Why is all the swimwear absurdly high-cut and/or up the arse right now?!?

[ZoeTheThornyDevil]

Op.cit.: this offering from Wolf & Badger. I'll just tell you that the rear view was referred to as "minimal coverage" and leave it at that.

But literally every piece of swimwear seems to be cut ridiculously high on the leg right now. What grown-up wears this shit that you need an immediate wax for? Is this like when I was 19 and wore all thongs because I had the vague sense that they were "sexy" and therefore grown-up, even though I hated the permawedgie and no one else saw them? Is it just my algorithms? I do sometimes click on them out of sheer morbid curiosity to confirm that, yes, that entire scrap of fabric is wedged up the model's bumcrack. WHY???

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If you've found this page in search of swimwear that has been tried and tested by fellow Mumsnet users, you might find our guide to the best swimsuits for women useful. Hope this helps! MNHQ

Seems to be the rage. I was at a nice spa the other day and all the young people were wearing what I'm sure were called Tanga Briefs in kays catalogues from the 1980s.

Young people these days, man. I still enjoy a good trend, and still look pretty good in my bikini IMO, but for some reason all these absurd high leg cuts give me the massive RAGE because they seem to hate women's bodies even more than a bog standard thong does.

Like this! What the fuck even is this on an otherwise perfectly reasonable bikini? Who wants to be yanking your bottoms out of your arse literally every five minutes?

I need to go and lie down (and find a way to reprogramme my Facebook advertising feed).

I like a cossie that is high cut on the legs, and quite brief on the bum because l find the style flattering and suits me. It also fits my body shape and l don’t end up with a baggy bum and a fabric wedgie!

But l don’t want fussy multiple straps to go with it, nor do l want cut outs elsewhere, or the front cut to my belly button.

Nor do l want a high back.

I almost gave up looking for a high leg, simple backless number, with a Brazilian cut bum that actually covered me up top.

Summer here and the high bum cut is literally everywhere on every figure. It's sort of liberating (maybe ..?? but perhaps funded by the brazilian waxing industry)

I know. I want to take DD swimming without my fanny falling out. The only other option is a wetsuit

Those are fashionable cuts for swimwear now. Its a reboot of the 80s style. You can still get lower cut styles in plenty of shops so dont worry. We have loads of fashion choice

@TonkinLenkicks that made me

@AmbushedByCake

Seems to be the rage. I was at a nice spa the other day and all the young people were wearing what I'm sure were called Tanga Briefs in kays catalogues from the 1980s.

Tanga briefs! My god, I haven't thought about those in years shiver

You need to shop somewhere less fashionable, OP. I just had a quick look at the M&S website and they have plenty of non-wedgie ones!

Decathlon have a one piece that is shorts on the bottom. Means I can swim and not have to worry about my fanjo exposing itself.

I'm fine with the vagaries of fashion (usually). This particular style just irrationally gets my goat because it looks a) so incredibly uncomfortable and impractical, and b) downright weird to me. Like, at least an old style thong didn't require you to have a complete front wax. The models of these styles kind of look like they've had the whole area removed and a smooth plastic one swapped in, Barbie-style.

But I accept that I ABU and this is my "old woman yells at cloud" moment.

@TonkinLenkicks

I know. I want to take DD swimming without my fanny falling out. The only other option is a wetsuit

🤣🤣🤣🤣

I swim 3-4 times a week all year round, so need proper swimming costumes. I had trouble recently finding something sensible! Anyway bought a zogs one which covers my whole bum and isn’t low cut at the top.

Always has been, even sports swimwear, and they always make elastic too tight around the legs and arms.

Also I have always found swimwear is made for the short bodied. I've been everything from a size 8 to an 18 and always need a size bigger than dress size. And I'm 5'7", not a giant.

Really uncomfortable and vulgar but also would look horrible if you have cellulitis.

I’ve bought a swimsuit from amazon that has short sleeves and shorts which is very comfortable. I hate skimpy clothes and always feel self conscious.

I think a lot are copying these. If you want a WTF moment find a video review kyliejenner.com/

I’m with you OP, love fashion and I would have embraced this look in my 20s but I think it looks horrible now

I’m early 40s and 2 dress sizes bigger and haven’t seen any waxing salons since before the pandemic

Fashions have a lot to answer for. I have also been struggling to find swimsuits that are low cut on the leg/bum, but is fit for exercise rather than lounging around a pool. I've found the Boden costumes really flattering in the past, but there is so much thick heavy fabric (presumably to make it flattering), that I might as well be swimming in a costume made of denim. I bought a Sweaty Betty costume in their sales, which is lower cut on the front, but barely covers my arse with the tiny triangle they've put on the back. I've kept it as it's the best overall I've found so far, given the top half is also a good fit and it's the right length. I have some Zoggs too, but although they are a great cut on the bottom, they are too short in the body. When I eventually find a good-all-over suit again, I will be buying multiples!

To the PP who mentioned the Decathlon costume with shorts bottom, do you find the legs ride up? I had been put off as this always happened to me with short cycling shorts (and my thighs are now considerably chubbier), and I really CBA with having to constantly having to pick them out of my groin and unroll them. I do like the idea of not needing to do my bikini line every time I swim though...

Try Landsend swimwear and their tugless range.

I’m glad I’m not the only one who finds the whole ‘bum cheeks on display in a public swimming pool’ look so depressing - because funnily enough, men manage to be ‘liberated’ and ‘empowered’ without showing their arses in similar ways. It’s just one part of the continued objectification of women that makes me wonder how we’ve managed to go backwards rather than forwards in the last 30 years.

I'm sure if you want to swim seriously you can get a Speedo costume.

I think that full bum covering costumes are less flattering than higher cut ones - they make your arse look much bigger imo. And shorts or tankinis are hugely unflattering.

I always remember an interview that Ruby Wax did with Pamela Anderson in full Baywatch swimwear.

I think that this swimming costume should be rebranded as "lounging by the pool but not actually swimming attire ". Can you imagine doing 50 lengths of front crawl at your local council leisure centre in that get up? I for one would have a wardrobe malfunction in the boob area.

ha ha!

I used to want my swimsuits and bikinis the higher cut the better.

Until I realised that places like Debenhams did medium and low cut swimsuits that were flattering, didn't require loads of waxing and didn't shoot up your arse either...