Just like clothing trends come and go as the seasons go by, swimsuit trends ebb and flow and hold all of the potential to get us really excited for summer—and in 2021, they’ve done just that.
While we’re all about a classic, timeless black bathing suit, switching up our swimwear for the summer feels like the official welcome into the new season. From out-of-the-box cuts to vacation-inspired prints to the suit bottoms your mom probably wore, 2021 knocked it out of the park in the swimwear department, and we couldn’t have clicked “add to cart” fast enough.
Ready to welcome in the season? Do it in style with these 2021-approved bathing suit trends.
1. Cutouts
Much like side cutouts are all the rage with clothes this year, keyhole cutouts are going to be everywhere in swimwear. The result? Updated, sexier one-pieces that are anything but boring.
2. Sculpted Silhouettes
Underwires are in for 2021 swim, but unlike your bombshell bras circa 2011, these result in a sculpted look with a pinup feel that’s perfect for your summer debut.
3. Asymmetry
One-shoulder tops, color blocking, one-sided cutouts—asymmetry is here to make your swimwear look less like, well, swimwear, and more like a full-blown, styled look.
4. Neon
After over a year indoors, there’s no time like the present to embrace color, and neon swimwear is here to bump pastels aside and give you an eye-catching look that’ll complement your summer skin.
5. High Cuts
Ready to show some more skin than usual? ’80s-era high-cut bottoms are in the running for the sexiest swimwear of the season. If you want to dive straight into the trend, opt for one with less coverage in the back; if it feels intimidating, choose a less cheeky option to start.
6. Florals
The florals of 2021 aren’t stopping just on our clothes, and as predictable as it may feel, something about floral swimwear just feels right. From dark, romantic prints to light and breezy ones, you’ll be able to find a floral you’re into, no matter your style.
7. Tropical Prints
To make up for all the time we didn’t spend on tropical vacations this year, wild, tropic-inspired prints from banana leaves to hints of animal print are showing up on swimwear.
8. Super-Soft Fabrics
In a move that feels like a nod to those of us not completely ready to break free from our sweats, swimwear in super-soft, begging-to-be-worn materials are sneaking in between the expected textures we’ve grown used to in swimwear. Consider this your ease back into the real world.
