Oon the beach, in the park and in the lido, a battle as old as time – or at least, as old as Brigitte Bardot – is back. Are you a group swim team, or a bikini group? The bikini is back in the game. For several summers, one part had a fashion speed. But in fashion, as in life, change is one thing you can bet on. It’s almost time to cross the floor.
I’ve always been a bikini person. This has less to do with fashion than with comfort. There are women wearing swimwear everywhere – in advertisements, in store windows, on social media – which makes it easy to think of swimwear as a good option. But it’s not good – unless you are, or are likely to be, a contestant on Love Island. For the rest of us, swimwear is for those rare days when we’re super lucky with the weather and our to-do list. Those days don’t come often, so what matters is what you wear to make those days better.
I like bikinis because when it’s hot I want to jump into the water as much as I can, and I don’t like the feeling of always being in a wet bathing suit. Same goes for me more happy in a bikini, because I’m not soggy. And the story is even better. Also, I think bikinis suit me well. It has nothing to do with body shape, but because as an incredibly talented swimmer I feel like one sport dominates my athletic ability. The only beach activity I’m good at is reading books.
There is another reason. When I was growing up, one-piece swimsuits were square (so were bikini tops, come to that) but with the rise of sports and the decline of tan culture saw swimsuits leapfrog to the top of the fashion tree a few years ago. Sophisticated silhouettes – loose, or with keyhole cutouts – made the one-piece look, and the bikini just worked. But with the revival of the 90s and 2000s looks – boho is the summer story of this year – bikinis are hot again.
I have two important questions to ask when choosing between swimwear. The first is: what will you be comfortable in when you need to go to the beach / stand on the beach and yell at your kids for suncream. In other words: if you only feel good in it when you hold your stomach, or while you sleep, pass. When you stand in front of the mirror, don’t look at your body; look yourself in the eye and measure how confident and beautiful you feel in that moment – how happy you are, in other words – and be guided by that.
Second: what will work during transition when you want to wear something over your swimwear. A full change at the beach, with all the knicker and bra conflicts, is usually not good, so this is important. One piece can help here, if you wrap a sarong around or throw on a shirt and dress enough for a picnic lunch. If you can make an appearance just for lunch, that’s a plus. I’m never as confident in a swimsuit as I am in evening wear from the beach to the bar. Does anyone really do that? Isn’t it all sand and gravel? What about wet beach towels – don’t you need to take them back to Airbnb to dry tomorrow?
If you’re in the market for a bikini instead of the wonderful Ookioh one piece you can see here (£100), grab a voucher for the Hunza G popcorn-effect bikini – mine’s the Jean bandeau style, £165 for the set; they come in a wide range of colors. (Also, the Hunza G is one-size-fits-all, so don’t worry if you’re bigger or smaller than last summer. It happens.)
If you prefer a small shape, it is strongly recommended for the M & S scalloped bikini in neoprene – I bought this style last year, but the same one is available now. A designer look, it costs £22.50 for the top and £15 for the matching bottom. In fact, that style also comes in a single scallop, for £35. We’ve got you covered. Or however you like, anyway. The choice is yours.
Styling: Melanie Wilkinson. Hair and makeup: Sophie Higginson uses Color Wow and Chantecaille. Stylist assistants: Sam Deaman and Nyima Jobe. Example: Kitty Su in Milk
#Bikini #swimsuit #Choose #feel #Jess #CartnerMorley #fashion