Skin is in: As sales of thong bikinis rise, is body confidence also growing?

A Sydney council’s ban on ‘inappropriate’ swimwear stirs a wider debate over complex feelings about women’s bottoms, writes Chloe Mac Donnell

Skin is in, with bikinis outselling traditional one-piece swimsuits and women over 45 driving the trend. 

When it comes to clothing advice for women, the “rules” are endless. They range from sizeist – “avoid horizontal stripes if you have a wider frame”, to ageist – “don’t wear a crop top over 50”. 

Now Australia is weighing in. A council in Greater Sydney has banned thong and g-string bikinis at its public swimming pools causing outrage among pool users and stirring a wider debate about the policing of women’s bodies.