Bikini - Which style is for you?

The bikini has been close to our hearts for decades, being the most essential ingredient to our summer suitcase. Think about it, we will wear our bikini throughout most of the day on our holidays, whether lying in the sun or swimming in the sea, the bikini becomes just as important as your undergarment.

Who would have thought, the good old bikini took its name from an island in the Pacific Ocean. It’s true; in 1946 the U.S president Harry S. Truman asked the civilians their permission to use their atoll as a nuclear weapon testing ground on a temporary basis. This was agreed. In 1996, Bikini Atoll was opened up to the public as a fantastic destination for diving, fishing and tourism. So what relation does this piece of history have with the bikini? For this reason exactly, Louis Reard believed his invention of the two piece would be as significant as the invention of the atomic bomb. And he wasn’t far wrong.

The bikini, as we know it, comes in the form of a two piece garment. One part covering the breasts and the other part covering the groin area, however spotting a navel was unheard of. The popularity of the bikini rose in the mid fifties, when icons like Bridgette Bardot laced the covers of magazines sporting the new found fashion fix. In 1957, a well publicised photo shoot With Jayne Mansfield in Life Magazine was a poignant moment towards the bikinis rise to fame. In 1960 the bikini was set to be the next big thing, and although mixed feelings were still in the air surrounding this new craze, women all over the world were following in the footsteps of their idols. How can we forget the infamous scene in the 1962 Bond movie Dr No, where Ursula Andress playing the role as Honey Ryder, emerges from the sea in her gorgeous white bikini, a scene never to be forgotten. 

A wide variety of bikini types are available to flatter your body shape. Whether you’ve been on your ritual pre-summer holiday ‘bikini diet’ or not, we all have a preference of style we feel best in.

The Classic Bikini looks almost identical to a bra. It has two straps, and can also have underwire for extra support. The classic bikini bottoms tend to be high cut at the leg and are modest in coverage.

The Halter Bikini offers the best support and can flatter either a small or a large bust.  It has straps which are tied behind the neck allowing you to choose how tight you want it. It is a great choice for sporting activities. You can normally find a choice of different bikini bottoms with the halter style.

The Tankini  is basically a one piece but in two parts. This can be a popular alternative to the conventional bikini normally worn by women who may want more coverage. It can be worn by all body shapes, however fuller figured women should ensure the top meets the bottoms to avoid unflattering overhangs.

The Monokini in a nutshell means topless bikini. When first designed in 1964, it was in reality, a pair of bikini bottoms with straps attached that went over the shoulders. However there are now various styles of the monokini deriving from the original.

The String Bikini or micro bikini uses a minimal amount of fabric, therefore providing less coverage than most other bikinis.  They do not provide much support as the straps are usually thin, so should be avoided by women with larger breasts. This bikini was extremely popular in the seventies. 

The Bandini is a tube like strapless top paired with traditional bikini bottoms. This style of top needs to be tight fitting in order to stay up so is usually made with a spandex containing material. It is not a particularly flattering style for small breasted women but can serve a fuller figure very well since the style is supportive and minimising. It is not ideal for use as swimwear however due to the lack of straps!

The Thong Bikini is a bikini top (normally a string top) with thong bottoms. The thong bottoms leave the buttocks completely bare so is very popular with sunbathers. It is however only a style for the very toned due to the minimal coverage.