The 2000s Bikini Trend No One Is Wearing Anymore

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(Image credit: Getty Images)

I love it when a story idea suddenly comes to me while I'm working on another article. This time around, I was finishing my story about Blue Crush bikini trends that are still relevant in 2020—yes, that's really part of my job—and I wanted to include swimsuits similar to Kate Bosworth's boy shorts in the movie. That's when I discovered that there was barely one pair to be found on all of my favorite retailers, signaling that boy-short bikinis have truly fallen off the radar. (That said, the silhouette is still relevant for underwear.) 

Because I wouldn't leave you hanging without photographic evidence, I culled some other famous celebrity boy shorts from the early 2000s. Eva Mendes wore them in a movie. Naomi Campbell wore them on the runway. And of course, Bosworth pretended to surf in them for Blue Crush. Nowadays, the less-popular style has been replaced by more current swim trends, including high-waisted suits. Scroll down to revisit boy-short swimsuits, and then shop my three favorite current bikini trends.

The Best Celeb Boy Shorts From the 2000s

Eva Mendes in Stuck on You, 2003

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(Image credit: Everett Collection)

Kate Bosworth in Blue Crush, 2002

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(Image credit: Everett Collection)

Naomi Campbell on the Runway, 2003

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(Image credit: Getty Images)

Ashley Scott in Into the Blue, 2005

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(Image credit: Everett Collection)

1. String Bikinis

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(Image credit: @lucywilliams02)

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(Image credit: @ali_tate_cutler)

2. High-Waisted Bikinis

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3. Bandeau Bikinis

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(Image credit: @bellahadid)

Next, three very specific colors trending at H&M, Madewell, and Mango

Erin Fitzpatrick
Senior News Editor

Erin got her start as a Who What Wear intern over 12 years ago—back when the site only published a single story per day. (Who What Wear has since increased that number twentyfold.) She graduated magna cum laude from USC, which is how she ended up moving to Los Angeles from her hometown of San Diego. In college, she also interned at Refinery29, where she was promoted to editorial assistant and then assistant editor. After nearly three years at R29, she came back to WWW in 2016, where she currently holds the title of senior news editor (as well as the unofficial title of resident royal expert—in case you haven't noticed her numerous Meghan Markle and Kate Middleton stories). She spends her days trying to incorporate her idols, Anna Wintour and Roger Federer, into as many stories as possible. Outside of work, she loves tennis, classic rock, traveling, and smothering her dog with affection.