What Is a Monokini?

In the midst of the swinging ’60s, the monokini was born. Also known as the unikini and the trikini, this little scrap of cloth was essentially a bikini without the top half. While many people found this topless bathing suit too radical, some snapped up the monokini and, with a few modest adjustments, it remains a design favorite to this day.

History
1. Rudi Gernereich, an Austrian-American designer, is credited with premiering the monkini. He created a prototype design which “Look” magazine published in 1963. The first monokini had no fabric over the bust area, just two halter straps that hooked to the bikini bottom. The reaction to the monokini style was immediate: fashion designers hated it, predicting the demise of the bikini as a result; some church officials denounced the style as immoral; and the public thought it was a fashion joke. However, enough people weren’t laughing, because 3,000 monokinis sold during the first summer on the market, at $24 apiece. These monokinis rarely made appearances at public beaches however, relegated, perhaps, to private beaches and backyard tanning sessions.

Types

2. How could a simple pair of bikini bottoms offer that much variety? Designers have found a way, creating monokinis with different cuts and fabrics. There are also monokinis with optional tops, quickly detachable by unhooking rings, untying laces or unfastening buckles.

Effects
3. As the monokini has become more popular it has also evolved. Now, many people wear monokinis that are essentially one-piece bathing suits with major cutouts on the sides. Many have tops as well as bottoms, joined by a simple vertical strap of cloth. Some monokinis are meant to be wrapped around the body like a halter or a bandeau.

Famous Ties
4. Monokinis show off the body, so well-toned celebrities often don them. Giselle Bundchen, Britney Spears and Jessica Alba have been spotted in monkinis.

Warning
5. A monokini is a distinctly challenging garment to wear well. While many a skinny or voluptuous woman can rock a bikini, the same cannot be said for the monokini, which demands a proportionate, hourglass shape. This restriction is partially due to sizing, because the woman’s top must be proportional to her bottom. The risque cutouts can also prove a problem to people with longer or shorter than average torsos.