It’s Time We Remember How Cursed The 2010 Seafolly Bikini Was
Enough time has finally passed to dissect that Seafolly bikini — the two piece that somehow created self-esteem issues for teens across Australia a whole ass decade ago now.
No piece of swimwear has caused as much hysteria since: perhaps it has only just been overtaken by Kylie Jenner’s newly released beach range that barely covers anyone’s privates.
I’d like to know what went on in the design room when they paired an admittedly cute rose print underwired top (which probably wouldn’t fit on anyone who isn’t a B or C cup), with the world’s most unflattering froufrou, low cut bottoms.
This bikini entered the collective minds of an entire country and gained worldwide popularity through Pinterest boards and Tumblr feeds as the must-have item of the summer, wedged between galaxy leggings, Rayban Wayfarers, and green One Teaspoon denim shorts.
The ‘English Rose’ bikini was for ‘it’ girls, made even cooler when the straps were taken off, turning the bustier into a sexier bandeau look. Seafolly was grasping as strings with the lower half though, releasing the bikini right around the time that high waist was rightfully claiming its place as the go-to norm.
But those out there who saved up enough cash to try and pull it off as well as Jessica Hart did would have been sourly disappointed when they ended up weeping in a Westfield change room back in the early 2010s.
Actually obsessed with Seafolly bikinis. Thanks tumblr
— Anna (@handfulofsmiles) October 3, 2011
“It made me look like my hips had been stretched in Photoshop,” a poor anonymous soul told Punkee. “It was nothing short than cruel”. Another person woefully recalled on Instagram, “I kept this back cover ad from Dolly mag, and took it to City Beach to find, tried it on, and cried lmao”.
What goes around comes around though. In 2012, smaller brand White Sands Swimwear started a years-long legal battle with Seafolly, claiming the bikini was a rip-off from their ‘Shipwrecked’ collection. It was definitely a different time and place back then, and hopefully ruffled rose will never return to fashion again.