Cheeky Bikini Bottoms

Cheeky Bikini Bottoms

What Does Cheeky Mean on Bathing Suit Bottoms?

Cheeky describes the back of a bottom, not the front. On a cheeky cut the rear panel is narrower than a full brief and angles upward from the leg, so part of the seat shows beneath the fabric, roughly the lower third to half depending on the label. From the front, a cheeky bottom can look exactly like a classic one.

The name is informal, and the amount it covers is not standardized. One range's cheeky is another range's moderate, and some add extra cheeky or cheekiest for versions that lean toward a thong. The reliable guide is the rear photograph, ideally taken from directly behind.

Two neighboring terms are narrower again: a Brazilian scoops further at the back, and a thong reduces it to a strip. The cheeky bikinis page compares all three as sets. What they share is the angled leg, which is the part of the cut that does the flattering.

That angle is why the style has lasted. Lifting the leg opening at the back lengthens the line of the leg and follows the curve of the seat, where a full brief cuts straight across it and can leave a visible edge.

Cheeky With Front Coverage

Among the most common searches for this style is a cheeky bottom with front coverage, and the combination is easier to find than it sounds. Because the cheeky part is all at the back, the front can be as full as any classic brief: a wide front panel, a leg opening at the hip crease and a lined layer that stays opaque when wet.

Two photographs confirm it. The front view should show the leg opening meeting the hip at a gentle angle, not climbing steeply. The side view should show the front panel reaching well up toward the hip bone. A steep front angle usually means a high cut as well as a cheeky back.

A mid or high rise adds more cover again, which is why the most covered cheeky bottoms tend to have taller waistbands. Anyone who wants the rear line with the stomach covered can settle the rise first and choose the back second.

Hipster, High Cut or High Waisted Cheeky

The cheeky back combines with three quite different fronts, and each changes how the bottom looks and feels.

• Hipster. A hipster bikini bottom sits low with a wide, straight side. With a cheeky back it reads relaxed and sporty, and the wide side stays comfortable on a fuller hip.
• High cut. High cut bikini bottoms lift the leg opening above the hip bone. Paired with a cheeky back, the leg looks its longest, and the look turns distinctly retro.
• High waisted. High waisted cheeky bikini bottoms rise to the navel in front and keep the scooped back, so the stomach is covered while the curve still shows.

The best cheeky bottom is the one whose front suits where you want coverage: the hipster for comfort at the side, the high cut for a longer leg, the high waist for the stomach. All three can share the same rear coverage, so the back view is rarely the deciding factor.

One fit check applies to every version. The leg elastic at the back should rest in the crease beneath the seat and stay there as you walk. If it creeps upward, the size is too small or the cut is more extreme than the photographs suggested.

Is It Okay to Wear Cheeky Bottoms?

Yes, anywhere a bikini is worn. A cheeky back is a mainstream cut in most swim ranges and a familiar sight on beaches and at resort pools. Where the day involves lap swimming, water slides or a lot of bending, a moderate cheeky with firm leg elastic stays put better than a very narrow back.

Comfort is the real question, more than etiquette. The right cheeky bottom is one you can forget about: a back that stays where it was set and a front that needs no adjusting. If that sounds like too little fabric, a full coverage bottom keeps the seat covered in full.

Age is no reason to skip it. Plenty of women wear a moderate cheeky with a mid rise well into their sixties, and the wider question of bikinis at any age is taken up on the bikinis page. To see the cheeky back with other waistlines, compare high waisted bottoms and side tie bottoms.