People have worn high-waisted bikinis since the 1950s, and today they stand the test of time as one of the most popular swimsuit styles on beaches everywhere. With popularity comes an abundance of designs—be it the style of the bikini bottoms or the construction of the tops. No matter whether you’re a cheeky or full-coverage kind of gal, or you prefer a high-waisted bikini with a more classic top style like the triangle or halter, there is a high-waisted bikini out there for you.
As one of our personal favorites, we took it upon ourselves to narrow down the best high-waisted bikinis to make your hunt a little easier. We considered everything from fit to leg cut to quality of construction and the way the fabric feels on your body to find our top picks for every category, including high-waisted bikinis with the best stretch and fit, the best all-black bikini (a must!), the best sparkly swimsuit, and more.
Keep reading for the best high-waisted bikinis, along with some expertise from Charlotte Ruffner of JOLYN.
Best Overall
Left on Friday Hi Hi Bottom
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Back Country
Our top pick for the overall best high-waisted bikini is the Left on Friday Hi Hi Bottom with the matching Sunday Top. These high-waisted bottoms are truly made of magic. They feature a compression-like design that boasts support and comfort, as well as maximum durability. The high-waisted bathing suit bottoms are great for mixing and matching different top styles, prints, and colors, too. Not to mention: They fit like a dream.
Price at time of publish: $85
Material: Nylon, polyester, and spandex | Size Range: S-XXL | Colors: Pink, Red, Orange, Brown, White, Teal, Light Pink, Plum, Hot Pink, Jam, Jet Black +more
Best Budget
Old Navy High-Rise Classic Bikini Swim Bottoms
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Old Navy
Old Navy is one of the best places to shop for high-quality and budget-friendly swimsuits. We chose the High-Rise Classic Bikini Swim Bottoms (paired with the Gathered Key Hole Front Bikini Swim Top), because it’s a good swimwear basic, with an ultra-high-rise, good coverage, and comfortable, stretchy material. It’s the perfect mix-and-match bottom, making it incredibly versatile, too.
Price at time of publish: $25
Material: Polyester and spandex | Size Range: XS-4XL | Colors: Warm Coffee, Warm Hickory, Seaborne Floral, Wildflowers, Icelandic Fjord, Pineapple Hibiscus, Raspberry Tart, Spice Girl +more
Best Splurge
Montce Paula Tie-Up Bikini Bottom
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Montce
For a splurge-worthy suit that is sure to become a summer staple, we are obsessed with this gingham high-waisted bikini bottom from Montce with the Marcela Bikini Top to match. The bottoms feature full front coverage that cinches at the waist in the sweetest crinkle gingham material that is durable and comfortable, with great stretch. It’s what cottagecore summer dreams are made of.
Price at time of publish: $108
Size Range: XS-XL | Colors: Jade Sparkle, Helena Floral, Yellow {astel, Shrimp Gingham, Jade Floral, Zebra, Mer Stripe, Lilac Sparkle, Mauve Sparkle +more
Best Stretch
LIVELY The Ruched High Waist Bikini
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LIVELY
If you want a high-waisted bikini that fits like a glove, we love our Ruched High Wais Bikini and Plunge Bralette top from LIVELY. The bottoms are made from a fully lined polyester and spandex ruched blend that molds to your body. And, thanks to its stretch and the supportive matching top, it boasts a ton of comfort, too. This suit is comparable to the coveted Youswim bathing suits for stretch, construction, quality, and support.
Price at time of publish: $55
Material: Polyester and elastane | Size Range: XS-XL | Colors: Jet Black, Lilac, Electric Pink, Electric Lime, Aquamarine
Best Triangle
Frankies Bikinis Anne Terry High Waist Bikini Bottom
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Frankies Bikinis
We love the look and feel of this classic high-waisted bikini Strawberry Cream bottom from Frankies Bikinis, paired with the brand’s Tia Terry Triangle Bikini Top in Strawberry Cream. This swimsuit is from the Gigi x Frankies Bikinis collaboration and has a touch of California cool mixed with the cottagecore trend with its adorable strawberry pattern. We chose the Tia Terry triangle top for this bikini set because it offers a little more coverage with the ruffles. If you love a look with less coverage, you can scrunch the triangles up on the drawstring, or if you prefer no ruffles, the top comes in tons of mix-and-match color options sans the frill.
Price at time of publish: $90
Material: Nylon and spandex | Size Range: XS-XXL | Colors: Black, White, Buttermilk, Sunshower, Papaya, Aquamarine, Siren, Wisteria, Flame, Fairytale, Blue Tides, Night Lily +more
Best One-Shoulder
Dalina Swim High Waisted Tie Side Bikini Bottom
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Pacsun
For the best one-shoulder high-waisted bikini, we had to include this set from Dalina Ford Swim. The high-cut bottoms feature an adjustable knot tie on the same side as the adjustable tie on the One Shoulder Bikini Top, making it the perfect matching set. Aside from its looks, we love the functionality of the top and bottoms. Because the side ties are adjustable, you can ensure the perfect fit. The cheeky bikini bottoms and matching top also mold to the body, making it as comfortable as it is chic.
Price at time of publish: $60
Size Range: XS-L | Colors: Red
Best Strapless
Aerie Crinkle High-Cut Cheeky Bikini Bottom
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Aerie
You really can’t go wrong with an Aerie swimsuit. The brand offers a variety of trendy styles with inclusive sizing, and the mix-and-match bikinis are as high-quality as some of our favorite designer brands, without the price markup. For the best strapless high-waisted bikini, we could not pass up the Crinkle High Cut Cheeky Bikini Bottom with the matching Crinkle Longline Bandeau Bikini Top. The crinkle material gives the swimsuit a nice texture while also honing comfort and a great fit. We also love that the bandeau top is on the thicker side, which gives it a sporty appeal but also makes it feel more secure than other strapless styles.
Price at time of publish: $30
Material: Polyester and elastane | Size Range: XXS-XXL | Colors: Cobalt Blue, White, True Black, Orange Haze
Best Sparkly
Good American Sparkle Good Waist Cheeky
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Good American
We found the best sparkly high-waisted bikini ever. This swim set not only has the best subtle sparkle, it’s also made of super-comfy material cut to the perfect fit. The cheeky high-waisted bikini bottoms make a great foundation for any sparkly summer bikini and, while we love them with the Good American Sparkle Demi Top—which boasts great support—it’s the perfect match for more sporty styles like the Sparkle Scoop Top or the Sparkle Better Band Top for a strapless option. For those who love a set, we swoon for this bikini styled with either the Sparkle Button Down Top opened to show off the bikini, or the Sparkle Wide Leg Pant.
Material: Polyester, nylon, and elastane | Size Range: 0-8 | Colors: Summer Green, Hawaiian Pink, Silver
Best Striped
Sea Level High Waist Stripe Bikini Bottoms
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Zappos
For this category, we wanted a high-waisted bikini with a classic stripe—something that feels nautical but not gimmicky. Our top pick is the Sea Level High Waist Stripe Bikini Bottoms with the matching Stripe Underwire Bikini Top. We love the pinstripe print, but even more we love the way the material gathers at the hip and the center of the bikini top to give it some depth and dimension. The bottoms are also sexy yet boast full coverage in the back and have a ton of mobility, so you can do a range of activities.
Price at time of publish: $55
Material: Recycled nylon and elastane | Size Range: 4-16 | Colors: Night Sky, Red, Orange
Best Black
Robin Piccone Amy High Waist Bikini Bottoms
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Nordstrom
We wanted something that felt timeless yet still trendy for the best black high-waisted bikini category—something exactly like this mix-and-match set from Robin Piccone. Both the Amy High Waist Bikini Bottoms and the Amy Triangle Bikini Top feature a timeless style that is comfortable, stylish, and detailed with snaps (which you can button up on the top). What makes this black bikini stand out, though, is the amount of support it boasts. The bottoms are higher-cut and have enough coverage on the backside to keep you feeling secure, while the top features thick, adjustable straps and a thick band for added support.
Material: Nylon and spandex | Size Range: XS-L | Colors: Licorice, Lapis
Best Cut-Out
Abercrombie & Fitch Terry Cutout High-Waist High-Leg Cheeky Bottoms
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A&F
It’s no secret that Abercrombie & Fitch is the internet’s favorite place to shop for jeans, but the brand’s swim collection is just as noteworthy. For the best cut-out high-waisted bikini bottoms, we love the look of this ribbed terry style. Everything from the high leg cut, cheeky back, and ribbed texture makes it the ideal cut-out design. The reason we love it most, though, is because of how soft and comfortable the fabric is. Pair it with Abercrombie’s Terry ‘90s Halter Bralette Swim Top, and you’re ready to hit the pool.
Price at time of publish: $40
Material: Polyester, nylon, and elastane | Size Range: XXS-XL | Colors: Blue, Yellow
Best Retro-Inspired
Lisa Marie Fernandez Magdalena Stretch-Crepe Bikini
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Nordstrom
High-waisted bikinis are the ultimate retro-inspired swimsuits, but this one from Lisa Marie Fernandez takes things to the next level with a Marilyn Monroe-worthy bikini. The Magdalena Stretch-Crepe Bikini is designed with a stretchy crepe material and with button detailing on the top and bottom, giving it a structural style that feels timeless yet still modern and on-trend.
Price at time of publish: $405
Material: Nylon, elastane, and polyester | Size Range: 0-4 | Colors: Pink
Best Rash Guard
Skatie Scarlette Bottom
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Skatie
We love Skatie’s collection of sleek and sexy rash guards, which pair perfectly with the brand’s bikini bottoms. The Skatie Scarlette Bottom with the Rosie Top rash guard is our top pick for this category, because not only is it stylish, but it’s also functional and comfortable, and it fits well (which is hard to do with long-sleeve swim). The slightly cheeky bikini bottoms fit like a glove, offering the booty enough support to comfortably jump in and out of waves. And, the rash guard is made with buttery, ultra-stretchy material with the right amount of coverage (including a high neck that doesn’t feel suffocating).
Price at time of publish: $65
Material: Recycled poly | Size Range: XS-L | Colors: Ithaca, Carmel, Nola, Coco, Antiqua, Mariposa, Savannah, Florence, Marrakesh, Lavender Ribbed, Honolulu, Black, Banzai
Best Underwire
Sandshaped Kenza Bikini Briefs Midnight
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Sandshaped
There’s something so classy about a high-waisted bikini with an underwire top. When we tried on the Kenza Bikini Briefs and Scarlet Bikini Top from Sandshaped, we knew it was the perfect fit for this category. The minimalistic bottoms are simple and sleek, yet ultra-sexy—and they are a great foundation for the top, which is designed with a balconette cup, adjustable straps, and removable pads, so you can customize the amount of cushion.
Price at time of publish: $95
Material: Nylon and lycra | Size Range: S-L | Colors: Midnight
Best Ruffled
Citrine Alice High-Waisted Bikini Bottoms
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Anthropologie
High-waisted bikinis are made for ruffles, and we love that this set doesn’t skip the details. The Citrine Alice High-Waisted Bikini Bottoms feature a comfortable and classic rise with subtle detailing in the material texture. What we love most about these bottoms is the ruffle on top, which is a nice tie-in with the matching Ivy Ruffled Lace-Up Bikini Top. What we love most about this suit is that, although it doesn’t have an adjustable back, the tie in the front makes it easier to customize the fit, and the thick straps add extra support.
Price at time of publish: $106
Material: Nylon and spandex | Size Range: XS-XL | Colors: Ivory
Best Ruched
Summersalt The Ruched High Leg High Rise Bottom
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If you prefer a high-waisted bikini bottom with some ruched detailing, Summersalt’s Ruched High Leg High Rise Bottom is our favorite in this style. The smooth high-rise bottoms feature a slight ruching on the sides, which gives it a nice texture and makes it more universally fitting for most body types. We also love these because they have great coverage in the back that hugs in all the right places. Pair it with The Bow-Shoulder Ruched Sidestroke Bikini Top—which has an adorable cutout in the back—for a statement-making bikini.
Price at time of publish: $60
Material: Recycled polyamide and elastane | Size Range: 2-22 | Colors: Olive, SeaUrchin, Dotted Palms in Olive and White Sand, Amber, Hydrangea, Seaglass
Best Halter
Abercrombie & Fitch Tie-Back High-Waist Cheeky Bottoms
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A&F
Abercrombie & Fitch’s Multiway Bralette Top and Tie-Back High-Waist Cheeky Bottoms are our top pick for this category, because not only is the top a halter, but it can be worn in six different ways. Rock it as a classic halter top, or flit it upside down and wear it as a bandeau with thin neck straps. You can also criss-cross the halter straps in the center for a wrap look or wear it as a one-shoulder style. As for the bottoms, we love the classic high-waisted style with added strappy detailing. They are smooth and stretchy, and they boast the perfect cheeky coverage, too.
Material: Nylon, elastane, and polyester | Size Range: XXS-XL | Colors: Light Blue, Light Purple, White Print Brown, Green Print
Best Sustainable
Andie The ‘90s High Waisted Bottom
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Andie
Sustainable swim is an excellent way to support mama Earth while swimming in her oceans and sunbathing on her beaches. The Andie ‘90s High Waisted Bottom and The Caledonia Top is our top choice of best sustainable high-waisted bikini, because it is designed with 74% sustainable, recycled nylon and, beyond that, it is an ultra-high quality swimsuit you can feel good about and in. The minimal and sporty style features slightly cheeky coverage with an elongating high-cut leg and a rise that hits perfectly below the belly button. It’s also buttery soft and keeps its shape and fit when wet.
Price at time of publish: $55
Material: Recycled nylon, and spandex | Size Range: XS-3XL | Colors: Chili Pepper, Ditsy Floral Olive, Ditsy Floral Rose, Lapis, Olive
Best on Amazon
Tempt Me Retro High-waist Two-piece Swimsuit
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Amazon
If you’re looking for a high-quality high-rise bikini on Amazon, we recommend the Tempt Me Two Piece Vintage Swimsuit—and so do over 18,000 others. This top-rated Amazon bikini comes in over 40 different colors and prints and features a super supportive tie-back halter top with ruched high-waisted bikini bottoms. Amazon customers love it because it is made of ultra-soft and stretchy material that is thick and supportive, and it has fantastic coverage.
Price at time of publish: $36
Material: Polyester and spandex | Size Range: XXS-18 Plus | Colors: Green, Pure Black, Red, Black Little Dot, Deep Blue, Navy Stripe, Olive Green, Hot Pink, Royal Blue, Yellow, Black Leopard +more
Best Fit
Youswim Poise High Waist Two-Piece
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Youswim
Youswim seamless bathing suits are some of our favorite swim pieces we own, thanks to the way they fit and feel on our bodies. The material is ultra-stretchy, and the one-size design is made to perfectly fit sizes 2 through 14. For this category, we wanted to include all of Youswim’s high-waisted offerings but ultimately landed on the Poise Two-Piece. It has a classic high-waisted bikini bottom with great coverage, and the adjustable straps on the bandeau top make it even easier to secure the perfect fit. It’s soft, oh-so-stretchy, and always at the top of our swimsuit drawer.
Price at time of publish: $139
Material: Nylon | Size Range: One size | Colors: Cosmic, Solar, Tide, Umber, Aster
Best for Large Busts
FREYA Check In High-Waist Bikini Bottom
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Amazon
A high-waisted bikini that is supportive enough for D-J cups? Say no more. The Bare Necessities Freya Check-In High Waist Bikini Bottom with the Check-In High Apex Bikini Top is our top choice for this category, because not only is the swimsuit super-stylish (we are obsessed with that gingham print!) and comfortable, but it’s also functional with an underwired top designed for large busts. In addition to the brand’s selection of band and cup sizes, the back straps are adjustable with added hooks for back support.
Price at time of publish: $40
Material: Nylon and elastane | Size Range: XS-2XL | Colors: Khaki, Monochrome
Best Cheeky
Revly Krissy Bottoms
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Revly
If you’re feeling cheeky, the Revly Krissy Bottoms with the Rachele Hybrid Top is our favorite style for this category. The high-waisted bottoms feature a supportive thick band that keeps the suit intact, while the back shows off a little extra skin. The band is also designed to roll down to prevent high-waisted tan lines while you lay out in the sun.
Price at time of publish: $68
Material: Nylon and spandex | Size Range: XS-XL | Colors: Red, Honey, Sage, Powder, Neptune, Lavender, Hot Pink, Cotton Candy, Shibori, Black
Best Sporty
JOLYN Natia Bikini Bottom
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Amazon
Sporty swimsuits are easy to come by, but few actually count as activewear. The Natia Bikini Bottom and Carmen Bikini Top from JOLYN were designed specifically with water sports—including swimming and surfing—in mind. Made from ultra-flexible and stretchy material that supports and stays put, no matter how much you move, this high-waisted bikini is the epitome of fashion and function. The bottoms are one of the most comfortable pairs we own, thanks to the brand’s use of sea-flex fabric, which is made from recycled fishing nets and gives the material a soft and buttery feel.
Price at time of publish: $36
Material: Recycled sea-flex fabric, nylon, and elastane | Size Range: XS-XL | Colors: Aspen, Sky, Black, Amethyst, Sahara, Revolve, Wilds
Best High-Cut
Monday Swimwear Argentina Bottom
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Monday Swimwear
If high-waisted and high-cut are on your list of bikini musts, the Argentina Bottom from Monday Swimwear is the way to go. We love these bottoms paired with the Clovelly Top, for an ‘80s-inspired bikini, but you can also pair them with the brand’s other top styles, like the Bahamas Top or the St. Martinique Bandeau. As far as design is concerned, the bottoms boast a thick waistband that hugs the body with a more V-shaped front and cheeky back, which gives it a more accentuated high-cut look. On top of that, it has a textured jacquard design, giving it a touch of luxury.
Material: Recycled nylon, and spandex | Size Range: S-L (in petite, voluptuous, and very voluptuous) | Colors: Moon Crinkle, Sea Jacquard, Jade Jacquard, Pistachio Wave
Meet the Expert
Charlotte Ruffner is the Manager of Technical Design at JOLYN, an athletic swim and activewear brand.
What to Look for in High-Waisted Bikinis
Fabric quality
“Look for good fabric quality with stretch and recovery,” says Ruffner. She explains that quality stretch is important because it will make you feel held and supported “without pinching” certain areas.
Leg Opening
In addition to checking whether a style is a high-rise, Ruffner says to check the style of the leg opening at the hip. “A higher leg allows for movement without fabric chafing the body, [and] visually, a higher leg cut will create a longer leg,” she explains. “A lower leg opening provides more front leg coverage while also providing stability to the back leg, keeping the suit from ‘wedging’ up.”
Why Trust Byrdie
Contributing writer Jessie Quinn has a bachelor’s degree in fashion journalism. From working in the fashion closet and interviewing designers at NYLON to now writing about the best style trends for various publications, Jessie researches and sources the best fashion finds. High-waisted bikinis have been one of Jessie’s go-to styles for over 15 years. For this story, Jessie combined her love of the bikini bottom—and her experience shopping for new styles every summer—with her fashion journalism experience to narrow down the best high-waisted bikinis. She considered everything from style, fit, comfort, and quality of construction, plus sourced matching bikini tops for easy pairing.