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On this week’s episode of Who What Wear With Hillary Kerr, Editorial Director Lauren Eggertsen and Poosh’s content director, Michelle Scanga, are here to give you the lowdown on the biggest swimwear trends of 2022. From the most controversial styles to the anti-trend pieces they believe everyone should have in their closets, these two swimsuit lovers are the ones to listen to if you want the tea on the styles you’ll be seeing everywhere this summer. Below, you’ll see some highlights of what they had to say, but be sure to listen here for the full rundown of every major swim trend to know this summer.
I’m really excited to talk about swim trends for summer 2022. Let’s start with some general overall themes, trends, and looks that you’re into.
Lauren Eggertsen: First up this summer, we’re really seeing high shine and glitter pop. We love this trend because it applies to all kinds of silhouettes, as it’s really all about either that textured glitter look or that really rich and silky material. Celeb- and editor-approved brands to shop for this trend are Isa Boulder and Oséree.
Another trend we’re seeing that’s a bit more niche is tanks, shorts, and tankinis. It’s kind of more for that nostalgic, throwback sort of a feel. Think tankinis and little booty shorts with matching swim skirts. Frankie’s Bikinis and Triangl do a really nice, more full-coverage short moment, but you can still pair those with a tiny bikini top to get the best of both worlds.
Excellent. What else should we be looking for?
Michelle Scanga: Oh for sure, I have thoughts. I’m playing off of what Lauren said with the high shine and glitter—we’re seeing a lot of rich materials and rich moments like the shine and gemstone colors like a deep emerald or ruby hue. Cult Gaia’s swimwear is so beautiful and plays into a lot of this. We’re also seeing a lot of hardware with gold chains or loops just to kind of lean into that rich, elegant sort of vibe.
Another trend that we’re seeing is one that we’ve coined “happy prints,” which is all of the fun retro prints such as big florals and fun ’70s mix-and-match prints on swimsuits. And then one other trend to call out is different scoopy silhouettes. This includes super, super deep, low-cut backs on one-pieces that maybe have a nice side-boob situation, which is always elegant but then a little bit sexy as well.
Okay, so what about when it comes to styling? Are there any key moments? Are you seeing anything bubbling up for this season?
LE: The first one we saw really come about last summer, but it’s still going strong and is continuing to evolve: coordinating looks. We’re talking about a full head-to-toe matching situation. So you have your swimsuit that could be a print or a color, and brands are now offering a matching, button-down shirt, swim cardigan, miniskirt, or even a bucket hat. In terms of coverage, if you’re nervous about trends and you’re nervous about showing skin, this is an amazing way to participate in current swim trends because you could show up to the beach wearing a full-on outfit with just your wrist exposed, and you’d still look like the best dressed person there.
LE: Next, we have what’s a little more of a micro-trend that we’re seeing: layered bikinis. A couple of brands that I’ve noticed have already been doing it and are selling this as one item are Same Swim and Christopher Esber. So to visualize it, it quite literally looks like you’re wearing two string bikinis at once. You can either buy the bikini that is made like that, or a little fun DIY hack is to just go on Amazon and get two bikinis of the same style, and layer them together.
Michelle, can you tell us a little bit about some of the more controversial swim trends—ones that will make people feel a way one way or the other?
MS: First, we have the skimpy one-piece situation Paris Hilton rocked in the early 2000s with the super-big cutouts to the point where I don’t even know if we can call it a one-piece because it’s basically barely any material. We’ll see some of those on the beach, maybe even some celebs supporting it.
Next, obviously, the teeny bikinis. I feel like, at this point, teeny bikinis are just a staple, but that’s a personal opinion. That leads to the loincloth trend, which I know Who What Wear talks about a lot. It’s the super-teeny string bikini bottom that you can scrunch as small or expand as far as you want for more or less coverage. A brand that does that really well is Monica Hansen swimwear.
Because we like to give multiple sides and really report out a story, what is the opposite of a controversial trend? What is an anti-trend?
LE: Anti-trend, as a term, is something we definitely coined on Who What Wear. We have reverted to a simpler way of dressing and placing value and investing in the classics and basics. It sounds contradictory that a basic could be trending, but that’s the idea here. We’ve all noticed the “clean girl” aesthetic that’s trending on Instagram and TikTok, which is all about really simple pieces—a white button-down, a relaxed trouser, a tank top, nice classic straight-leg denim. You see a girl walking down the street wearing that, and you know that she looks current and fresh while not wearing a single trend. This concept also applies to swimwear.
With that being said, there are some specific styles that really play into this anti-trend swimwear moment. One is the high-leg one-piece. I think this is such an amazing shape on so many body types. It can be just a classic tank with a scoop back, but I think that higher-cut leg really complements a more full-coverage suit. Investing in black or even a chocolate brown is never going to go out of style, and it looks so chic all the time. Everyone should have a triangle bikini if they feel confident in that style. It will never go away, and the same with underwire bikinis. This is my favorite style as someone who really feels confident with more support on top.
This interview has been edited and condensed for clarity. Next up, check out our previous episode featuring our very own Who What Wear editors on the biggest wedding trends of 2022.