Time marches on, fashion changes, styles, materials and prints change each other, but the types of swimwear remain the same: fused (closed or solid) and separate (open). Each of them also has several varieties, suitable for different women’s images and shapes. Swimsuit types are almost always named for the shape and cut of the bodice.
Table of Contents
Closed Suits
- Mayo;
- Plange;
- Halter;
- Tank;
- Swim Dress;
- Bando;
- Burkini;
- Hi-neck.
Mayo is a classic fusion bathing suit with a V-neck, square or rounded neckline and made-on straps. The longitudinal sidelines of some modern designs are reinforced to hide small flaws of the figure and to tighten it. Light draperies and high collars are allowed. Mayo is universal, as it suits women of any build. You can wear it to relax and to do sports. Mayo is similar to a tank in many ways.
The straps and cups for the tank bust are one-piece. The straps are much wider than those of the mayo, and perfectly support a large chest. Girls with curvy shapes often choose it because this swimsuit visually makes the figure slimmer. Bandeau is also similar to mayo, but has no straps or has one, which is put on over the neck. Its solid type is less common. Bandeau was recognized by beach fashionistas thanks to magazines and Hollywood movies back in the 50s in America.
It also became fashionable thanks to the first U.S. beauty Betty Brosmer. The bandeau visually makes the hips smaller and the upper part of the body shorter. Sweep-dresses also hide unwanted flaws of the buttocks and hips, while perfectly shaping a large breast – the bodices of this bathing suit can be halter or bandeau style. The swimsuit’s name came from its form of micro-mini dress, under which can be hidden shorts, pantyhose or thongs. Swim-dresses come in a variety of styles. Plunge stands out from its brethren with deep cutouts in the back and front of the bathing suit. Such a swimsuit will elongate the torso and neck, but will not weigh down the former and visually increase the bust.
The hi-neck is more often sporty than beachy. Its peculiarity is a small neckline up to the collarbones. The hi-neck is suitable for girls and women who want to lengthen the torso and make it visually slimmer visually. Halter has two distinctive features: the straps tied at the neck and the bodice style, emphasizing the chest. Such a bathing suit is often chosen to balance the lower and upper parts of the body. The most modest swimsuit that leaves only the palms, feet and face exposed is the burkini. It is designed for Muslim women, made from 100% polyester, the cut is most reminiscent of pajamas.
One curious variation of this look is the Chinese fayskini, which looks like a burkini with a balaclava. Fayskinis protect against sunburn.
Open Swimsuits
Almost all types of swimsuits can be both solid and open. The bikini is considered the most open swimsuit and is also the most varied. The bikini briefs are traditionally very low-rise, with ties or clasps on the sides, and the bodice is two triangles of fabric on a tie-up. The bottom of the bikini can be a thong of varying degrees of openness, tank panties or shorts. The nanokini is the tiniest of the bikini options. It is a few laces or strips of fabric that cover almost nothing. The stikini gives an unusual variation of the bodice, which is replaced by round stickers made of synthetic material that does not let UV rays through.
Another interesting form of bikini is the trikini. The traditional swimsuit also includes a pareo, shorts or skirt in addition to the two main components. The halter is more common in the open version, which has straps that tie around the neck.
Sweat dress has an open shape, also called a skirtini: the skirt is separated from the bodice and can have different cuts and lengths. One of the open varieties of tank is the tankini, which includes a top in the form of a tank top (which can also be short) and swimwear. The latter can be different: shorts, thongs, slip-ons or tangas. Camchini is a variation of tankini that differs only by a clearly defined bust line, making the upper part similar to a jacket. The bandeau also has an open variety, whose bodice is usually draped, has no straps, or has one graceful strapline across the neck. Bandini is one of the varieties of open bandeau. The distinctive feature is the elongated top, which can reach up to the waist.
Combinations
It is difficult to attribute some variations of the bikini to one type or the other, so the monokini is recognized as combined. The swimsuit can have all sorts of cut-outs of different shapes and sizes, and the bodice is connected to the bottom with decorative or fabric elements.
