Bikini Skirts

Bikini Skirts

What Is the Skirt Over a Bikini Called?

It depends on whether it is meant to get wet. A length of fabric wrapped and tied over a bikini is a sarong; cut wider and knotted at one hip, the same idea is a pareo. Both are cover-ups woven from light cotton or rayon, and both come off before swimming.

A swim skirt is a different garment. Cut from swim fabric and sewn into a fixed shape, it is part of the swimsuit and stays on in the water. When the skirt is attached to a brief as a single piece it is often sold as a skort or a pantskirt, and a whole two-piece that comes with one is sometimes called a skirtini.

Bikini skirts as a category usually means the swim version. The quickest check on a listing is the fabric line: nylon or polyester with elastane means it is made to swim in, while cotton, rayon or chiffon means it is a layer for the walk to lunch.

The names overlap in everyday use, and that causes little harm. What matters is whether the piece has a brief inside, which decides how it behaves once you step into the water.

Built-In Brief or Separate Skirt

A skirt with a built-in brief is one garment: the brief is sewn into the waistband and the skirt hangs over it. It is the simplest to wear, since nothing shifts between two layers, and it suits swimming as well as lounging. The brief has its own leg elastic, so the skirt can float up in water without anything moving underneath.

A separate skirt is a single layer with an elastic waist, worn over any bikini bottom. It is more flexible, since the same skirt works over several bottoms and comes off easily on the sand, but it can drift upward in water and needs a snug waist to stay in place.

The choice follows how much of the day is spent swimming. For long swims and play in the waves, the built-in version stays settled. For a day of beach walks and lunch with a quick dip, a separate skirt over a favorite bottom gives more combinations from fewer pieces.

Fit checks are similar for both. The waistband should lie flat, and the brief or bottom underneath should fit exactly as it would on its own. A skirt hides a loose bottom on land, and water reveals it straight away.

Wrap, Ruffle or Layered

Once the construction is settled, the shape of the skirt sets the mood. Three shapes cover most of what is available.

• Wrap. A panel crosses at the front or side, often with a slit, giving a sarong look that stays put because it is sewn in place.
• Ruffle. A frilled hem adds movement and a playful vintage feel, and suits a short length best.
• Layered. Two or more tiers add fullness over the hips and move softly as you walk.

Length changes the effect as much as shape. A mini ends at the top of the thigh and looks sporty; a longer skirt reaches mid-thigh and reads as more dressed. Longer versions hold more water, so a lighter fabric keeps them from dragging after a swim.

An asymmetric or crossover hem is worth a look for anyone who wants the skirt to flatter the leg. The diagonal line draws the eye downward and lengthens the leg more than a straight hem at the same height.

High Waisted Skirts and the Tops That Suit Them

A high waisted swim skirt starts at or above the navel, covering the stomach as well as the hips, and gives a two-piece a distinctly retro shape. It pairs naturally with tops that have some structure, since the skirt is a larger block of fabric than a brief and a very small top can look lost above it.

A halter top draws the eye upward and balances the fullness below. A bralette gives a softer, more relaxed look, and an underwire top answers the skirt's structure with its own. Pull one color from a printed skirt into a solid top, or the reverse, and the two look intended.

A skirt and top come ready coordinated in 3 piece bikini sets, where the skirt is the extra layer. For a sportier lower half, bikini shorts do the same job with a straighter line, and a cover up adds a layer for the rest of the day.