Ditch your bikini, the swimsuit is now sexy

Once, the one-piece was a frumpy cover-up. But suddenly sunkissed stars won’t be seen in anything else...

THE annual winter beach parade has begun. Wealthy celebrities are migrating en masse from damp, chilly climes to soak up the sun in destinations such as the Bahamas, Barbados and St Barts.

This year, however, there’s a remarkable seachange happening on the seashore — and it’s one that will have women of all ages sighing with relief.

Whereas for the past few years, winter bathing beauties on the jet-set islands of the Caribbean have been flashing their all-butnaked bodies on Instagram as they contort themselves to get the best ‘belfie’ (short for ‘bottom selfie’), 2018 is already shaping up as the year of the big cover-up.

From trendy teens to well-preserved sixtysomethings, from the shores of Mexico to Australia’s Byron Bay, the new message is clear: just because you’ve got it, you don’t have to flaunt it.

And while it may be premature to predict the death of the bikini, certainly the one-piece is back with a vengeance and — as these pictures demonstrate — can look just as sexy, as well as a whole lot classier, than a couple of barely-there scraps of flimsy fabric.

For those of us who are well past our bikini best, knowing we won’t look frumpy or out of place when we sport a one-piece this summer is just the confidence boost we need at a time of year when shedding those extra Christmas pounds feels like an impossible dream.

Fashion designer Stella McCartney, 46, and stepmum Nancy Shevell, 58, both look toned and fabulous in their modest swimsuits.

Equally sizzling are 40-year-old Lauren Silverman, girlfriend of Simon Cowell, and her 59-year-old mum Carole Davis.

But it’s not just women in their 40s and 50s who are abandoning bikinis: teens and twentysomethings are setting the same trend.

Witness influencers like Kaia Gerber, 16 — model daughter of supermodel Cindy Crawford — who has 2.6million followers on Instagram, looking cool and sporty in her bright red one-piece. Ditto Destry Allyn Spielberg, 21, model daughter of director Steven and actress Kate Capshaw, looking super-fit in another flattering red swimsuit.

And if they don’t feel pressured to reveal all to their followers on social media in order to grab some attention, perhaps other young women will feel liberated enough to tone down the over-exposure that’s become almost de rigueur if you want to be accepted by your peers.

This new decorum on the beach is the trickle-down effect of what’s been happening in fashion in general. As big-name designers have moved on from bodycon to maxi dresses, it’s perhaps not surprising that swimwear is following suit.

After a year in which sexual harassment has dominated the headlines, the new cover-up is also something of a feminist statement. One that says women can be strong, feisty and sexy without having to reveal all.

When it comes to choosing swimsuits this summer, the choice will be better than ever. You can do what the celebs do and buy a cossie costing several hundred pounds — a piece from the likes of Emilio Pucci, French label Eres and hot US brands such as Marysia and Flagpole.

Or head for High Street stalwarts including Marks & Spencer, which is promising a betterthan-ever range of one-pieces this summer.

And when it comes to holiday daywear, you can team your one-piece with shorts, skirts or jeans — just like TV’s Holly Willoughby has done with her cut-off denim skirt.