One-piece swimsuit

Woman's one-piece bathing suit, 1920s, USA

A one-piece swimsuit is a usually skin-tight one-piece swimsuit used by women when swimming in the sea or in a swimming pool. The one-piece swimsuit usually covers the genitalia, the breasts and all of the front of the body in between. A special type is however the monokini, which is made in one piece but does not cover the breasts.

Styles of one-piece swimsuits:

• maillot
• tank suit
• pretzel suit
• plunge front
• halter-neck
• monokini

Before the invention of the bikini, virtually all swimsuits where in one piece and in older days men used similar swimsuits that covered equivalent areas of the body.