It's 2018 and you're still wearing your swimsuits exclusively at bodies of water? It's called versatility, and it's time to apply it to swimwear. Bathing suits have never been more exciting — cool hardware, refreshing silhouettes, and sportswear inspiration are taking things to a new level and making pieces worthy of being worn at any time.
Inspired by one of Rico Nasty's swimsuit-as-outerwear moment from her FADER cover shoot, pictured above, we scoped out the best ways to breathe new life into your bathing suits. Peep five rad ways to break the swimsuit and body of water dichotomy, below.
One-piece suits are the easiest to piece of swimwear to incorporate into your wardrobe because they're literally just bodysuits that can get wet. Paired with some jeans, a one-piece suit instantly creates an effortlessly cool look, much like the American Apparel models of yesteryear. Opt for a one-piece with embellishments like an exposed zipper to add some cool texture — swimwear line Solid & Striped is a master at taking a classic silhouette and revving it up .
Summertime is when midriffs rejoice. Cropped tank swimwear is the middle ground of wearing a bathing suit out in public without straight up wearing string bikini. Take a cue from Jhené Aiko and go for a tank with a structured feel, like bodywear line Chromat and its architectural elements.
Blazers and suits are having a major moment right now, and lucky for you, few things look more sultry than the peep of lingerie beneath a coat jacket. For the summertime take on this, throw a blazer over a bikini top for instant sophistication without the stuffiness. It's also a cool opportunity to play with color, as shown by model Carlotta Kohl through her bubblegum pink and metallic violet color combination.
Sports and fashion are melding together, so it's no surprise that swimwear is picking up from functional water sports gear. A Fenty Puma scuba-inspired suit can be worn as a romper as long as you follow in Slick Woods's wake and load on tons of jewelry and accessories.
Actress Bria Vinaite who starred in the the truly flawless film The Florida Project adds some drama to her race car swimwear with a with a floor-length, sheer dress.
Thumbnail image by Katie McCurdy