Bikinis

Guide Note

A bikini is a two-piece swimsuit. It is often worn for fashionable sunbathing rather than serious swimming, as it can be less functional than a one-piece swimsuit. Bikinis come in a variety of colors and styles as well as textures.

Fast Facts

1. Composed of a bra-like top and bottoms that can vary in amount of coverage
2. Named after Bikini Atoll
3. Officially invented in 1946
4. First swimsuit designed to show the belly button

History of the Two Piece

The first bikinis have dated back to the Grecian times of 1400BC. Ancient vase artwork depicts women in two piece garments quite similar to today's bikini. While there are stories that the first bikini appeared in the U.S. in 1943 because of a reduction of fabric for women's swimsuits due to the war, it has been documented that fashion designer Jacques Heim and French engineer Louis Reard invented the bikini in Paris in 1946 and named it after a nuclear weapon test site, Bikini Atoll.

Bikini Ban

The limited amount of material in the two piece began to stir controversy around the world. Spain, Portugal, and Italy all banned the bikini and while the rest of Europe was hesitant, it was Brigitte Bardot who brought the sexy swimwear overseas and eventually made it popular.

Bikini Goes Hollywood

It was questionable whether Hollywood should allow bikinis to be shown in films until the film And God Created Women showed Brigitte Bardot in a bikini, which inspired women to want their own. Soon after, Bond Girls were wearing the two piece, as well as, girls in the popular 1963 film Beach Party starring Frankie Avalon and Annette Funicello.

Types of Bikinis

• String Bikini
• Monokini
• Microkini
• Tankini
• Sports Bikini
• Sling Bikini