Bikini variants#String bikini

The name bikini was originally used in the 1940s for the skimpy fashion item that first revealed the wearer's navel. However, the current fashion industry considers any two-piece swimsuit to be a bikini.{{cite web|last=Patton|first=Susan Ruiz|title=A Bikini Isn't The Choice Of Miss Pa. For The First Time In 77 Years, Contestants In Miss America Pageant Can Choose Their Swimwear. Heather Busin Prefers One-piece|url=https://www.mcall.com/1997/09/11/a-bikini-isnt-the-choice-of-miss-pa-for-the-first-time-in-77-years-contestants-in-miss-america-pageant-can-choose-their-swimwear-heather-busin-prefers-one-piece/|publisher=McCalls|date=11 September 1997|access-date=27 August 2013|archive-date=13 October 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131013191926/http://articles.mcall.com/1997-09-11/news/3155841_1_swimsuit-competition-bikini-pageant|url-status=live}} Modern bikini fashions are characterized by a simple, brief design: two triangles of fabric that form a bra and cover the woman's breasts and two triangles of fabric on the bottom forming a panty cut below the navel that cover the groin in front and the buttocks in back. The amount of coverage can vary widely, from a string bikini with very little coverage to a full design with maximum coverage. A topless swimsuit may still be considered a bikini, although naturally it is no longer a two-piece swimsuit.

These derivations of the word bikini were created through inappropriate analogy with words like bilingual, bifocal and bilateral, which contain the Latin prefix "bi-" (meaning "two" in Latin), the word bikini was first back-derived as consisting of two parts, [bi + kini] by Rudi Gernreich when he designed the monokini in 1964.{{cite book|last=Gold|first=David L.|title=Studies in Etymology and Etiology|page=101|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=l015C5vm1XkC&q=bikini+topless+monokini&pg=PA100|year=2009|publisher=Universidad de Alicante|isbn=978-8479085179}} Later swimsuit designs like the tankini and trikini were also named based on the erroneous assumption that the "bi-" in bikini denotes a two-piece swimsuit.{{cite book|author=Gurmit Singh|author2=Ishtla Singh|title=The History of English|pages=13–14|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=taEnAAAAQBAJ&q=bikini+latin+prefix+back+formation&pg=PA13|year=2013|publisher=Routledge|isbn=978-1-4441-1924-4}} These new coinages falsely presumed that the back-formation [bi + kini] was purposeful.{{cite web|title=the bi in bikini|url=http://biloklok.blogspot.com/2005/04/bi-in-bikini.html|access-date=7 August 2013}}{{cite web|last=Harper|first=Douglas|title=bikini|url=http://etymonline.com/?term=bikini|publisher=Online Etymology Dictionary|access-date=7 August 2013}}

The "-kini family" (as dubbed by author William SafireWilliam Safire, No Uncertain Terms, page 291, Simon & Schuster, 2003, {{ISBN|0-7432-4955-0}}), including the "-ini sisters" (as dubbed by designer Anne ColeTrish Donnally, "[http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/1999/05/18/DD105172.DTL&hw=CARGO+PANTS&sn=088&sc=171 "Inis" Are In]", San Francisco Chronicle, 1999-05-18) has grown to include a large number of subsequent variations, often with a hilarious lexicon.Barry J. Blake, Playing with Words: Humour in the English Language, page 59, Equinox, 2007, {{ISBN|1-84553-330-5}} Major stylistic variations and an array of spinoff styles include string bikini, monokini or numokini (single, top part missing), tankini (tank top, bikini bottom), camikini (camisole top and bikini bottom), hikini or hipkini, thong, slingshot or sling bikini (actually a one-piece swimsuit), minimini, teardrop, seekini (transparent bikini), microkini and granny bikini (bikini top and boy shorts bottom).David Diefendorf & James Randi (foreword), Amazing... But False!: Hundreds of "Facts" You Thought Were True, But Aren't, page 33, Sterling, 2007, {{ISBN|1-4027-3791-2}} In just one major fashion show in 1985, there were two-piece suits with cropped tank tops instead of the usual skimpy bandeaux, suits that are bikinis in front and one-piece behind, suspender straps, ruffles, and daring, navel-baring cutouts.Fashion Correspondent, "[http://nl.newsbank.com/nl-search/we/Archives?p_product=PI&s_site=philly&p_multi=PI&p_theme=realcities&p_action=search&p_maxdocs=200&p_topdoc=1&p_text_direct-0=0EB29A230AE055D5&p_field_direct-0=document_id&p_perpage=10&p_sort=YMD_date:D&s_trackval=GooglePM Swimsuits take some inspiration from the past]", Philadelphia Inquirer, 1985-11-10

File:Sunrise, Florida woman in bikini.jpg in 2006]]

A string bikini or stringkini is scantier and more revealing than a regular bikini. It gets its name from the string characteristics of its design. It consists of two triangular shaped pieces connected at the groin but not at the sides, where a thin "string" wraps around the waist connecting the two parts. String bikini tops are similar and are tied in place by the attached "string" pieces. String pieces can either be continuous or tied. A string bikini bottom can have minimal to a maximum coverage of a woman's backside.

The term string bikini first came into use in 1974.{{cite book|title=Fifty Years Among the New Words: A Dictionary of Neologisms 1941-1991|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=3x-umCIwEYQC&pg=PA186|first1=John|last1=Algeo|first2=Adele S.|last2=Algeo|publisher=Cambridge University Press|date=1993|isbn=9780521449717|series=Centennial series of the American Dialect Society|page=186}} There is an urban myth that the Brazilian fashion model Rose di Primo created the first string bikini when she had to sew one with insufficient fabric available to her for a photo shoot.{{cite book|title=Fodor's Rio de Janeiro & Sao Paulo|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=MZJ2DwAAQBAJ&pg=PT134|publisher=Fodor's Travel|date=2018|isbn=9781640971066|page=134}} The first formal presentation of string bikini was done by Glen Tortorich, a public relations agent, and his wife Brandi Perret-DuJon, a fashion model, for the opening of Le Petite Centre, a shopping area in the French Quarter of New Orleans, Louisiana in 1974. Inspired by a picture of a Rio de Janeiro fashion model in an issue of Women's Wear Daily, they had local fashion designer Lapin create a string bikini for the event. Models recruited by talent agent Peter Dasigner presented it by removing fur coats by Alberto Lemon on stage. The presentation was covered by local television stations and the New Orleans Times-Picayune newspaper and was sent out via the wire news services of the Associated Press and United Press International.

String bikinis are one of the most popular variations of bikinis.Valerie Steele, Encyclopedia of Clothing and Fashion, page 121, Charles Scribner's Sons, 2005, {{ISBN|0-684-31396-0}} Bikinis are also worn at the hips, but the fabric at the sides is narrower. In the string bikini, it disappears altogether to leave the waistband as a "string". The rear coverage of the bikini is not as full as with the brief. Bikini is the most widely worn style among women worldwide.{{cite web|last=Kiron|first=Mazharul Islam|url=http://textilelearner.blogspot.com/2011/07/panty-types-of-panty-brief-history-of_6934.html|title=Panties and Bikinis – Types of Panties – A Brief History of Panty|publisher=Textile Learner|access-date=15 August 2013|archive-date=30 June 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170630214715/http://textilelearner.blogspot.com/2011/07/panty-types-of-panty-brief-history-of_6934.html|url-status=dead}} The tied strings can accidentally come undone leading to a wardrobe malfunction, as happened to Miss Guárico at the Miss Venezuela 2008 beauty pageant.{{cite book|title=Beauty Queen: The Pathway to Pageantry|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=OqSkEAAAQBAJ&pg=PA315|first=Anvita|last=Sudarshan|publisher=Amaryllis (an imprint of Manjul Publishing House)|date=2022|isbn=9789390924103|page=315}}

{{Main|Monokini}}

File:Rudi Gernreich 1964 wool monokini, exhibited at 'The Vulgar' at Modemuseum Hasselt 2018 (crop).jpg

A monokini, more commonly referred to as a topless swimsuit and sometimes referred to as a unikini, is a women's one-piece swimsuit equivalent to the lower half of a bikini.The Concise Oxford Dictionary (2004 ed.){{cite web |url=http://www.everythingbikini.com/monokini.html |title=Everything Bikini |publisher=Everything Bikini |access-date=2012-11-12 |archive-date=2012-07-29 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20120729151157/http://www.everythingbikini.com/monokini.html |url-status=dead }}{{cite web |url=http://www.bikiniscience.com/costumes/soutien-gorge_SS/topless_S/topless.html |title=Bikini Science |publisher=Bikini Science |access-date=2012-11-12 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100108023628/http://www.bikiniscience.com/costumes/soutien-gorge_SS/topless_S/topless.html |archive-date=2010-01-08 }} In 1964, Rudi Gernreich, an Austrian fashion designer, designed the original monokini in the US.{{cite web|url=http://gernreich.steirischerbst.at/pages/bio1.htm |title=Gernreich Bio |publisher=Gernreich.steirischerbst.at |access-date=2012-11-12}} Gernreich also invented its name, and the word monokini is first recorded in English that year. Gernreich's monokini looked like a one-piece swimsuit suspended from two halter straps in the cleavage of bared breasts. It had only two small straps over the shoulders, leaving the breasts bare. Despite the reaction of fashion critics and church officials, shoppers purchased the monokini in record numbers that summer, though very few monokinis were ever worn in public. By the end of the season, Gernreich had sold 3000 swimsuits at $24 apiece, which meant a tidy profit for such a minuscule amount of fabric.[http://www.everythingbikini.com/monokini.html Bikini Styles: Monokini] {{Webarchive|url=https://archive.today/20120729151157/http://www.everythingbikini.com/monokini.html |date=2012-07-29 }}, Everything Bikini Monokini usage is uncommon in the US, where Americans have never accepted it for the beach.{{cite news|first=Suzy|last=Menkes|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1993/07/18/style/runways-remembrance-of-thongs-past.html|title=Runways: Remembrance of Thongs Past|newspaper=The New York Times |date=18 July 1993|url-access=registration|access-date=21 August 2019}} Many women who wanted to sunbathe topless simply wore the bottom part of a bikini. Manufacturers and retailers quickly adapted to selling tops and bottoms separately. Gernreich later created the lesser known pubikini.{{cite web |author=overzero.com |url=http://www.metroland.net/guides/2007_sum_guide/sum_waxing.html |title=Metroland |publisher=Metroland |access-date=2012-11-12 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120729120714/http://metroland.net/guides/2007_sum_guide/sum_waxing.html |archive-date=2012-07-29 }}

Peggy Moffitt modelled the suit for Gernreich. She said it was a logical evolution of Gernreich's avant-garde ideas in swimwear design as much as a scandalous symbol of the permissive society. In the 1960s, the monokini led the way into the sexual revolution by emphasizing a woman's personal freedom of dress, even when her attire was provocative and exposed more skin than had been the norm during the more conservative 1950s. Like all swimsuits, the monokini bottom portion of the swimsuit can vary in cut. Some have g-string style backs, while others provide full coverage of the rear. The bottom of the monokini may be high cut, reaching to the waist, with high cut legs, or may be a much lower cut, exposing the belly button. The modern monokini, which is less racy than Gernreich's original design, takes its design from the bikini, and is also described as "more of a cut-out one-piece swimsuit,"{{cite web|url=http://swimsuits.lovetoknow.com/Monokini|title=Monokini|publisher=LoveToKnow|access-date=2008-12-07|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081026145115/http://swimsuits.lovetoknow.com/Monokini|archive-date=2008-10-26|url-status=dead}} with designers using fabric, mesh, chain, or other materials to link the top and bottom sections together, though the appearance may not be functional, but rather only aesthetic.{{cite news|url=http://www.accessmylibrary.com/coms2/summary_0286-32594346_ITM|title=Swimsuit trends for next spring|last=Wexler|first=Kathryn|date=July 17, 2007|work=The Miami Herald|access-date=2008-12-07| archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20081222024554/http://www.accessmylibrary.com/coms2/summary_0286-32594346_ITM| archive-date= 22 December 2008 | url-status= live}} In recent years, the term has come into use for topless bathing by women: where the bikini has two parts, the monokini is the lower part. Where monokinis are in use, the word bikini may jokingly refer to a two-piece outfit consisting of a monokini and a sun hat.[http://www.apparelsearch.com/Definitions/Clothing/bikini_bathingsuit_definition.htm Bikini Swimwear Definition], Apparel Search The original monokini is still sold by Victoria's Secret as a half-kini.Katya Foreman, [http://www.bbc.com/culture/story/20130913-the-bikini-an-itsy-bitsy-classic Why the bikini became a fashion classic], BBC, 13 September 2013

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{{See also|Thong|G-string}}

File:Yellow bikini.jpg

A microkini (or micro bikini) is an extremely minimalist bikini[http://www3.merriam-webster.com/opendictionary/newword_display_alpha.php?letter=Mi Microkini] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110714074720/http://www3.merriam-webster.com/opendictionary/newword_display_alpha.php?letter=Mi |date=2011-07-14 }} at Merriam-Webster's Open Dictionary that uses less fabric than a traditional bikini in order to show more skin and create less visible tan lines. They typically have thong-style bottoms and string straps,{{cite magazine|title=The Micro Bikini Trend, Explained: Everything to Know About the Barely-there Swimwear's History, Creator and Iconic Runway Moments|url=https://wwd.com/feature/what-is-a-micro-bikini-1235751512/|magazine=Women's Wear Daily|first=Hannah|last=Malach|date=28 July 2023}} covering little more than the nipples and pubic hair.{{cite book|title=Reading Matter: Multidisciplinary Perspectives on Material Culture|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=rpsuDwAAQBAJ&pg=PT111|first=Arthur Asa|last=Berger|publisher=Routledge|date=2017|isbn=9781351494731|page=111}} See-through material is sometimes used for the straps to create the illusion that the triangles of fabric are taped to the body.{{cite news|title=Missguided's Clear-Strap Bikini Is Already the Year's Most Confusing Swimsuit|url=https://www.allure.com/story/missguided-clear-strap-bikini|website=Allure|first=Zoë|last=Weiner|date=7 March 2018}} Some variations of the microkini use adhesive or wire to hold the fabric in place over the genitals. These designs do not require any additional side straps to keep the garment in place.{{Citation needed|date=September 2013}}

Micro bikini designs for men were introduced at the end of the 1960s consisting of briefs that barely covered the coccyx and the pubic hair.{{cite book|title=The History of Men's Underwear and Swimwear, Second Edition|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=sWJaEAAAQBAJ&pg=PA109|first=Daniel Delis|last=Hill|publisher=Daniel Delis Hill|date=2022|isbn=9780986425486|page=109}} These micro bikinis for men have continued to be popular in Brazil, particularly in Copacabana, Rio de Janeiro.{{cite book|title=Encyclopedia of Contemporary Latin American and Caribbean Cultures: A-D. Vol. 1|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=mlWw7HLH6XsC&pg=PA387|first1=Danie|last1= Balderston|first2=Mike|last2=Gonzalez|first3=Ana M.|last3=López|publisher=Taylor & Francis|date=2000|isbn=9780415131889|series=Encyclopedias of contemporary culture series|page=387}} Women's micro bikinis first appeared in the 1970s. During the 1980s the popularity of highly revealing thongs such as those found in the microkini led to a rise in the use of Brazilian waxing to remove most of the hair from the pubic area.{{cite book|title=Cultural Encyclopedia of the Body [2 volumes]|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=YTdzBwAAQBAJ&pg=PA265|first=Victoria|last=Pitts-Taylor|publisher=ABC-CLIO|date=2008|isbn=9781567206913|page=265}}

The term "microkini" was first used in 1995 to describe the increasingly small bikini designs that were becoming popular at that time.{{cite book|title=The Bikini Book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=__DqAAAAMAAJ&pg=PA191|first=Kelly Killoren|last=Bensimon|publisher=Thames & Hudson|date=2006|isbn=9780500513163|page=191}} In the same year fashion designer Karl Lagerfeld created a micro bikini for Chanel's spring 1996 collection. It resembled a string bikini except that the top's triangles were replaced with two small circles resembling nipple pasties.{{cite magazine|title=You Can Now Wear Chanel's Infamous Micro-Bikini For 72 Hours Only|url=https://www.wmagazine.com/story/chanel-micro-bikini-kim-kardashian-rental-el-cycer|website=W Magazine|first=Stephanie|last=Eckardt|date=4 March 2019}} Other fashion brands including GCDS and Dior have since also produced their own versions of the microkini. Celebrities wearing microkinis have included Emily Ratajkowski, Kim Kardashian, Dua Lipa and Bella Hadid.

Microkinis keep the wearer just within legal limits of decency and fill a niche between nudism and conservative swimwear. In Europe the wearing of microkinis at beaches or hotels or public pools is often allowedMistrík, Erich, Pseudo-Concrete Ideals Of A Good Life, Human Affairs (2/2008), Department of Social & Biological Communication, Slovenská Akadémia Vied, Slovakia but it may be considered culturally inappropriate in more conservative societies.{{cite news|title=Influencer told to 'cover up' micro bikini on holiday to Cocos Island|url=https://www.news.com.au/lifestyle/real-life/news-life/influencer-told-to-cover-up-micro-bikini-on-holiday-to-cocos-island/news-story/fbf5492637c6c1fb39af763a7c0d7939|first=Rebekah|last=Scanlan|date=22 March 2022|website=news.com.au}} Wearing them in public is prohibited in some places by local laws{{cite book|title=Girl Culture: An Encyclopedia, Volume 1|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=LLbZ8Q2PFb8C&pg=PA183|first1=Claudia|last1=Mitchell|first2=Jacqueline|last2=Reid-Walsh|publisher=Greenwood Publishing Group|date=2007|isbn=9780313339080|page=183}} which can carry a fine for infringement.{{cite news|title=Taiwanese holidaymaker booked for wearing "microkini" in Boracay|url=https://gulfnews.com/world/asia/philippines/taiwanese-holidaymaker-booked-for-wearing-microkini-in-boracay-1.67064189|website=Gulf News|date=11 October 2019|first=Gilbert P.|last=Felongco}}

{{Main|Tankini}}

{{See also|Sleeveless shirt}}

File:Model at the Fall 2011 Run to the Sun Fashion Show (IMG 3061) (6793986977).jpg in 2011]]

The tankini is a swimsuit combining a tank top, mostly made of spandex-and-cotton or Lycra-and-nylon, and a bikini bottom introduced in the late 1990s.{{cite web|url=http://www.oup.com/oald-bin/web_getald7index1a.pl?cc=global&search_word=tankini |title=Tankini |publisher=Oup.com |access-date=2013-03-14}}{{cite news|first=Alisha|last=Davis|url=http://www.newsweek.com/id/92352|title=It Rhymes With Bikini|magazine=Newsweek|date=4 May 1998|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081224072300/http://www.newsweek.com/id/92352|archive-date=24 December 2008}}Becky Homan, "[http://nl.newsbank.com/nl-search/we/Archives?p_product=SL&p_theme=sl&p_action=search&p_maxdocs=200&p_topdoc=1&p_text_direct-0=0EB05184B3196071&p_field_direct-0=document_id&p_perpage=10&p_sort=YMD_date:D&s_trackval=GooglePM Tankini goes over the top]", St. Louis Post-Dispatch, 1999-04-03 According to author William Safire, "The most recent evolution of the -kini family is the tankini, a cropped tank top supported by spaghetti-like strings." The tankini is distinguished from the classic bikini by the difference in tops, the top of the tankini essentially being a tank top. The tankini top extends downward to somewhere between just above the navel and the top of the hips. The word is a neologism combining the tank of tank top with the end of the word bikini. This go-between nature of tankini has rendered its name to things ranging from a lemonade-based martini (Tankini Martini)Cornelia Schinharl, Sebastian Dickhaut & Kelsey Lane, Party Basics: Everything You Need for the World's Best Party, page 98, Silverback Books, 2002, {{ISBN|1-930603-91-6}} to server architecture (Tankini HipThread).Don Jones & Mark D. Scott, Using Microsoft Commerce Server 2002, page 211, Que Publishing, 2002, {{ISBN|0-7897-2763-3}} This type of swimwear is considered by some to provide modesty closer to that of a one piece suit but with the convenience of a two piece suit, such as not needing to remove the entire suit in order to use a lavatory.{{citation needed|date=March 2025}}

Designer Anne Cole, described as a godmother of swimwear in the US, was originator of this style.Becky Homan, "[http://nl.newsbank.com/nl-search/we/Archives?p_product=SL&p_theme=sl&p_action=search&p_maxdocs=200&p_topdoc=1&p_text_direct-0=0EB05184B3196071&p_field_direct-0=document_id&p_perpage=10&p_sort=YMD_date:D&s_trackval=GooglePM Tankini goes over the top]", Page 42, St. Louis Post-Dispatch, 1999-04-03 She scored what would be her biggest hit in 1998 when her label introduced the tankini. A two-piece suit with a top half that covered more of the wearer's torso than a standard bikini top, the suit was an instant hit with customers.Laura Avery & Thomson Gale, Newsmakers: Cumulation, page 118, Thomson Gale, 2007, {{ISBN|0-7876-8091-5}} Variations of the tankini, made of spandex-and-cotton or Lycra-and-nylon, have been named camkini, with spaghetti straps instead of tank-shaped straps over a bikini bottom, and even bandeaukini, with a bandeau worn as the top. Tankinis come in a variety of styles, colors and shapes, some include features such as integrated push-up bras. It is particularly popular as children's beachwear,Samantha Critchell (June 4, 2008). [http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/living/2004455556_tankinis04.html "Tankinis and rash guards rock with comfort, protection for kids"]. The Seattle Times. and athletic outfit good enough for a triathlon.Zoe McDonald & Lisa Buckingham, Triathlon Made Easy, page 52, Collins & Brown, 2008, {{ISBN|1-84340-433-8}} According to Katherine Betts, Vogue's fashion-news director, this amphibious sportswear for sand or sea lets the user go rafting, playing volleyball and swimming without worrying about losing their top.

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{{main|Trikini}}

File:ValerieSilverman. 519.jpg

The trikini appeared briefly in 1967, defined as "a handkerchief and two small saucers." It reappeared a few years ago as a bikini bottom with a stringed halter of two triangular pieces of cloth covering the breasts.William Safire, No Uncertain Terms, page 291, Simon & Schuster, 2004, {{ISBN|0-7432-5812-6}} The trikini top comes essentially in two separate parts.John Ayto, Ian Crofton & Ebenezer Cobham Brewer, Brewer's Dictionary of Modern Phrase & Fable, page 78, Weidenfeld & Nicolson, 2006, {{ISBN|0-304-36809-1}} The name of this woman's bathing suit is formed from bikini, replacing "bi-", meaning "two", with "tri-", meaning "three".Robert L. Chapman & Harold Wentworth, New Dictionary of American Slang, page 446, Harper & Row, 1986, {{ISBN|0-06-181157-2}}. Writer William Safire wrote in The New York Times: "Stripping to essentials, if the trikini is three pieces, the bikini two and the monokini one, when will we see the zerokini?"William Safire (June 11, 1999). [https://www.nytimes.com/1999/07/11/magazine/the-way-we-live-now-7-11-99-on-language-swim-suits.html "The Way We Live Now: 7-11-99: On Language; Swim Suits"]. The New York Times Magazine. Dolce & Gabbana designed trikinis for Summer 2005 as three pieces of scintillating fabric that barely cover the wearer.Associated Press, "[http://www.theage.com.au/cgi-bin/common/popupPrintArticle.pl?path=/articles/2004/06/28/1088392608125.html Free and easy] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090113132429/http://www.theage.com.au/cgi-bin/common/popupPrintArticle.pl?path=%2Farticles%2F2004%2F06%2F28%2F1088392608125.html |date=2009-01-13 }}", The Age (Australia), 2004 -06-29 A variation on the bikini in which three pieces are sold together, such as a bikini with a tank top or a bikini with a one-piece suit is also sometimes called a trikini,John Karl, "[http://www.accessmylibrary.com/coms2/summary_0286-27747407_ITM Under cover Designers are wrapping swimsuits with stylish designs], Sarasota Herald Tribune, 200-02-08 including a conventional two-piece with a glitzy band of rhinestones round the waist.Katia Dolmadjian, "[http://lifestyle.iafrica.com/fashion/fashion_features/594814.htm The hottest trends from Milan] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180130091746/http://lifestyle.iafrica.com/fashion/fashion_features/594814.htm |date=2018-01-30 }}", iAfrica, 2007-09-28 Israeli designer Gideon Oberson, known for his artistically inspired bathing suits, calls a two-piece suit but looks like a tank top that can be worn with a skirt or a pair of shorts designed by him a trikini.Meredith Price Levitt, "[http://fr.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?cid=1213794276712&pagename=JPost/JPArticle/ShowFull Sabra Style: Sizzling summer swimwear]{{Dead link|date=June 2019 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}", The Jerusalem Post, 2008-07-13. Brazilian designer Amir Slama calls two scraps of silk connected with string he designed for skinny women a trikini.Amy Diluna, [http://www.nydailynews.com/archives/news/2004/09/11/2004-09-11_for_those_who_dare__he_does_.html For those who dare, he does bare Brazilian designer reinvents itsy-bitsy, teeny-weeny bikini]", Daily News (New York), 2004-09-11.

{{Main|Sling swimsuit}}

The sling bikini is also known as a "suspender bikini", "suspender thong", "slingshot bikini" or just "slingshot". It is a one-piece suit that provides as little or even less, coverage (or as much exposure) as a traditional bikini. Usually, a slingshot resembles a bikini bottom, but rather than the straps going around the hips or waist, the side straps extend upwards to cover the breasts and go over the shoulders, leaving the entire sides of the torso uncovered, but the nipples and pubic area covered. Behind the neck, the straps join and reach down the back to become a thong.{{cite web|first=Jenny|last=Pate|url=http://www.articledashboard.com/Article/History-of-Swimsuits/461234|title=History of the swimsuit|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080907051823/http://www.articledashboard.com/Article/History-of-Swimsuits/461234|archive-date=7 September 2008|website=Article Dashboard}} There is a variation of the sling bikini called the pretzel bikini that has the straps simply encircle the neck and another set of straps pass around the midriff, instead of the straps passing over the neck and down the back. Slingshot bikinis first appeared in the early 1990s at a time when the use of Lycra was increasing. They became popular on the beaches of Europe including Saint-Tropez, Marabella and Ibiza,{{cite web|first=Jacqueline|last=Dautaj|url=http://swimsuits.lovetoknow.com/Slingshot_Suspender_Bikini|title=Slingshot Suspender Bikinis: A History|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120730105128/http://swimsuits.lovetoknow.com/Slingshot_Suspender_Bikini|archive-date=30 July 2012|website=LoveToKnow Swimsuits}} and in 1994 they were introduced into mainstream US stores.Fashion Correspondent, "[http://nl.newsbank.com/nl-search/we/Archives?p_product=MH&s_site=miami&p_multi=MH&p_theme=realcities&p_action=search&p_maxdocs=200&p_topdoc=1&p_text_direct-0=0EB4D23272FD283B&p_field_direct-0=document_id&p_perpage=10&p_sort=YMD_date:D&s_trackval=GooglePM Itsy bitsy teenie weenie... trivia think swimsuits. If two-pieces and t-backs are all that come to mind... think again]", Miami Herald, page 1G, 1995-07-15 {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201022182625/http://nl.newsbank.com/nl-search/we/Archives?p_product=MH&s_site=miami&p_multi=MH&p_theme=realcities&p_action=search&p_maxdocs=200&p_topdoc=1&p_text_direct-0=0EB4D23272FD283B&p_field_direct-0=document_id&p_perpage=10&p_sort=YMD_date%3AD&s_trackval=GooglePM |date=2020-10-22 }}

File:Bandeau Bikini adjusted.jpg

A bandeaukini, alternatively called a bandini,Kelly Killoren Bensimon, The Bikini Book, Assouline, 2006, {{ISBN|2-84323-825-0}} bandkini or bandikini, is a bandeau top, with no straps going over the shoulders, worn with any bikini bottom.Patricia Marx, "[http://www.newyorker.com/reporting/2009/08/03/090803fa_fact_marx On and Off the Avenue: Itsy Bitsy Teeny Weeny] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090831050538/http://www.newyorker.com/reporting/2009/08/03/090803fa_fact_marx |date=2009-08-31 }}", page 32, The New Yorker, August 31, 2009, Volume 85, Issues 26. The appeal of the bandeau grew fast among young women,"[http://nl.newsbank.com/nl-search/we/Archives?p_product=NewsLibrary&p_multi=OSBB&d_place=OSBB&p_theme=newslibrary2&p_action=search&p_maxdocs=200&p_topdoc=1&p_text_direct-0=10A7874FECFF1B68&p_field_direct-0=document_id&p_perpage=10&p_sort=YMD_date:D&s_trackval=GooglePM Just chillin, This season's swimsuits boast new flirty styles, retro looks]", Ocala Star-Banner, 2005-06-01 with bandeau tops edging into the sales of the classic tankini.Rena Fulka, "[http://nl.newsbank.com/nl-search/we/Archives?p_product=STRB&p_theme=strb&p_action=search&p_maxdocs=200&p_topdoc=1&p_text_direct-0=11A1D63E08E5BD90&p_field_direct-0=document_id&p_perpage=10&p_sort=YMD_date:D&s_trackval=GooglePM Seasonal style]", The Star (Tinley Park), 2007-06-14 Sometimes the same design has been called a bandeaukini and a tankini.

A bandeau may be fastened in the front or back or be sufficiently elastic so as not to need a fastener at all. A bandeau may come with a detachable halter strap, for extra support. A strapless bandeau, or tube top, was also worn as casual wear and sports wear starting in the 1970s, and is sometimes worn as part of a sportswear ensemble.{{cite web | url = http://www.bikiniscience.com/costumes/soutien-gorge_SS/bandeau_S/bandeau.html | title = Bandeau | work = Bikini Science | access-date = 2009-04-20 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20090422152422/http://www.bikiniscience.com/costumes/soutien-gorge_SS/bandeau_S/bandeau.html | archive-date = 22 April 2009 | url-status = dead }} Actress Halle Berry wore a skimpy pink bikini top with matching pants to the 2000 MTV Movie Awards, fueling the trend of wearing a bandeau top as an out-of-home dress."[https://nl.newsbank.com/nl-search/we/Archives?p_product=SJ&p_theme=sj&p_action=search&p_maxdocs=200&s_dispstring=headline(Heat%20relief)%20AND%20date(6/8/2001%20to%206/8/2001)&p_field_date-0=YMD_date&p_params_date-0=date:B,E&p_text_date-0=6/8/2001%20to%206/8/2001)&p_field_advanced-0=title&p_text_advanced-0=(%22Heat%20relief%22)&xcal_numdocs=20&p_perpage=10&p_sort=YMD_date:D&xcal_useweights=no Heat relief, what suits are hot – from tops to bottoms]", San Jose Mercury News, page 1E, 2001-06-08

File:Summer Stroll (7810735802).jpg in 2012]]

The skirtini, a portmanteau of skirt and bikini, which features a bikini top and a small, skirted bottom, is an innovation for bikini-style clothes with more coverage.Nada Manley, "[http://nl.newsbank.com/nl-search/we/Archives?p_product=NJ&p_theme=nj&p_action=search&p_maxdocs=200&p_topdoc=1&p_text_direct-0=10A3138C75E6BF71&p_field_direct-0=document_id&p_perpage=10&p_sort=YMD_date:D&s_trackval=GooglePM Beauty & the Beach: The perfect swimsuit is out there – honestly]", The Daytona Beach News-Journal, 2005-03-17 In 2007, skirtinis by Juicy Couture were dubbed as one of the top new trends."[http://www.trendencias.com/marcas/que-es-el-skirtini Que es el skirtini]", Trendencias, 2007-04-17 (Spanish)"[http://lei.excite.it/lestate-dello-skirtini-N29683.html Lestate dello skirtini] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140906070238/http://lei.excite.it/lestate-dello-skirtini-N29683.html |date=2014-09-06 }}", Excite, 2007-04-11 (Italian) In 2011, The Daily Telegraph identified the skirted bikini as one of the top 10 swimwear design of the season.Justine Picardie, [http://fashion.telegraph.co.uk/news-features/TMG8597324/The-Closet-Thinker-bathing-beauties.html The Closet Thinker: bathing beauties] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161220124839/http://fashion.telegraph.co.uk/news-features/TMG8597324/The-Closet-Thinker-bathing-beauties.html |date=2016-12-20 }}, Telegraph Online, 03 JULY 2011

According to Anne-Marie Blondeau, marketing and communications coordinator for swimwear company Maillot Baltex, "There was a lot of swimsuits that looked like dresses and skirts, so when you think about skirtinis in that sense, yes it seems old... but the skirtini is a bit shorter than the average skirt."Tanika White, "[https://www.proquest.com/docview/406648212 Flirty Skirts; Today's hot swimsuits are cute and coy, with an extra flounce of fabric] ", The Baltimore Sun, 2005-05-15 Pre-bikini two piece beachwear used aprons, skirts or draped panels to conceal "private areas".Amy T. Peterson, Ann T. Kellogg, The Greenwood Encyclopedia of Clothing Through American History (Volume 1), page 315, ABC-CLIO, 2008, {{ISBN|0-313-04334-5}} Two-piece swimsuits with usual skirt panels were popular in the US before the government ordered a 10% reduction in fabric used in woman's swimwear in 1943 as wartime rationing.[http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history.do?action=VideoArticle&id=6949 Bikini Introduced] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090419083213/http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history.do?action=VideoArticle&id=6949 |date=2009-04-19 }}, This Day in History, History Channel Playsuits were a beachwear popular in the 1950s that featured a "modesty skirt" and a bandeau top.Anne Rooney, The 1950s and 1960s, page 44, Infobase Publishing, 2009, {{ISBN|1-60413-385-6}}

In one major fashion show in 1985 were two-piece suits with cropped tank tops instead of the usual skimpy bandeaux, suits that are bikinis in front and one-piece in back, suspender straps, ruffles, and daring, navel-baring cutouts. Subsequent variations on the theme include the monokini, tankini, string bikini, thong, slingshot, minimini, teardrop, and micro.

To meet fast-changing tastes, some of the manufacturers have made a business out of making made-to-order bikinis in around seven minutes.Siobhan Morrissey (August 28, 1991). [http://nl.newsbank.com/nl-search/we/Archives?p_product=PBPB&p_theme=pbpb&p_action=search&p_maxdocs=200&p_topdoc=1&p_text_direct-0=0EAF84758A18E87D&p_field_direct-0=document_id&p_perpage=10&p_sort=YMD_date:D&s_trackval=GooglePM "Bikinis made in teeny-weeny time"]. The Palm Beach Post. p. 1D. Popular Brazilian beach markets have been identified as the source for the most diverse range of bikini merchandises.Mick Day & Ben Box, Rio de Janeiro Handbook, page 66, Footprint Travel Guides, 2000, {{ISBN|1-900949-80-6}}

File:Women at a foam party.jpg, Victoria, Australia in 2009]]

Bikini tops come in several different styles and cuts, including a halter-style neck that offers more coverage and support, a strapless bandeau, a rectangular strip of fabric covering the breasts that minimizes large breasts, a top with cups similar to a push-up bra, and the more traditional triangle cups that lift and shape the breasts.

There are four fundamental types of bare-midriff bikini tops: the brassière, halter, bandeau, and vest. These styles are differentiated by the number of shoulder straps and the resultant number of edges to the garment.{{cite web|last=Rosebush|first=Judson|title=Soutien-gorge Defined|url=http://bikiniscience.com/costumes/soutien-gorge_SS/soutien-gorge_defined_S/soutien-gorge_defined.html|work=Soutien-Gorge Species|publisher=Bikini Science|access-date=15 August 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130710164239/http://www.bikiniscience.com/costumes/soutien-gorge_SS/soutien-gorge_defined_S/soutien-gorge_defined.html|archive-date=10 July 2013|url-status=dead}} Some of these tops include a halter-style neck strap that offers more coverage and support, a strapless bandeau, a rectangular strip of fabric covering the breasts that minimizes large breasts, a top with cups similar to a push-up bra, and the more traditional triangle cups that lift and shape the breasts.{{cite web|title=Bikini Bottoms |url=http://everythingbikini.com/bikini-bottoms.html |publisher=Everything Bikini |access-date=15 August 2013 |quote=It seems that most of the bikini styles, with an exception of the thong, are categorized by the style of the top. The bandini, the tankini, the halter bikini, and the monokini are all distinguished by the cut and fit of the top... |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130828232055/http://everythingbikini.com/bikini-bottoms.html |archive-date=August 28, 2013 }}{{cite web|title=The History of the Bikini|url=http://www.historyofwaterfilters.com/bikini.html|publisher=History of Water Filters|access-date=15 August 2013}}{{cite web|title=BIKINI STYLES: String Bikini|url=http://www.everythingbikini.com/|publisher=Everything Bikini|access-date=15 August 2013|archive-date=18 February 2006|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060218160845/http://www.everythingbikini.com/|url-status=dead}}

The website Bikini Science identifies 30 different types of bikini bottoms that vary in style, cut and the amount of rear coverage they offer. The coverage ranges from full, as in the case of more modest bottom pieces like briefs, shorts, or briefs with a small skirt-panel attached, to full buttock exposure, as in the case of the thong bikini.{{cite web|last=Rosebush|first=Judson|title=Culotte: The Bikini Bottom|url=http://bikiniscience.com/costumes/culotte_SS/culotte.html|publisher=Bikini Science|access-date=15 August 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130102072356/http://www.bikiniscience.com/costumes/culotte_SS/culotte.html|archive-date=2 January 2013|url-status=dead}} Skimpier styles have narrow sides, including V-cut (in front), French cut (with high-cut sides) and low-cut string (with string sides).

{{Quote box

|title = High-tech bikinis

|quote = * Continuum Fashion and 3D printers Shapeways created world's first 3D printed bikini called N12 (short form for Nylon 12) in 2011 using Rhino 3D CAD software along with an algorithm written by 3D modeling expert Jenna Fizel.Stephanie Pappas, "[http://www.livescience.com/34566-weirdest-3d-printed-objects.html The 10 Weirdest Things Created By 3D Printing]", Live Science, May 21, 2013Pawel Piejko, "[http://www.gizmag.com/n12-3d-printed-bikini/18869/ World's first 3D printed bikini heads for the beach]", Gizmag, June 9, 2011

• New York inventor Andrew Schneider invented a solar bikini in 2011 covering it with 40 flexible photovoltaic cells feeding into a USB connection that can plug straight into an iPod. Two hours of sunbathing is claimed to be enough to charge an iPod Shuffle.Rachel Wells, "Solar bikinis, auto-fit undies: Clothes go hi-tech", Stuff, 2007-12-13
• In 2003, chemical company BASF embedded nanoparticles of titanium dioxide into a nylon fabric, which was used for a prototype sun-protective bikini that maintained its UV protection when wet.[https://www.telegraph.co.uk/education/3312307/Sunblock-without-the-mess...-wear-a-nano-bikini-and-hat-on-the-beach.html "Sunblock without the mess: Wear a nano bikini and hat on the beach"], The Daily Telegraph, April 10, 2003. Retrieved April 13, 2015.
• French designer John Nouanesing created the Geekini in 2008, incorporating NES game controls into a bikini.Scott Lowe, "[http://www.ign.com/articles/2008/08/19/designer-crafts-nes-inspired-bikini Designer Crafts NES-Inspired Bikini]", IGN, 2008-08-18
• Canadian swimwear makers Solestrom introduced two different types of UV indicator in its Smartswim bikinis in 2008 – photochromatic beads that darken with increased UV levels and an integrated LED display.{{cite web|url=http://www.coolest-gadgets.com/20060702/bikini-with-built-in-uv-meter/|title=Bikini with built-in UV meter|website=Coolest Gadgets|date=2 July 2006|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060708054328/http://www.coolest-gadgets.com/20060702/bikini-with-built-in-uv-meter/|archive-date=8 July 2006}}[http://www.talk2myshirt.com/blog/archives/406 UV Intensity Bikini], Talk to my shirt[http://www.theage.com.au/articles/2006/07/26/1153816223363.html Hi-tech bikini has built-in exposure warning], The Age
• First2Print, a digital fabric printing pioneer, collaborated with ESPI Fashion Design in 2005, to create the first digitally printed bikini that allowed exclusive artwork to be transferred onto bikinis.Mike Hanlon, "[http://www.gizmag.com/go/4688/ First2Print digitally-printed, ready-to-wear swim apparel]", Gizmag, 2005-09-30 Houston based bikini manufacturer Relleciga started mass marketing digitally printed bikinis in 2013."[https://www.wsj.com/article/PR-CO-20130117-908163.html?mod=crnews Lace & Digital Fabric Printing -- Relleciga Utilizes Cutting Edge Technologies and the Hottest Bikini Trends]", Wall Street Journal, 2013-01-17
• Amateur inventor Jill Silver introduced a backless and strapless bikini, named the Demikini, that used a gel under the arm to fix the top."[https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/4192363/Itsy-bitsy-strapless-gravity-defying-bikini.html Itsy bitsy, strapless, gravity-defying bikini]", The Telegraph (UK), 13 May 2004
• Cole of California introduced in 1992 an inflatable bikini with push-up pads that worked like air-pump shoes.Paula Yoo, "[https://archive.seattletimes.com/archive/19921111/1523948/inflatable-bikini-boom-for-the-bust Inflatable Bikini: Boom For The Bust]", Seattle Times, 1992-11-11[https://www.baltimoresun.com/1992/07/29/new-inflatable-bikini-has-a-pump-you-up-system/ "New inflatable bikini has a 'pump-you-up' system"]. The Baltimore Sun. July 29, 1992.
• First introduced in 1969, "tan-through swimwear" uses fabric perforated with thousands of micro holes that are nearly invisible to the naked eye, but which let enough sunlight through to produce a line-free tan.{{cite news |newspaper=The New York Times |title=Tan-Through Fabric Lets Sun Shine In |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1969/10/17/archives/tanthrough-fabric-lets-sun-shine-in.html |last=Taylor |first=Angela |date=October 17, 1969 |page=55 |access-date=November 30, 2014}}{{cite news|url=http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/vault/article/magazine/MAG1082764/3/ |title=Scorecard: No nudes is good news |magazine=Sports Illustrated |date=September 1, 1969 |access-date=April 15, 2015 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131012014005/http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/vault/article/magazine/MAG1082764/3/ |archive-date=October 12, 2013 }}{{cite news |newspaper=Daily Express |title=Tan-tastic bikini that lets rays shine through |url=http://www.express.co.uk/news/weird/104281/Tan-tastic-bikini-that-lets-rays-shine-through |date=May 30, 2009 |access-date=September 17, 2014}}

{{See also|High-technology swimwear fabric}}

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Bikinis have been made out of just about every material used in fashion. The fabrics and other materials used to make bikinis are an essential element of their style and crucial modifiers of swimsuit design.{{cite web|last=Rosebush|first=Judson|title=Materials|url=http://bikiniscience.com/costumes/bikiniology_SS/materials_S/materials.html|publisher=Bikini Science|access-date=15 August 2013|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131005005700/http://bikiniscience.com/costumes/bikiniology_SS/materials_S/materials.html|archive-date=5 October 2013}} The use of cotton made the swimsuit more practical, and the increased reliance on stretch fabric after 1960 simplified construction; alternative swimwear fabrics such as velvet, leather, and crocheted squares surfaced in the early 1970s.{{cite web|last=Charleston|first=Beth Duncuff|title=The Bikini|url=http://www.metmuseum.org/toah/hd/biki/hd_biki.htm|work=Heilbrunn Timeline of Art History|publisher=The Metropolitan Museum of Art|access-date=15 August 2013|location=New York|date=October 2004}} Crochet, lace, PVC, raffia, fur, latex, velvet and other uncommon items are also used as bikini material.Rose-Marie Turk, "In the Swim Velvet? Raffia? These and other unconventional fabrics are hitting the beach. And in hues-pine and wine anyone?-you never imagined", Los Angeles Times, page 1, 1994-03-25.

Fashion adviser Malia Mills has two basic criteria to check the material—it does not wrinkle into a bundle at the back, and nothing "falls out" when picking a towel or raising the arms.Maggie Davis & Charlotte Williamson, 101 Things to Buy Before You Die, page 15, New Holland Publishers Ltd, 2007, {{ISBN|1-84537-885-7}} For the female bodybuilder, the material regulations are more stringent, as "the two pieces of the bikini are fastened together with two strings, and the fasteners as all as the bikini must not consist of metallic material or padding."Maria R. Lowe, Women of Steel, page 5, NYU Press, 1998, {{ISBN|0-8147-5094-X}}

Modern bikinis were first made of cotton and jersey. Today bikinis are made with mostly made with treated fabric, having been stretched over a plastic mold, then baked in order to set its shape and create bikini brassieres.Valerie Steele, Encyclopedia of Clothing and Fashion, page 253, Charles Scribner's Sons, 2005, {{ISBN|0-684-31397-9}} They are usually lined with fabric which is designed to stop them becoming transparent when wet.Textile Outlook International, page 159, volume 124-126, Economist Publications Ltd., 2006 The use of cotton made the swimsuit more practical, and the increased reliance on stretch fabric after 1960 simplified construction. Alternative swimwear fabrics such as velvet, leather, and crocheted squares surfaced in the early 1970s.

The stretch nylon bikini briefs and bras which complemented the adolescent boutique fashions of the 1960s also allowed those to be minimal.Amy De La Haye, The Cutting Edge: 50 Years of British Fashion, 1947–1997, page 183, Overlook Press, 1997, {{ISBN|0-87951-763-8}} Women on the beaches of Rio de Janeiro and Saint-Tropez went even further, forgoing all rear-view coverage to show off their thongs.[http://www.lilith-ezine.com/articles/2006/The-Bikini.html The Bikini Turns 60] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160909175233/http://www.lilith-ezine.com/articles/2006/The-Bikini.html |date=2016-09-09 }}, 1946 to 2006: 60 Years of Bikini Bathing Beauties, Lilith E-Zine

When DuPont introduced Lycra (DuPont's brand name for spandex) in the 1960s,{{cite web|last=Sydelle|first=John|title=The Swimsuit Industry|url=http://smallbusiness.chron.com/swimsuit-industry-18779.html|publisher=Chron|access-date=29 August 2013}} a stretch fibre that allowed them to stitch tinier pieces of fabric, it changed how suits were designed and who could wear them. Spandex expanded the range of novelty fabrics available to designers which meant suits could be made to fit like a second skin without heavy linings streamlined athletic styles, emphasizing high-tech fabrics and finishes.Valerie Steele, Encyclopedia of Clothing and Fashion, page 255, Charles Scribner's Sons, 2005, {{ISBN|0-684-31397-9}} "The advent of Lycra allowed more women to wear a bikini," wrote Kelly Killoren Bensimon, a former model and author of The Bikini Book, "It didn't sag, it didn't bag, and it concealed and revealed. It wasn't so much like lingerie anymore."{{cite web|last=Rubin|first=Sylvia|title=Fashion shocker of '46: the naked belly button / But the bikini wasn't a hit until Sixties|url=http://www.sfgate.com/news/article/Fashion-shocker-of-46-the-naked-belly-button-2493673.php|publisher=San Francisco Chronicle|access-date=19 August 2013 |date=2 July 2006}} It allowed designers to create the string bikini, and allowed Rudi Gernreich to create the topless monokini.Sylvia Rubin, "[http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/c/a/2006/07/02/BIKINI.TMP&type=printable Fashion shocker of '46: the naked belly button]", San Francisco Chronicle, 2006-07-02

Retailer Marks & Spencer reintroduced spandex as an alternative to nylon in swimsuits in the 1960s.Pauline Weston Thomas, "[http://www.fashion-era.com/swimwear.htm#1920%27s%20Athletic%20Tank%20Suits Women's Swimwear in the 20th Century]", Fashion-Era.com While spandex is used in most swimsuits designs because of its high elasticity, lower expense, and water wicking nature, its major drawback is that it breaks down in chlorine, commonly found in swimming pools. When worn daily, a swimsuit made of spandex will break down in about 2–3 months.{{cite web|title=Swim Suit Materials |url=http://www.lovelandswimclub.com/csiforms/suits.pdf |publisher=Loveland Swim Club |access-date=29 August 2013 |date=8 May 2006 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060508234228/http://www.lovelandswimclub.com/csiforms/suits.pdf |archive-date=May 8, 2006 }} Speedo introduced Fastskin in 2007 as the lightest and fastest material for competitive swimwear. Unlike spandex, it does not break down in chlorine.

File:PETA Lettuce Ladies (cropped).JPG campaign in the Short North, Columbus, Ohio in 2005]]

Bikinis have been made out of just about every material known. UK actress Diana Dors wore a mink bikini designed by Julie Harris at the Cannes Film Festival to become an instant sensation.[http://www.thebiographychannel.co.uk/biographies/diana-dors.html Diana Dors], Biography Channel[http://www.encyclopedia.com/topic/Bikini.aspx#2 Bikini], Encyclopedia.com[http://content.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,937266,00.html "Cinema: Visible Export"]. Time. October 10, 1955. In 1967, a bikini made of paper was introduced in France, which disintegrated when in water.Angela Taylor, "Paper Expands Its Domain: Wedding Dresses, Shoes and Bikinis", The New York Times, page 58, 1967-03-06."[https://www.bbc.co.uk/cult/ilove/years/1967/fashion2.shtml I love 1967: Fashion]", BBC Italian sportswear designer Emilio Pucci produced bikinis in soft silk jersey in his signature style. Norma Kamali's innovative designs utilized gold Lurex for a shiny sexy swimsuit.

Rio de Janeiro designer Triya created a rigid metal bandeau top that looked a cast of the model's chest.Jenny Barchfield, "[http://www.timescolonist.com/life/fashion-beauty/rio-fashion-shows-deliver-bikinis-in-everything-from-see-through-mesh-to-rigid-metal-1.115470 Rio fashion shows deliver bikinis in everything from see-through mesh to rigid metal]", Times Colonists, 2013-04-20 Designer Laura Jane created bikinis made of neoprene, the rubber-like material used to make wetsuits, in 1989.Karen Baclawski & Negley Harte, The Guide to Historic Costume, page 35, B.T. Batsford, 1995, {{ISBN|0-89676-137-1}}. Fernando Garcia, a bikini designer in South Beach, Miami, turns various exotic material into bikinis including blacklight paint, python skin, Mongolian sheepskin fringe and black fox material.Forbes FYI, 2000, Forbes Inc., 2000

PETA used "Lettuce Bikinis" to promote vegetarianism in 2010. Apart from storming streets with women wearing bikinis made of faux lettuce, the activist organization had a number of celebrities to be their "Lettuce Ladies" including Pamela Anderson, Elizabeth Berkley, Jayde Nicole, Alicia Mayer, Courtney Stodden and others.Steven Stern, "[http://edition.cnn.com/2010/LIVING/03/22/vegan.food.activists/index.html Vegetarian activists try in-your-face tactics]", CNN.com, 2010-03-22 Pop star Lady Gaga wore a "meat bikini" (not to be confused with the meat dress), for the cover of Vogue,{{cite web|url=http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/09/07/lady-gagas-meat-bikini-vogue-hommes_n_707357.html|title=Lady Gaga's Meat Bikini: Tasteful Or Tasteless? (Photos, Poll)|work=The Huffington Post|date=7 September 2010 }} which was criticized by PETA.{{cite web|url=http://www.nydailynews.com/entertainment/gossip/flesh-lady-gaga-dons-raw-meat-cover-vogue-hommes-japan-article-1.438875|title=Lady Gaga dons raw meat on cover of Vogue Hommes Japan|work=NY Daily News|date=7 September 2010 }}

Image:Girl skateboarding in white bikini barefoot.png |location=San Luis Obispo |date=30 September 2015 |language=en}}]]

By the 2010s, a number of manufacturers came up with environmentally-friendly bikinis that used organic cotton, organic bamboo fibres, fabric remnants, post-consumer plastic including water bottles, discarded fishnet, recycled nylon, even soy (all of which used eco-friendly dyes).Emma Grady, "[http://www.treehugger.com/slideshows/sustainable-fashion/treehugger-swimsuit-issue-2012-10-sexy-sustainable-fashion-summer-heat/ The TreeHugger Swimsuit Issue: 10 Sexy and Sustainable Styles to Soak Up the Summer Heat] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141017225636/http://www.treehugger.com/slideshows/sustainable-fashion/treehugger-swimsuit-issue-2012-10-sexy-sustainable-fashion-summer-heat/ |date=2014-10-17 }}", TreeHugger, 2012-04-10Starre Vartan, "[http://www.thedailygreen.com/living-green/vitamin-a-green-bikini#slide-1 Cute Green Bikinis]", The Daily Green  {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130404021659/http://www.thedailygreen.com/living-green/vitamin-a-green-bikini#slide-1 |date=2013-04-04 }}{{cite web|first=Yuka|last=Yoneda|url=http://inhabitat.com/14-eco-friendly-swimsuits-bikinis-and-board-shorts-to-make-a-splash-this-summer/|title=14 Eco-Friendly Swimsuits, Bikinis and Board Shorts to Make a Splash In This Summer|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304114234/http://inhabitat.com/14-eco-friendly-swimsuits-bikinis-and-board-shorts-to-make-a-splash-this-summer/ |archive-date=4 March 2016|website=Inhabitat|date=24 July 2011}}{{cite web|url=http://www.fastcompany.com/1303703/itsy-bitsy-green-bikini-iconic-two-piece-turns-63-gets-recycled|title=The Itsy-Bitsy Green Bikini: The Iconic Two-Piece Turns 63, Gets Recycled|work=Fast Company}} Inventor Claudia Escobar made bikinis out of tanned and dyed salmon skin in 2003 which earned a Green Seal of approval for sustainable products.[https://content.time.com/time/specials/packages/article/0,28804,1935038_1935059_1935119,00.html "Best Inventions of 2003: Fish Skin Bikini"]. Time. (2003).

A platinum bikini valued at US$9500 was made by Mappin and Webb of London in 1977, and was worn by Miss United Kingdom in that year's Miss World beauty pageant. It was entered as a Guinness World Record for the most expensive bikini.Donald McFarlan & Norris McWhirter, Guinness Book of World Records (1990), page 331, Bantam Books, 1990, {{ISBN|0-553-28452-5}} A more expensive but exclusive bikini was designed in February 2006 by Susan Rosen. The bikini, made up of over {{convert|150|carat|g}} of flawless diamonds, was worth an estimated £20 million.{{cite news|first=Jayne|last=Dawson|url=http://www.yorkshireeveningpost.co.uk/features/Sexy-at-60.1649828.jp|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120527132220/http://www.yorkshireeveningpost.co.uk/news/latest-news/top-stories/sexy-at-60-1-2054675|archive-date=27 May 2012|title=Sexy at 60|date=25 July 2006|newspaper=Yorkshire Evening Post}} Pistol Panties, a label favored by celebrities like Victoria Beckham and Kate Moss, introduced a UK£2,000 bikini in 2009. Unsuitable for swimming, it was covered with 5,000 Swarovski crystals."[http://nymag.com/thecut/2009/04/the_3000_bling-kini_you_cant_e.html The $3,000 Bling-kini You Can't Even Swim In]", The New York Times, 2009-04-15"[http://metro.co.uk/2009/04/16/waiting-list-for-2000-bling-kini-32072/ Waiting list for £2,000 'bling-kini']", Metro, 2009-04-16

File:Mud Fest 2008.jpg in Boryeong, South Korea in 2008]]

Bikini precursors and the first modern bikinis were made of cotton and jersey and were mostly striped or monochrome. Réard introduced the first printed material for bikini.Stephanie Pedersen, Bra: A Thousand Years of Style, Support and Seduction, page 69, David & Charles, 2004, {{ISBN|0-7153-2067-X}} By the 1970s, when American women began to adopt European styles, bikini variants started to diversify widely. Flower patterns became popular in the late 1960s.Nan Ickeringill, "Go Away, Winter, Flowers and Bikinis Are Here", The New York Times, page 40, 1967-01-09 Designers like Tom Brigance at Lord & Taylor department store cut his swimwear from colorful cottons in stripes, large prints, and polka dots to give early bikinis a more tailored look.

In April 2004, followers of Buddhism protested against a bikini design by Victoria's Secret that featured an image of Buddha.{{cite web| url=http://www.expressindia.com/news/fullstory.php?newsid=30628 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071201015826/http://www.expressindia.com/news/fullstory.php?newsid=30628 |archive-date=1 December 2007 |title=Buddha bikini upsets believers |website=Express India |date=21 April 2004 |agency=Reuters }} Buddhists were again upset in 2005, when organizers of Miss Universe photographed bikini-clad contestants in front of Buddhist religious sites in Thailand.{{cite web| url=http://english.people.com.cn/200505/18/eng20050518_185661.html |title=Beauty pageant's bikini shot incurs controversy in Buddhist Thailand |publisher=People's Daily Online |date=2005-05-18}}

• Bikini waxing
• Burqini
• Facekini
• History of the bikini
• Bikini in popular culture

{{Reflist|30em}}

{{Commons|Bikini}}

• [http://www.fashion-era.com/swimwear.htm#1920's%20Athletic%20Tank%20Suits Evolution on the swimwear on Fashion Era]
• [https://web.archive.org/web/20080509090426/http://www.bikiniscience.com/bsmain.html Bikini Science: A comprehensive site on the bikini and other women's swimsuits]
• [http://www.metmuseum.org/toah/hd/biki/hd_biki.htm Bikini exhibition]
• [https://web.archive.org/web/20200923071914/https://mynaughtybikini.com/blogs/news/what-is-micro-bikinis-microkini What is a micro bikini? All you need to know about it] (archived webpage)

Category:Bikinis