Micro-kini TikTok Trend
“I bought the perfect new suit,” a woman says, while holding up two strands tied together by a thread. “This will be my new micro-kini.”
This type of video is a common trend on TikTok now, poking fun at how women’s clothes have been shrinking in coverage.
I’m sure you’ve noticed it too- women’s clothes have been getting smaller and smaller. Tops are more cropped, bikini bottoms are held in place by tiny straps, and short skirts have now achieved micro status.
Honestly, I’m all for it! Who doesn’t love showing off their body while simultaneously lugging around less fabric? However, this leads us to the question: What comes next, especially for the ever-shrinking bikini?
When we look at the Fashion Institute of Technology’s timeline on the history of women’s swimwear in America, we see that women first entered the universe of swimwear by wearing “bathing dresses.”
These were big garments that covered most of the body, obviously different from today’s typical swimsuit. By the 20th Century, women began to wear tight-fitting swimsuits that exposed their arms and legs. This helped them swim faster – swimming was introduced as a competitive sport for women in the 1912 Olympics!
By the ’40s, swimsuits showed a little more skin, and in ’46, the bikini was created. Of course, it took a while for society to accept the bikini, but women had plenty of fashion choices to make. In the 21st Century, bikinis became more widely accepted. Each year, bolder and brighter bikinis came into fashion.
Ultimately, it was a slow path women’s swimwear took to become what it is today. Looking back, the difference in coverage is extremely significant.
There are still options for women seeking more modest coverage, but the fact remains that swimsuits continue to shrink. So, where do we go from here? Will bikinis keep getting smaller? Maybe the opposite is true.
Perhaps swimsuits with fuller coverage will trend in the latter half of the 21st Century. Bathing dresses may even be in style once more. Regardless, small suits have their own benefits and reasons can be argued for them to stay.
For one, they actually benefit the environment. Modern bikinis use around 40% less fabric than previous ones did, which is also thanks to laser-cutting and recycled fabrics.
Maybe the best argument in defense of them is the confidence women exude in them. Dressing your body how you see fit, in the amount of clothing you want, is much more empowering than forced coverage.
Micro-kini or one piece – the choice is ours, and I can’t wait to see where the trends take us next summer.
Image provided by Unsplash.