The temperature’s rising (well, any day now) and so are the waistlines. Here are the best high-waisted bikinis on the high street
High-waisted pants will always be a great divider. Like the spreadable yeast extract of the top drawer (I am sorry for saying ‘yeast’ there), you either appreciate the sultry, structured charms of the high-waisted silhouette… or you just don’t.
“I think it’s creepy when I can’t see your bellybutton,” my boyfriend admits. “It’s like, you might not even have one.” Which is discriminating against the navel-less, for a start, and also futile because I don’t care a fig – I love big pants. I love their comforting hold-you-in-ness, I love the way they never disappear into places and require hoiking out again behind a post box, and I love the way they admiringly trace the whole shape of my hips, rather than cutting them off in the middle.
Once you’ve gone high-waisted, it’s hard to go back. Which is why I’m also thankful that this season, swimwear designers aren’t skimping on the fabric either. There are high-waisted bikinis to be had all over the high street, and they’re not all the same tired retro knock-offs – there are tribal, tropical, neons and animal prints to add to my bobbling collection of polka dot lycra, plus some seriously great structured bikini tops to go with them.
Sorry, bellybutton. Maybe next year.
