Flaunt Your Curves with These Flattering High Cut Bikini Styles
You may wonder why this sexy cut has conquered the swimwear world and how it has maintained such an enduring reign.
We assure you that answers are coming. And if you don’t own a High Cut Bikini Bottom now, we promise you’ll be swiping your card (or tapping that Apple Pay) by the end of this article.
Once Upon a Time: The Bikini
One of the most beautiful factors of fashion is how the world around us impacts designers, stylists, and trends. Societal standards and moods influence the direction of contemporary style.
In the summer of 1946, people were high on liberation after the victorious end of World War II. The first summer of freedom and the looming textile shortage gave French designer Louis Réard the inspiration to create the world’s first bikini.
Named after the US Atomic bomb test “Bikini Atoll,” this swimwear trend gradually grew until it exploded (get it?) on the market in the 60s and 70s.
After a few seasons on the market, designers started looking for interpretive and creative ways to reinvent the modern style.
Cue in the wild and free 80s. Picture this: striped headbands, teased hair, and funky home workouts deemed popular by Jane Fonda. The 80s introduced the famously flattering french cut to swimwear after high-cut patterns were featured on their tiny boxed trainers. A significant societal push on athleticism inspired women to show off their thighs and legs.
There was also a substantial liberal shift in the media, following suit of the 70s, which dove into more explicit sexual content. This added another feature to the high-cut that women sought: sex appeal.
The high-leg brief became a symbol of attractiveness, independence, and edge. This design dominated the rest of the decade and the entire 90s.
The appealing high leg lost its allure in the 00s and early 10s, as low-waist was the call of the time. Nevertheless, the high-cut reintroduced itself on the swim runways in recent summers and continues to guarantee trendiness for seasons to come.
Though we’re seeing an influx of low-waist bottoms in ready-to-wear shows, the french cut is not on its way out. So keep sporting those high-cut swimsuits with total chic confidence. Our fashion forerunners would be proud.
The Fantastic Fit
Why do we love this suit so much? This style gives you both cute and comfy without sacrificing security or style
The reason the 80s loved the french cut as much as they did then is the same reason we love it now. The illusion of an elongated leg, the perfect frame for your athletic thigh, and the perception of a snatched waist.
Let’s break this down a little more. Influencers constantly stick out their leg when taking photos, and models point their toes in ad campaigns for a simple reason. The more leg you show, the taller you appear.
Revealing a few extra inches on your bikini line may not seem like much, but it can make all the difference in looking 5’9 rather than 5’5. It’s Modeling 101.
We love going to the gym, don’t we, ladies? The adrenaline, the dopamine, the pump pictures afterward. Leg days are a crowd favorite, and the encouragement to be a better, stronger you is massive.
Those thighs have got to be displayed, especially after all that work to get them to where they are. A high cut creates the illusion of an elongated body shape, making your thighs seem even slimmer. Like Barbie, but way stronger!
A defined waistline is the golden standard for complimenting any body type. Modern stylists everywhere attempt to create visual definition in the waist using accessories, patterns, and silhouette designs. This goal is to direct attention to the smallest part of your body.
Defining the slimmest section of your torso makes you appear thinner by accentuating the contour of your curves. High-cut bikinis elongate your legs while providing definition to your waistline, thus emphasizing your best features. It’s not working harder; it’s working smarter.
The high-cut also gives you the security that many low-rise bikinis cannot. The french cut can make you feel sexy, edgy, trendy, and secure when you decide to dip into the water.
With low-rise and low-cut bottoms, one wrong move, or one malicious wave, may cause you to showcase a lot more than you planned. That’s not a way to start a peaceful vacay, is it?
Designs Galore
The magic design fairy didn’t swoop in with only one idea for the high-cut, oh no no no. She gave us our favorite thing in fashion: options (hear the fireworks?). The high-leg can be found on many swimwear silhouettes, but none is less cute than the other.
The fashionable french cut can be found on your classic monokini. These one-pieces swimsuits stem from icons like Jane Fonda (80s workout girl boss) and shows like Baywatch with their unforgettable high-cut, red swimsuits. These monokini’s are undoubtedly vintage in inspiration but totally modern in execution.
Even Louis Réard’s first bikini sported a vintage rendition of your classic high-cut style. Two-piece sets give french cuts endless opportunities to showcase their true potential.
The interchangeable element of two-piece bikinis allows you to create a swimwear look entirely unique to you. So even if you own one high-cut bottom, you can model it all summer with different tops.
It will give you the same effect every time, and people will think your closet is ten times its actual size. How fabulous is that!
Stylist Tip of the Day
String and tie-up bikinis are a trend that goes hand in hand with high-cut swimwear.
Here's a tip: if you don’t own a high-leg bottom and need a bomb picture now, use a string bikini bottom and tie the string above your hips, closer to your waist. Even though it is not a proper french cut, it can produce similar effects in pictures.
Be sure to snap a few using the strings as props by playing and pulling at them. Those are some baddie-proof poses, for sure.
Why are High-cut Bikinis Popular?
High-cut bikinis are seriously flattering. They emphasize your waistline, legs, and curves in the best way possible.
The french cut is sported by many celebrities, such as Kendall Jenner and Gigi and Bella Hadid.
Are High-cut Bikinis on Trend 2022?
Yes, they totally are. Celebrities embrace them, runways display them, and we follow suit. The high-cut creates a silhouette flattering for all body types and, according to trend forecasting, will appear on the runway for years to come.
Are High-cut Swimsuits Flattering?
The french cut is one of the most flattering cuts one can purchase. They create an immaculate shape for any body type and are smokin’ hot for this reason. We’re celebrating all your work in the gym this spring and keeping high-leg swimsuits on shelves for as long as we can.
What’s the Difference between High-cut and High-waisted?
These two features can easily be confused as both elements may appear on a single piece. High-cut and high-waisted are two different designs. High-cut refers to a hem positioned above the hips, creating the illusion of a long leg by revealing more skin and defining the waistline. High-waisted means the fabric is taken up to your waist, covering your naval.
