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    1. Fashion
    2. Celebrity Style

    The Most Iconic Swimsuits of All Time

    If a Museum of Swimwear existed, these suits would belong in it.

    By Bridget Burns
    Published 11 July 2020 In Features

    When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Here’s how it works.

    swimwear
    (Image credit: Courtesy)
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    Every girl can have a swimwear moment if she's got a patient friend and some good lighting, but if you want something longer-lasting than an Instagram photo, you're gonna need a full crew and a culture-defining moment. Here, 30 suits that did just that to become the most memorable and iconic of all time. If a Museum of Swimwear existed, these pieces would belong there.

    Raquel Welch
    (Image credit: Archives)

    Raquel Welch

    Cavewomen probably did not look like this. But tatters sell, so that's what Hollywood did for One Million Years B.C. #marketing

    Kim Kardashian
    (Image credit: Archives)

    Kim Kardashian

    On the flip side (heh), a celebrity most of the world has seen naked in some capacity managed to top even herself...with clothes. Seen here on a girls' vacation in Mexico, Kim Kardashian wears thong swimsuit bottoms.

    Farrah Fawcett
    (Image credit: Archives)

    Farrah Fawcett

    Hung in teenage bedrooms the world over.

    Carrie Fisher
    (Image credit: Getty Images)

    Carrie Fisher

    Though the late Carrie Fisher drew attention to how problematic it was, the bondage-inspired two-piece remains firmly in the HOF of movie costumes.

    Romy Schneider
    (Image credit: Getty Images)

    Romy Schneider

    La Piscine had everything: extremely beautiful stars, an extremely French plot, and the chicest wardrobe, including this flawlessly cut white maillot.

    Brooke Shields
    (Image credit: Getty Images)

    Brooke Shields

    If you didn't already know, you could probably guess what the Blue Lagoon was about by looking at Brooke Shields' shipwreck-underwear-thing. (Answer: naked, unsupervised teens.)

    Brigitte Bardot
    (Image credit: Getty Images)

    Brigitte Bardot

    The film is literally titled Girl in the Bikini. So they tried to make it a good one.

    Elizabeth Taylor
    (Image credit: Hulton Archive)

    Elizabeth Taylor

    Her polka dot halter-top one-piece may look conservative now, but at the time, this portrait of Elizabeth Taylor was considered the epitome of risqué.

    Ashley Graham
    (Image credit: Jamie McCarthy)

    Ashley Graham

    In 2016, the supermodel made history when she became the first curvy girl on the cover of the Sport's Illustrated swimsuit issue in a blue bikini. Slay, girl!

    Reese Witherspoon
    (Image credit: Legally Blonde)

    Reese Witherspoon

    Who can forget the Elle Woods Harvard audition tape in Legally Blonde where she shows off how studious she is while rocking a sparkly pink bikini? You know you've worn an iconic swimsuit when Kim Kardashian turns it into her Halloween costume.

    Deborah Kerr
    (Image credit: Silver Screen Collection)

    Deborah Kerr

    After wearing her structured, belted bathing suit in From Here To Eternity, Deborah Kerr was quoted as saying, "I don't think anyone knew I could act until I put on a bathing suit." At least it was a great suit!

    Sally Field
    (Image credit: ABC Photo Archives)

    Sally Field

    Sally Field made the world fall in love with Gidget in the 1965 television show, and it probably didn't hurt that she was constantly wearing a bright bikini we wish we had on right now.

    Denise Richards
    (Image credit: Columbia Pictures)

    Denise Richards

    Wild Things is an all-around racy movie, so it really says something that Denise Richards' blue one-piece is remembered more than the actual plot of the film.

    Gloria Hendry
    (Image credit: Eon Productions)

    Gloria Hendry

    The colorful bikini Gloria Hendry wore during Live and Let Die may be the most important of the film. But her pose is basically the definition of "badass."

    Salma Hayek
    (Image credit: Sunset Boulevard)

    Salma Hayek

    The giant snake casually tossed around her shoulders, the burgundy bikini, the gold charms...Salma Hayek in From Dusk Till Dawn is a true icon.

    Jessica Simpon
    (Image credit: Warner Bros)

    Jessica Simpon

    It was all about the Daisy Dukes in Dukes of Hazzard, but it's not surprising that Jessica Simpson also made it all about this bright pink bikini.

    Angelina Jolie
    (Image credit: Tomb Raider)

    Angelina Jolie

    The sleek black bikini that Angelina Jolie wore in Tomb Raider as Lara Croft may not have been the most practical, but it's a simple look we still aspire to today.

    For more stories like this, including celebrity news, beauty and fashion advice, savvy political commentary, and fascinating features, sign up for the Marie Claire newsletter.subscribe here

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    Marie Claire Newsletter

    The ultimate daily digest for women of power, purpose, and style.

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    Bridget Burns
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    I'm the Digital Visuals Editor for Marie Claire and I help pick the most interesting, relevant and prettiest photos for our site.

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