12 trendy bikini styles to wear at the beach or by the pool in 2022

Sun’s out, which means that it’s time to hit the beach and poolside in your new bathing suit! Whether chillin’ out with an iced beverage in hand or upping the ante on adventure with intense water activities, the right bikini styles have all the power to make you look and feel your best, whilst you hang out.

Besides classic styles like triangle and tube tops, many new swimsuit designs have also been making a splash this 2022. Read on, because we’ve rounded up the cutest bikini styles that you can snag this summer, right before you go on and get a warm, summer glow.

Classic triangle bikini top

Credit: @ryleeburroughs/Instagram

Triangle bikini tops have never gone out of style, which is why they’re classic, indeed. Proven time and time again to appear flattering on anyone, triangle bikini tops accentuate the chest area and create an illusion of curves.

Our tip for those looking to flatter their bust is to get a bikini in a smaller size, or pick one with loud patterns. You’ll create cleavage and distract from your chest, creating a more balanced look.

Shop:

  • Cotton On Slider Triangle Bikini Top for S$24.99 on Cotton On
  • Roxy Tropical Oasis Knot Triangle Bikini Top for S$50.19 on Zalora
  • Calvin Klein Authentic Triangle Bikini Top in Black for S$89.99 on ASOS

Square-neck bikini top

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These bikini tops have a squarish neckline, which means that they’re wide around the chest area and show off the collarbones. Since square-neck bikini tops tend to have a slightly lower neckline (compared to say, halterneck bikini tops), they also help add elegant length to your neck.

A style that easily flatters and is relatively secure, the square-neck bikini top is the one to go for if you’re hoping to dive right into more rigorous activities whilst at the beach!

Shop:

  • Cotton On Square Neck Crop Bikini Top Terry for S$10 instead of S$24.99 on Cotton On
  • Billabong Sol Searcher Square Bralette Bikini Top for S$48.88 on Zalora
  • Brave Soul Strappy Bikini in Mint Green for S$24.99 instead of S$46.99 on ASOS

Halter neck bikini top

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Credit: @speishi

Halter neck bikini tops draw the eye upward and flatter the shoulders. Since its straps go around your neck, you also get the chance to show off more of your (bare) back with this style!

There are many types of halter neck styles, but one we’ve seen permeate our social media feeds is the cross-tie triangle bikini top. Rather than straps, it’s fabric – an extension of the front of the bikini – that goes and is fastened around your neck.

Shop:

  • Cotton On Wide Strap Floss Bikini Top for S$10 instead of S$24.99 on Cotton On
  • ASOS DESIGN Recycled Mix and Match Deep Halter Bikini Top in White for S$25.99 on ASOS
  • New Girl Order Towelling Long Line Halter Bikini Top in Cobalt for S$37.99 on ASOS

Underwire bikini top

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Credit: @livv.hart/Instagram

Besides providing extra support, underwire bikini tops also make a cute statement, especially with the curves that the wires set on the underside of the bust. The bikini also gives more shape to and lifts the chest, creating a fuller, curvier silhouette.

Want to depart from a vibrant, playful bikini style? When designed with white lace or delicate frills, an underwire bikini top gives a soft, feminine vibe – different from a usual sporty style.

Shop:

  • Billabong Summer High Ruby Bra Bikini Top for S$64.29 on Zalora
  • Cotton On Half Wire Bra Bikini Top Shimmer for S$24.99 on Cotton On

Tube bikini top

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Credit: @haileybieber /Instagram

Tube bikini tops are often strapless – great for those ready to get a golden tan minus the pesky tan lines.

Ruffles are also another detail that is popular on the tube bikini top this season. Bonus? They can add more volume to the chest area and enhance a smaller bust.

Shop:

  • Cotton On Floss Bikini Top for $24.99 on Cotton On
  • 4th & Reckless Drew Bikini Set in White for S$25.99 on ASOS

Crop bikini top

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Credit: Cotton On

As if bikini tops weren’t cropped enough, cropped pieces take even more off the height of the bikini. They lift the underside sometimes in a straight and other times in a gently curved shape, and – not going to lie – we love it.

Modest in silhouette, yet oh-so-flattering on the chest, crop bikini top is no doubt the style that many are flaunting in 2022.

Shop:

  • Cotton On Gathered Scoop Crop Bikini Top in Patchwork Ditsy Orange for S$10 instead of S$24.99 on Cotton On
  • Cotton On U Crop Bralette Bikini Top Jacquard for S$10 instead of S$24.99 on Cotton On
  • Sunseeker Electric Bloom Crop Top for S$67 on Zalora

Crochet bikini

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Credit: @babejiinii/Instagram

Knitwear seems to be all the rage in fashion this year, and it doesn’t matter whether it’s for winter or summer – sweaters or swimwear.

With admirable detail and unique, rigged texture, crochet bikinis are swimwear that we can totally get on board with. Plus, pair a crochet bikini top with a colourful cover-up and matching bucket hat, and you’ll be all ready to hit the beach in a whole new style.

Shop:

  • ASOS DESIGN Crochet Triangle Bikini Top in Neutral for S$37.99 on ASOS
  • Mango Crochet Bikini Top for S$49.90 Zalora
  • Cult Gaia Eshe Crochet Bikini Top for S$274.53 on Revolve

Monokinis

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Credit: @sophiewillocq/Instagram

Fact: Monokinis were, at the very beginning, the first topless swimwear for women that consisted only of a bottom connected to two slim straps that went around the neck.

Today, topless might not be a part of monokinis’ design, but there’s still some skin to bare with this swimwear. Since the original monokini, this bathing suit has since transformed into a chic one-piece that yet maintains the silhouette of a bikini. For example, the high-cut bottom part of the suit might be connected to the top only at the sides, or looped together down the middle.

Shop:

  • One-piece monokinis on Cotton On
  • Pieces Tie Front Cut Out Swimsuit in Pink Cherry Print for S$68.99 on ASOS
  • South Beach exclusive Scrunch Asymmetric Swimsuit in Black for S$55.99 on ASOS

Criss-cross detail bikini

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Credit: @aimeechengbradshaw/Instagram

Remember waist jewellery, the trending accessories that are slung low across the midriff as a way to flatter the waist? Waist accessories are back in trend with these bikinis, which have straps zig-zagging across the middle for extra detail and to accent the waist.

Shop:

  • Cotton On Double Strap Wrap Around Triangle Bikini Top for S$10 instead of S$24.99 on Cotton On
  • Cotton On Slider Triangle Slider Triangle Bikini Top for S$24.99 on Cotton On
  • Motel Pamita Triangle Bikini Top in Copper for S$44.99 on ASOS

High-waisted bikinis

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Credit: @marymargaretboud/Instagram

Low-cut might have been the fad, but high-waisted bikinis are taking the spotlight in 2022. They’re appreciated for their hugging silhouettes, which are especially useful for accentuating the body’s curves.

The high waist of the bikini bottom also helps to tuck in the tummy and shorten the torso. Since it cuts lower across the butt, it’s also great for covering up more of your bum (that’s if you’re hoping to don a bathing suit that’s a tad less revealing).

Shop:

  • Cotton On Belted Boyshort Swim Bikini Bottom Terry for S$10 on Cotton On
  • Pieces Bikini Top & Bottoms in Floral Sage for S$38.99 on ASOS
  • Pieces Exclusive High Waisted Bikini Bottoms in Purple Polka Dot for S$35.99 on ASOS

Bikini shorts

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Credit: Cotton On

If you’re always slipping a pair of shorts over your bikini bottoms when you head to the beach or poolside, then perhaps it’s time to swap your regular bottoms for a pair of swim shorts.

Swim shorts give much more coverage compared to a regular bikini bottom, which also gives you more freedom to do more intense water or beach sports without worrying about a wardrobe malfunction.

While swim shorts tend to flaunt a naturally sporty vibe, you can also go for more graceful designs like the Cotton On High Waisted Boyshort (S$24.99) that has a soft sunset peach colour and lower-cut silhouette.

Shop:

  • Cotton On swim shorts on Cotton On
  • Heaven Swim Australia Oasis Surf Short for S$57.90 on Zalora

Long-sleeve bikini top

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Credit: @speishi/Instagram

Skimpy bikinis are no longer the only acceptable style when it comes to fashionable swimwear. Instead, swim fashion is embracing more and more coverage starting with high-waisted bikini bottoms, swim shorts, and now – yes, long-sleeve bikini tops.

With long-sleeves that protect your skin from the sun, these bikini tops lower the chance of you getting a sunburn. Plus, they give a nod to a cool, surfer-girl look, and stay in place no matter the fun you have whilst at the seaside.

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Credit: koreaboo

Psst, if long-sleeves offer too much coverage, short-sleeve bikini tops are a chic alternative that has been spotted even on Blackpink’s Rosé.

Shop:

  • Cotton On Long Sleeve Swim Top for S$10 instead of S$24.99 on Cotton On
  • Reclaimed Vintage Inspired Paisley Print Bikini Co-Ord for S$39.99 on ASOS
  • Billabong Dont Be Blue Puff Sleeve Crop Bikini Top for S$73.19 on Zalora

Featured image credit: @marymargaretboud/Instagram, Koreaboo