8 vintage swimsuit styles we wish would come back

Swimsuit trends.

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• The 20th century saw a variety of emerging women's bathing-suit styles.
• From corset styles to bikinis, some of these trends revolutionized the swimwear industry.
• We wish boy-short bottoms and swimsuits with geometric patterns would make a return this summer.

Corset-style bathing suits were all the rage in the 1940s.

Corset style swimsuits.

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The middle of the 20th century saw a variety of swimsuits with bustier tops that cinched at the waist. These corset-style swimsuits could be found in various styles and patterns.

"At the end of the 1940s, Christian Dior launched his New Look which consisted of nipped in waists and full skirts, accentuating the female form," according to the Fashion Institute of Technology. The design "shifted the trend to feminine and hourglass figures for women, including in swimwear."

Structured dresses with corset-style tops have made a splash on the red carpet this year, so it's possible the trend will reach swimwear, too.

Bikinis with high-waisted bottoms were popular in the 1960s.

A woman in a high-waisted bathing suit in 1950.

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After the first bikini was created in 1946 by French inventor Louis Réard, it was deemed unacceptable for American women "with tact and decency," according to Modern Girl magazine, Insider previously reported.

However, bikinis grew in popularity in the 1950s, largely due to the rise of the film industry, according to FIT. Brigitte Bardot was the first woman to appear on screen in a bikini in the 1952 film "Manina, The Girl in the Bikini." A few years later, she wore a bikini in another film, "And God Created Woman."

The bikini's popularity grew further in the 1960s with the release of Brian Hyland's "Itsy Bitsy Teenie Weenie Yellow Polkadot Bikini" song and after actress Annette Funicello wore one in the hit 1963 movie "Beach Party."

A cover from a 1966 edition of Seventeen Magazine showcases the rising popularity of the high-waisted two-piece trend.

 

Boy-short bottoms were also a popular option.

Esther Williams in 1949.

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Magazine archives from the 1940s show the popularity of boy-short bottoms, a trend that carried over into the following decades.

The 1961 musical "Blue Hawaii" helped popularize bathing suits with geometric patterns.

Elvis Presley and Joan Blackman on the set of "Blue Hawaii" in 1961.

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According to Good Housekeeping, shapes on swimsuits were a sought-after trend following the release of "Blue Hawaii," starring Elvis Presley and Joan Blackman.

Specifically, brightly colored triangles, diamonds, and other shapes containing sharp lines dominated retail.

This textured, flowery bikini from the 1960s foreshadows the contemporary Barbiecore trend, and we'd love to see this style again this year.

Woman poses in a flowery, textured bikini in 1960.

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Barbiecore is the big trend of the moment, thanks in part to Greta Gerwig's upcoming "Barbie" movie and major fashion brands' use of vibrant pink.

Pictured above, the unique two-piece swimsuit from the '60s evokes the Barbiecore trend of the 2020s.

The haltered bikini top was a staple of the 1970s.

Woman poses in a halter bikini top in 1974.

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The halter bikini top, seen in Vogue articles in the 1970s, was essential to the decade's summer style. The Sears summer catalog of 1975 featured a wide variety of halter bikini tops.

Bright bathing suits with cutouts could be found all over catalogs and fashion magazines in the 1980s.

Bathing suit with cutouts from 1980.

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A 1989 edition of Seventeen Magazine showcased a collection of brightly colored swimwear, some of which featured cutouts.

Swimwear in the '80s was "all about making a statement," according to a 2017 article from Dust Factory Vintage, from "neon colors and bold patterns to the high-waisted bikinis and one-piece swimsuits."

The style carried over to the following decade.

Bold patterns, like stripes, were also popular in the 1980s.

A woman in a bright striped bathing suit in 1980.

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An Expozay advertisement from 1982 and a Vogue photo shoot from 1984 showcase the popularity of striped swimwear, a style that's both classic and eye-catching.

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