Photo of a model with hat on the seaside

Photo: Apostolos Vamvouras on Unsplash

What Your Swimsuit Says About You – "Bellissima" Style (Part 1)

Being Bellissima means more than just looking great every now and then!

Bellissima is more than the Italian word for very beautiful. It's a mature demeanor, personality, and aura that's turning heads wherever people gather for good times at the beach or by the pool. It’s a proud declaration that means you’re always at your most beautiful, not just pretty and cute here and there when you dress up.

Stately and classy, the Bellissima look stands apart from the others you'll find on our site for its sleek yet still down-to-earth style. Think more along the lines of Amanda Seyfried in Mamma Mia! than Jennifer Aniston in the rom-com "Just Go With It" – not that there’s anything wrong with a simple side-tie, two-piece bikini.

A real Bellissima donna never leaves home unkempt because she's always empowered by stately confidence. When you’re truly Bellissima, you stand a little taller, and confident, knowing beyond the shadow of a doubt that you look fantastic in your new swimwear and can't wait to debut it.

Photo of Candice Swanapoel in swimsuit

Photo: Tropic of C Website

Image of a woman wearing Jeanette Satin Strapless Bikini Top - Violet by Frankies_Bikinis

Photo: Frankies_Bikinis

Photo of Vitoria Campo in sommer swim bikini

Photo: @vittoriacampo_

If you've never had a chance to travel to the Mediterranean, especially Italy and Greece, it's a place where antiquity meets the modern era like no other. You see it in the moist stone architecture at dawn and breathtaking ocean-side vistas at sunset, yet you also see it in the fashion.

Flowy linen tops and light pants look fantastic in the soft breeze that whispers off the coast, and it's a lot cooler than you'd think after the sun goes down and the cafes and tavernas come to life with music, laughter, and petite Sirah cool to the touch.

So, with that in mind, here's how the Bellissima style shines through in these five swimsuits from some of the hottest designers in 2022.

Adriana Degreas – Solid Carre Vintage Flower Bikini

If you pay close attention to Mediterranean-inspired styles, you'll notice odd details that seem completely out of place but instead complement their surroundings well; this is sometimes true even in swimwear. With a simple presentation in white or brown, this swimsuit by Brazilian designer Adriana Degreas is a great example of what's in fashion now. The offbeat simplicity is chic and perfectly matches the Bellissima style. Material-wise, this two-piece is made mainly of polyamide and a little elastane for a secure fit, and it goes very well with skirts.

Image of a woman wearing Solid Carre Vintage Flower Bikini With Side Ties by Adriana_Degreas

Photo: Adriana_Degreas

That's another thing about the Bellissima style: it allows you to mix and match clothing and still look great without getting too edgy. If a solid color cover-up is too middle-aged for your taste, you can pair this green and white swimsuit with matching accessories like lightly tinted sunglasses for maximum impact. Just always remember that the idea is to project a sense of quiet sophistication that can be just as bold as wearing vibrant floral prints or monokinis with more cut-outs than usual.

Tropic of C - Coco top and Curve bottom

Plan on doing a little casual sailing this spring? If so, this swimsuit from South-African model Candice Swanepoel, founder and creative director of Tropic of C, is one you definitely should consider. Honestly, you don’t necessarily have to hit the waves to wear this Coco top two-piece, so it also looks fantastic when you want to shoot for a simple two-tone color scheme but want to outline the edges in black to “hold in” the look. You absolutely could go with an all-white two-piece, but black trim is in right now.

Photo of Candice Swanapoel in swimsuit

Photo: Tropic of C Website

The idea is to take advantage of the contrast and make people curious why you look different in your white swimsuit compared to everyone else. The material clings to your contours to make you feel confident in your natural beauty, and the top comes with adjustable shoulder straps and a clasp closure. You could go with only the top, yet it looks ravishing if you add the low-rise Curve bottom. The subtle part most people won't notice is the curved fronts and sides that lengthen the leg. Best of all, the two-tone scheme makes it easy to pair this swimsuit with any number of shoes and sandals.

Frankies Bikini – Janette top and Blue Crush bottom

Now, we move along to the Janette top and Blue Crush bottom from American designer Frankies Bikini. You can find it in a few colors, but if you want to stick with the Bellissima look, go for a solid color instead of a bright floral pattern. The idea is to accentuate the rippled ruching down the centerline but not so much that it detracts from a matching Blue Crush bottom, which doesn't necessarily need to come in blue. That's only what designer Frankies Bikini calls the style.

Image of a woman wearing Jeanette Satin Strapless Bikini Top - Violet by Frankies_Bikinis

Photo: Frankies_Bikinis

The boy-shorts bottom suggests a 2000's retro look, but this swimsuit keeps it in the contemporary era and includes luxe satin fabric, an alternative that's softer and smoother to the touch than standard swimsuit fabric. Notice how the boy shorts keep things modern and fit comfortably without going too far into the skin-tight look. Best of all, this bottom can double for workout bottoms, which usually aren't of the same quality, but does an authentic Bellissima donna settle for anything less? Mamma mia! Of course, she doesn't!

Sommer Swim – Lucia Bahamas halter bikini top and Brazilians bikini bottom

While many of our Bellissima swimsuits would work great, this one from Australian Sommer Swim – the Lucia Bahamas halter bikini top and Brazilians bikini bottom – is unique. For starters, it's a cute halter top that's adjustable and features a gold-colored ring in the centerline. It's a real subtle nod to the past that most people won't notice. Material-wise, we're talking about Italian Xtra Life Lycra, the best kind you can buy. There's also a soft shimmer and shine to the material, which works great if you plan on taking a lot of photos with friends and family.

Photo of Vitoria Campo in sommer swim bikini

Photo: @vittoriacampo_

That’s great and all, but when you pair this top with a Sommer Swim Brazilian bikini bottom, it brings the entire fit together. It’s also part of Sommer Swim’s Ile Mustique collection, so you’ll have plenty of other pairing options if you want to stay with the same designer and not mix and match. When it comes to living like a Bellissima donna, you can never be too classy and put together from the hair down to the shoes. The idea is to project an air of pride and confidence, which comes off as stately and eloquent when you wear the right swimwear.

Talia Collins – Strapless top and skirt brief

Moving along our list, we come to this two-piece, solid color bikini by British designer Talia Collins. If you're genuinely curious about what's in right now, pay close attention to how the designer put together this swimsuit. It's a Kate Moss-inspired design that features a V-shaped center instead of a gold ring like the Sommer Swim line-up we mentioned. Once again, we come back around to the need for subtle sophistication. Usually, swimsuit tops don't come with this type of center, so this one is unique.

Photo of Talia Collins - The Strapless Top and The Skirt Brief

But that’s not all! Wearing a strapless top is great, but how do you stand out with a different type of bottom? The go-to answer this year has been to go with a skirt-brief bottom, which is a throwback to the mid-20th century. It’s cut high at the waist to keep things contemporary, but the skirt overlay is absolutely to die for and will turn heads. Talia Collins really hit all of the Bellissima qualities with this swimwear combination: chic, classy, and ready for a night out in an Italian villa.

Ultimately, any one of these swimsuits matches the taste of a genuine Bellissima donna, the most beautiful woman who stands tall and proud of her style no matter the occasion. But that's not all! Please keep reading to find out more about the Bellissima in the next part of our series.

Related Stories

Photo of bruna_marquezine-31

See the Unseen Beauty: Live Life with a Fascinante Twist - May 2023

A fascinating approach to life: discovering the hidden beauty of swimwear details.

Rachel Kius

May 9, 2023

Photo of lola_thompson-15

Feel Fab with the Right Attitude: February Showcases

Celebrating the Confidence and Beauty of Life with these 5 Instagram Posts

Rachel Kius

February 14, 2023

Cover photo of the article

Blooming into a New You: Our Favorites Picks of January

Reach Your Blooming Potential: 5 Stylish & Trendy Swimwear Picks for January to Help You Shine.

Rachel Kius

January 20, 2023

girl in pink and white bikini lying on brown sand during daytime

What Your Swimsuits Say About You - "Fabulous" Style (Part 1)

What does it mean to feel fabulous while wearing a new swimsuit for the first time?

Rachel Kius

April 12, 2022

woman in pink tank top sitting on white textile on beach during daytime

What Your Swimsuit Says About You – "Charmant" Style (Part 1)

*Charmant* might be the French word for charming, but it suggests a different meaning than many of us think.

Rachel Kius

February 24, 2022

Previous article

Sustainable Swimwear Brands to Keep an Eye on In

Next article

What Your Swimsuit Says About You – "Charmant" Style (Part 1)