When the 2000s hit, the tankini, originally designed by Anne Cole, became a beach staple. It featured casual bikini bottoms paired with what looked like a top, according to Insider.
However, the tankini did not reign supreme. Other styles soon followed, most notably the sporty designs introduced by Speedo, which led designers to take a more minimalist approach. Soon, high-end swimwear was also super simple. With the advent of the movie Blue Crush, sporty swimwear became even more desirable and mixing and matching tops and bottoms became popular once again.
The metallic colors of the 70s returned in 2003 and in 2006 the monokini of the 60s became popular again. However, this time it wasn’t a completely topless swimsuit, but instead focused on baring as much of the wearer’s skin as possible – sounds good. Chevron designs dominated the catwalks in 2004, while halterneck swimsuits were all the rage in 2005. In 2008, studded swimsuits appeared, and stars like Kim Kardashian embraced the trend almost immediately. As for accessories, the sarong was very popular and was worn with both bikinis and singlets. By the time 2009 rolled around, the ’80s color blocking trend made another comeback.
