If there’s one thing we learned while watching last year’s Love Island it’s that high cut swimwear is a trend that’s having its moment in the sun. From girl-next-door Dani to blonde bombshell Laura, it seems like all the girls in the villa were wearing swimwear cut high enough to graze a rib.
But maybe the Love Island ladies are onto something. Yes, there was a time when high leg bikini bottoms and swimsuits was considered the preserve of waif-like super models (or people who didn’t seem to mind they were being cut in half by a piece of lycra dental floss). But those days are long gone, thanks to more comfortable, flattering designs and clever ways to work the look.
Think you can’t wear the sky-scraping bikini bottoms trend for yourself? Well, we’re here to tell you that you can. That’s because the super high leg look isn’t just an fashion phenomenon, it’s also a practical problem solver.
Short? High cut bikini bottoms elongate the natural line of your legs giving you extra inches in the pins department. Worried about your hips or thighs? By sitting on your mid-section, your silhouette looks instantly slimmer. Bit of a wuss? Some styles even let you choose where the waistband sits depending on how brave you’re feeling.
So no matter your height, your curves or your level of bravery, there’s a high cut style to suit you - and it’s something everyone should try at least once in their lives. So if you want to look like you just stepped out of the Love Island villa, we have all the high cut swimsuit and bikini advice you need to work the uber-cool trend for yourself...
Give the illusion of super high cut...
The trend of the moment has to be the eye-watering height of the super high cut bikini. But if a waistband pulled up this high is way too risky for you, there are ways to get the same daring look without revealing too much. Step forward the high leg bikini brief from our Glamazon collection. The mesh panels at the side give you the illusion of high cut leg bikini bottoms that sit fashionably on your mid-section. But because the mesh below is nude-lined, it looks like you’re showing off your hips, while you’re actually keeping them safely under wraps.
Remember that size ain’t nothing but a number...
Forget what it says on the label because you may need to size up (or even down) to make this trend work for you. Choose a high cut one piece swimsuit or bikini in your normal size, then move around in it when you get home. If it digs into your body or creates any bulges of flesh when it sits on the hip, go up a size. If the material bunches or wrinkles, go a size down.
Go high waist and high cut...
Brazilian briefs are so last season. These days all the best-dressed bums on the beach are wearing high waisted high leg bikini bottoms, just like the Jet Set High Leg Brief. A swimwear shape so hot that fashion influencers are calling them ‘the new bikini brief’, try them on to see why they’re so darn popular. The high cut briefs elongate the legs, but the waist tucks everything in to slim your silhouette, whether you carry weight on your hips or your tummy.
Choose a tie-side bikini...
Not sure whether you’ll be brave enough to rock that high cut look when the time comes to hit the beach? Tie-side bikinis are your friend. Not only do the string ties on the Puerto Rico Tie Side Brief allow for a very forgiving fit if you’re curvy, they also let you play around with where you’ll place them. Go low for traditional hipster, or pull them up as high as you dare - you’ll be pool-party ready in a quick flick of the wrist. Our tip? If you’re going high, pull the ties up above your hip so that they sit at the smallest part of your waist for a super-slimming look.
Use the vertical stripe technique...
If you’re worried that high cut leg bikinis will attract too much attention to the widest part of your body, first, remember that curves are in. So if you’ve got them, flaunt them. Not convinced? Then try the vertical stripe technique with the High Line Tie Side Brief. It isn’t just an old wives’ tale, because this optical illusion really does trim inches from your body. The reason? The stripes focus the eye on the height of your frame rather than the width. Clever, huh?
If in doubt, go for a one piece…
If high leg swimsuits remind you of your mum in the 80s, you’re following the wrong people on social media! From Gigi Hadid to Kendall Jenner, anyone who’s anyone has been flaunting the retro super high-cut one piece in waist-grazing cuts. Luckily, this trend celebrates womanly curves and looks even better if you’re not stick thin (yes!) so we can all feel like we’re in the A-list. Black high cut one piece swimsuits are the most flattering of all - we challenge anyone not to look good in them. And if you choose the Instaglam Cut Away Swimsuit you’ll nail two trends - it’s high cut and has a beautiful cut-out on the back!
Want more high cut leg bikinis and swimming costumes? Dive into our swimwear page for styles that’ll help you make a splash this summer. Or just search for ‘high leg’ to bring up all of our high cut swimwear styles.