Why are tankinis trending in 2025?

I last wore a tankini when I was around 10, too young for my mum to let me wear a real bikini but too grown up to want to wear the bright, frilled one-piece swimming costumes that my little sister wore. For me, tankinis are associated with childhood, yet they are trending on social media and online shopping platforms this year. Will this forgotten garment make its way into my suitcase this year, almost a decade later?

The reappearance of tankinis this summer is not entirely surprising given the resurgence of Y2K fashion in recent years. Since long-line halter tops and low-waisted jeans have firmly established themselves back in style, it makes sense that these silhouettes would eventually infiltrate beachwear too. In fact, vintage resellers on Depop and TikTok have been selling 2000s tankinis from brands like Bay, M&S, and Fatface as normal summer tops, showing that they have become desirable pieces simply for everyday summer wear. 

Pair a tankini with platform flip-flops and chunky sunglasses, and you’ll be channeling the effortlessly cool, beachy vibes of the 2000s it-girls. They are also a great option for anyone looking for a bit more coverage, either to provide more protection from the sun, or give a little bit of modesty. The popularity of tankinis alone is not a problem at all: as someone who is looking to the H2O: Just Add Water girls for fashion inspiration this summer, it’s a fun and exciting shift in swimwear fashion.

However, I can’t help but notice that the romanticisation of tankinis online has emerged alongside the rise of weight loss content. For example, “skinny-tok” is taking TikTok by storm with its “toxic motivation” for others to lose weight and join their glamourised skinny lifestyle. So-called “fitness/ wellness” influencers are urging viewers to lose weight now in time for bikini-weather, pushing the unfair ideal that women must be skinny to wear a bikini. Conservative and trad-wife creators are also rising in popularity, with women promoting modest dress and traditional gender roles. Pretty Little Thing’s recent rebrand from selling cheap and cheerful clubbing clothes to beige, business-casual pieces is a clear example of this shift into a more conservative era of beauty standards. 

Overall, it would be unfair to place this burden on a piece of stylish summer swimwear, as there are lots of complicated issues at play. Scrolling online at the moment can feel exhausting, but it’s not all bad: Spencer Barbosa’s recent swimwear collaboration with Hollister is a refreshingly positive example. For now, block out the skinny-tokkers, put your suncream on, and wear your tankini like a Y2K baddie.