High Waisted Bikini Bottoms

High Waisted Bikini Bottoms

High Waist, High Rise or Mid Rise

Rise is the distance from the crotch seam to the top of the waistband, and bottoms are named by where that band lands. A high waist bikini bottom reaches the navel or just above it. An extra high waisted cut goes further, toward the lower ribs, and is usually worn with a cropped top so the two nearly meet.

High rise is used for much the same thing, and listings switch between the names freely. Where a line is drawn, high rise bikini bottoms tend to stop a finger or two below the navel while high waisted ones cover it. The rise measurement in the size chart settles it better than either word.

Mid rise sits lower again, at or just above the hip bone, with the navel showing. Sometimes sold as a medium bikini bottom, it is the middle position between a high waist and a low rise. The step down to a low rise is about two fingers: the low rise sits below the hip bone instead of on it.

Which height works best depends on where the top ends. A cropped or bralette top needs the taller band to close the gap, while a longer top with a deeper band sits comfortably above a mid rise without the two edges overlapping.

Cheeky, Full Coverage or Crossover

Height at the front says nothing about coverage at the back, and the two are chosen separately. A high waisted cheeky bottom rises to the navel in front and scoops up at the seat; a full coverage version keeps the whole seat covered under the same tall band.

The cheeky pairing is more common than it sounds. It keeps the leg-lengthening line of a scooped back while the tall front stays smooth, which is why so many retro-style bottoms combine the two. Only the back view in the photographs tells them apart, since the fronts can look identical.

Crossover waistbands are the third variation. Two panels overlap at the front in a V, so the band dips at the center and rises at the sides. The diagonal breaks up a wide expanse of fabric, and many people find it easier on the eye than one straight horizontal edge.

Whether a high waist is more flattering than a lower one has a longer answer, set out on the booty short bikinis page. The short version: the flattering bottom is the one whose edges lie flat.

Waistbands That Stay Up

A tall waistband has more to do than a low one, because it covers the part of the body that folds when you sit. The ones that stay in place share a few details, all visible in a close-up photograph or in the description.

• Wide elastic. A band of elastic sewn inside the top edge holds better than fabric simply folded over.
• A double layer. A lined front panel keeps its shape and is less likely to roll down when you sit.
• Stretch recovery. A knit with more elastane springs back after bending instead of bagging at the stomach.

Rolling is the most common complaint, and it is usually a size problem. A band that is too small folds over because it is under tension; one that is too large slumps and folds because nothing holds it. Measure the natural waist as well as the hip, since this cut has to fit both.

Smoothing the lower stomach is often part of the reason for choosing the style. Height covers, while gathered fabric softens the line, and the ruched bikini bottoms page explains how that works.

Shorts and Skirts With a High Waist

A high waist can finish at a hem instead of a leg opening. Swim shorts with a tall waistband cover the upper thigh as well as the stomach, and they overlap a cropped top neatly, leaving no gap when you reach or bend. Swimwear shorts come in several lengths for that pairing.

A skirted version adds a short flared layer over a built-in brief, keeping the high band while softening the line over the hips. It is the dressiest way to wear the height, and swimwear skirts gather the styles that do it.

Plus sizes benefit from the same features plus one more: a slightly deeper waistband spreads pressure over a larger area and is less likely to press a line into the stomach. Bought alone, a tall bottom works with a top you already own, high waisted bikini sets offer the shape ready matched, and trendy bikinis show how firmly it has stayed in style.