It’s Tankini Time

By , a senior writer at the Strategist covering fashion. She joined the Strategist as a writer in 2021 and before that worked at NBC and HuffPost.

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Photo-Illustration: The Strategist; Photos: Retailers

On July 5, 1946, showgirl Micheline Bernardini modeled the first bikini — named after the coral reef Bikini Atoll — designed by mechanical engineer Louis Réard at Paris’s Piscine Molitor. Less splashy was the arrival of the tankini circa the late ’90s. It might have the suffix -kini,but it doesn’t have quite the je ne sais quoi of a bikini. (There’s no tankini version of the “Itsy Bitsy Teenie Weenie Yellow Polkadot Bikini,” if that tells you anything.) I’d even say that between the years 2010 to 2019, the tankini was basically considered a bathing-suit pariah.

Last summer was the first time I tried a tankini since I was a kid — when preteen me wanted to look like a star of Disney Channel’s Rip Girls. I was reminded of what I liked about tankinis in the first place: You don’t have to choose between the bravery of a bikini and the safety of a one-piece. And your navel is free! I’m not the only one who’s returned to the style recently. Hunza G and Burberry’s collaboration included a tankini in the form of a tube top (that turns into a swim skirt), and Lands’ End is carrying a variety of tankinis, too. Just last week, I heard about Youswim’s Verve, which Zoë Sessums wears to “apricate” (as in, bask in the sun).

So this summer, call me a born-again tankini-ist. It’s a wonder of aquatic recreation for anyone who doesn’t want every bit of their midsection out. Maybe it’s high time to get yourself a tankini, too. Here are some that are on my mind.

Three of my favorite tankinis

Aerie Ribbed Halter Tankini
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$40

Aerie is where our resident beach fanatic gets her swimsuits.

Staud Cleo Bead Tankini Top
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$110

It’s on sale at Net-a-Porter, but not at Staud.

Lands’ End Tugless Portrait-Back Set
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From $130

Not only it is chlorine resistant — it has UPF 50 sun protection.

All of my picks

Aerie Ribbed Halter Tankini
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Aerie Ribbed Full-Coverage Classic Bikini Bottom
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Just buy your swimsuits at Aerie, says our senior writer and resident beach fanatic Dominique Pariso. No matter what beach she’s on — the Rockaways, Jacob Riis, or Cherry Grove — someone always compliments them.

Pacsun Blue Camille Tank Bikini Top
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Pacsun Blue Summer Side Tie Bikini Bottom
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There’s nothing wrong with buying your new tankini where your tween self got their first tankini.

J.Crew Factory Ruched Plunge Floral-Print Tankini Top
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J.Crew Factory Printed Mid-Rise Bikini Bottom
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The mid-rise bottoms look like they won’t budge.

Lands’ End Ruched Halter Midkini Top - Soft Cloud Blue Gingham
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Lands’ End Ruffle Hem Mini Swim Skirt
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If Lands’ End made Dorothy’s dress for the Yellow Brick Road.

Lands’ End Tugless Portrait-Back Set
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No ordinary spandex, this spandex is chlorine-resistant (with UPF 50 sun protection).

& Other Stories Square-Neck Tankini Top
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& Other Stories Textured Bikini Briefs
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If you find yourself wanting something crinkle-lite …

Athleta Scoop Tankini
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Athleta High-Waist Cheeky Swim Bottom
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It should be good for paddleboarding, canoeing, or whatever water sport you’ve been roped into.

Andie the Amalfi Tankini
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Andie The 90s High Waist Bikini Bottom
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If Andie’s Amalfi is reliable, supportive, and easy to maintain (according to our senior writer Lauren Ro), then the Amalfi tankini could be doubly so.

Andie The Siren Swim Tank
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Andie The Skirt Bikini Bottom
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This might be the little black dress of tankinis.

La Blanca One Shoulder Tankini Top
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La Blanca Island Goddess Shirred Bikini Bottom
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To have tan lines you can brag about.

Los Angeles Apparel The Monochromatic Minimalist Crop Swim Top
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Los Angeles Apparel Classic High Waist Bikini Bottom
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Be a Million Dollar Mermaid, Bathing Beauty, or Neptune’s Daughter as Esther Williams was.

Steve Madden Polka Dot Lace-Up Tankini Top
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Steve Madden Daring Dot Hipster Bikini Bottoms
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Quite flirty, Steve Madden.

Dippin’ Daisy’s Tidepool Tank
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Dippin’ Daisy’s Sandy Shorts
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For the Nolita–Cou Cou crowd.

Sanctuary Shirred Tankini Top
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Sanctuary Hipster Bikini Bottoms
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Daringly baring!

Maaji x Anthropologie Milano Reversible Swim Shirt (Plus)
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Maaji x Anthropologie Sully Reversible High-Rise Bikini Bottoms (Plus)
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All I keep thinking is, It’s Billabong for grown-ups.

Daisy Street Ruffle Detail Tankini and Bikini Tie Side Bottoms in Blue Floral Wallpaper
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Had Sofia Coppola’s Marie Antoinette (Kirsten Dunst) worn a bathing suit …

Tommy Hilfiger Tankini Top in Archive Flag Print
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Tommy Hilfiger Archive Tie Side Bikini Bottom
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I pledge allegiance to the United States of Tommy Hilfiger.

Tommy Bahama Deepsea Stripe Bandeau Tankini Top
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Tommy Bahama Deepsea Stripe Hipster Bikini Bottoms
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Just like a Tommy Bahama beach chair, it belongs in Margaritaville.

Galamaar The Printed Selena Crop Tankini Top
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Galamaar The Band Brief Bikini Bottoms
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The textbook definition of sportif.

Rhythm Cove Stripe Tankini Swim Top
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Rhythm Cove Stripe Boyshort Bikini Bottoms
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Alright, we have a thing for stripes, okay?

Damson Madder Trudi Tankini Top
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Damson Madder Trudi Stripe Reversible String Bikini Bottoms
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Damson Madder Trudi Boy Short
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The back of the tankini top has an inflatable-pool-float-wearing dolphin with the initials “DM.”

Damson Madder Wren Tankini Top - Harlequin Print
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Damson Madder Wren Bikini Bottom - Harlequin Print
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If you didn’t know, “harlequin” comes from the character in the Italian commedia dell’arte.

Boden Porto Tankini Top
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Boden Porto Bikini Bottoms
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Best for relaxing around a pool and maybe dipping your toe into the shallow end.

M&S Bandeau Tankini Top
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M&S Tie Side Bikini Bottoms
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Marks & Spencer is where Catbird’s Leigh Plessner gets her knickers (“which I learned about in Sassy or an English novel or an interview with Kate Moss. I am not sure”).

Staud Cleo Bead Tankini Top
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Staud Sisley Bead Bikini Briefs
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Not even a Creamsicle can rival this shade of orange.

Staud Francesca Bikini Top - Blue Toile
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[Editor’s note: Some sizes are sold out, but you can sign up to receive an email when your size is back in stock.]

Staud Corsage Bikini Bottom
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It’s tropical toile de Jouy.

Reformation Elise Tankini
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Reformation Campo Bikini Bottom
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If you like Nu Swim’s Straight one-piece …

Youswim Verve
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$198

When I asked tasteful people about their favorite swimsuits, Archive of Everything’s Zoë Sessums told me she keeps this Verve swimsuit in her car, just in case she finds herself near a pool of water.

Lido Novantaquattro
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Lido is a favorite among the beachgoers, pool loungers, and lake dockers I’ve talked to, especially for suntanning.

Soeur Il top Bandeau Reversible Two-Tone Bikini Top
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Soeur Il Bikini Reversible Two-Tone Bikini Bottom
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News to me: Soeur and Lido collaborated on a simple, reversible two-piece.

Norma Kamali Diana Bra
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Norma Kamali Diana Bottom
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Presenting Norma Kamali’s Diana wedding-guest dress (which made an appearance on And Just Like That …) — as a tankini.

Hunza G Gingham Seersucker Halter Top
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Hunza G Resort Swim Shorts
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According to creative director Georgiana Huddart, Hunza G’s gingham was years in the making.

Hunza G Strap Bikini
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Our senior editor Hilary Reid tried the Tina and the Gigi before the Strap bikini — and believes it’s the most comfortable of them all.

More swimsuits our readers love

Aerie Low Scoop Ribbed Bikini Top
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$37

A "scoop-tank sports-bra kind of top" that holds you up.

Aerie Ruched Cutout Full Coverage One Piece Swimsuit
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$60

A slightly sexy, but still full coverage, one-piece.

Aerie Skinny Strap Voop Ribbed Bikini Top
Very Good Deal
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$12
$40 now 70% off

“It’s lightweight without being thin," says writer Carrie Wittmer.

More Of Our Favorite Swimwear

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The Strategist is designed to surface useful, expert recommendations for things to buy across the vast e-commerce landscape. Every product is independently selected by our team of editors, whom you can read about here. We update links when possible, but note that deals can expire and all prices are subject to change.

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