with straps attached for extra support so I’m really held in.”

SEE MORE OF JETS SS17 CAMPAIGN AND COLLECTION BELOW

Credit: Simon Lekias