Bikinis - Sheer String Slingshot

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.

Bikini bottoms vary in style and cut and in the amount of coverage they offer, coverage ranging anywhere from complete underwear-style coverage, as in the case of more modest bottom pieces like briefs, shorts, or briefs with a small skirt-panel attached, to almost full exposure, as in the case of the thong bikini.

Skimpier styles have narrow sides, including V-cut (in front), French cut (with high-cut sides) and low-cut string (with string sides). In just 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.

Tiny Micro Tops

Mini String Bottoms

Super Tri Tops

Thong Bottoms

A bandeau top bikini is strapless and it may be fastened in the front or back or be sufficiently elastic so as to have no fastener at all; and usually of a soft fabric and delicate trimmings providing little support or shaping. It was sometimes made from an elastic material. Side stays, v-wire in the center front, or O-rings.

The g-string style consists of an elastic string, as opposed to a strip of fabric, connecting the front and the waistband in the rear. It is also called a Rio thong.

C-strings are designed for use as beachwear, which reduces the tan lines that would have been left by the side straps of even a g-string. It's composed of a C shaped piece between the legs held in place firmly by a flexible internal frame. Since there is no material around the waist, it eliminates the panty lines which thongs and other underwear create.