Have a Look At What Swimsuit Style Was in the Spotlight the Year You Were Born (6 of 7)

1996

The Salma Hayek swim moment in From Dusk Till Dawn witnessed the advent of padding into swimwear. Padded bikini tops were curated to better highlight the curves of a woman’s upper body, along with high slung bottoms.

The high slung bottoms were gradually on their way to thongs, which is distinct here. The side straps are probably three times thicker than that of a thong’s, but that’s pretty much it.

1997

Solid tricolors were in, along with one-shoulder tops. The above picture shows a model on a runway wearing a tricolor maillot hanging from one shoulder, with a solid print.

This was what you can call the onset of the ‘color-blocked style’ that is popular now. Cutouts were the hype back then.

1998-1999

Polka dots and bobby prints declared their reign in this year, along with ultra-low waistlines.

This low-waisted skirt paired with a padded halter neck top with an elastic finish, imparting reflective properties to it is the style people would die for in the late nineties.

2001

Angelina Jolie vaunts the tomboyish, bold look in a sporty suit and braided hairs. She wears a black swimsuit in Tomb Raider, highlighting the abs that she worked so hard for.

2002-2003

This is when experimentation with color combinations and mismatching came into light. Kate Bosworth’s red boyshorts and black halter neck top was the rave back in those years. This inspired people to experiment with different colors in a fun way, pairing a part of the outfit with the other, and assembling a whole different look. Thanks, Kate!