Boy Short Tankini

With this kind of swimsuit, you can keep your assets covered along with your hips, thighs and belly, but your suit still has two pieces, just like a regular bikini. If only such well thought out hybrids existed in all categories of life.

There are other types of tankinis with different bottoms, but this one in particular consists of a shortened tank top and a pair of shorts that could rival those in the Nair commercials of the 1980's: "Who wears short shorts? We do, now!" The materials used are still the same as other swimsuits and they stay in place just as well. The pieces don’t tend to ride up like tank tops and cotton shorts would if used for a similar purpose because they’re still fitted like swimsuits.

This style is available in sizes for women, as well as juniors and little girls. They’re great for lounging, swimming, water sports and play because there’s generally nothing to worry about coming untied. They also tend to cover enough skin to keep you G-rated even when you’re in action swatting a volleyball, swimming laps or building a sand castle.

Beach Camouflage

Each piece—the tank top and the boy shorts—have their own body benefits. We don’t all grow up to look like Victoria’s Secret models, so it’s good to know we can use bathing suit pieces to disguise our flaws and give us a more balanced shape.

The top can be used to cover up your not-so-flat belly. It’s especially beneficial for new moms who haven’t had a chance to tone up completely yet, but still want to feel good on the beach or by the pool. The shorts, although really short, can give the illusion of a perkier, rounder rear-end and thinner hips if you use a solid color. They also cover up more stretch marks than the traditional high-cut bikini bottoms.

Make sure you get the right fit so you can hide your flaws without creating new silhouette faux pas like a dreaded muffin top popping out from your bare midriff.

Mix and Match Boy Short Tankinis

If you like to keep more than one bikini on hand for summer, you’ll love the versatility of adding a boy short tankini to your beach and pool wardrobe. Try mixing and matching your prints and solids to put the focus on your body exactly where you want it.

For example, use a print top to make your bosom look bigger, and slim down your bottom half with a pair of solid boy shorts. With tankinis and bikinis, you can mix and match the pieces for different looks and color schemes. Wear a triangle top with your boy shorts from the tankini, or a tankini top with your more revealing bottoms. It’s all about what your body needs to look its best in a swimsuit.

The best part is you'll always have the original design to fall back on for days when you just feel like covering up.

Shop

With the popularity of the tank top and boy short combination these days, most swimwear designers see the merit in making their own boy short tankinis available.

Here are a few stores to check:

RuggedBear-Online has tankinis with shorts in vibrant colors for little girls.

Wal-Mart even has boy short suits for women! They run about $50.00 per set.

Canyon River Blues, a Sears brand, has a belted style tankini for your little girl to wear on days spent in the sun.

Almost any store you visit will have a wide selection of tank/short swimsuit combos. In some cases, they sell all the pieces separately so you can choose your own pair.