I'm 5'3", and This Swimsuit Trend Makes Me Feel So Tall

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(Image credit: @laurenegg; PICTURED: This is me last summer wearing one of my favorite swimsuits from Skye & Staghorn. )

I am a fairly small human being. I'm not saying there's anything wrong with being short, but I am saying I wish I was taller. Don't get me wrong—ringing in at a solid 5'3" (and 1/4") definitely doesn't stop me from wearing "tall people" trends (whatever that means), but when it comes to swimwear, I would be lying if I said I didn't think about my short little legs while rocking a bikini. If there is any way to make my legs look longer, I personally am willing to give it a try.

There is one swimwear trend bubbling up this summer that not only looks great on a variety of body types but that makes me feel tall. You heard me—tall! The trend is the '80s high-cut leg. We've touched on it a few times so far as we gear up for the summer season ahead, but I really want to take time to celebrate the suit that convinces people my legs are longer than they actually are (because if you ask me, that's a miracle). Thanks to the cut on the leg hitting right above the hip bone, the natural line of your leg appears to extend higher and reach longer. Instead of cutting me off right where my hip and thigh meet, I get a few extra inches of leg, and for that, I am forever grateful.

While this high-cut swimsuit trend objectively does make your legs look longer, I am in no way saying you need to have longer-looking legs to look skinnier, feel prettier, and so on and so forth. I am actually bringing it up to remind you that everyone's body is different, and what is important is how what you put on it makes you feel. Wearing this swimsuit trend makes me feel taller, which in turn makes me feel more confident, and I don't think that's a bad thing. In case you can relate, I shopped out the '80s high-cut swimsuits I'm coveting ahead. Whether it be a stringy bikini or more modest one-piece, this swimwear trend is hands down my favorite for summer 2018, and I think it could be yours too.

Next up, check out the 2018 swimwear starter pack to learn all about the other cool trends surfacing this season.

Editorial Director

Lauren Eggertsen is currently the editorial director of Who What Wear and has worked at the company for over eight years, where she started as an associate editor and has since worked her way up. Lauren has over 10 years of experience in the fashion editorial space, starting her career with internships at Marc Jacobs, Marie Claire, and The Zoe Report, where she was later hired as their editorial assistant. Lauren has worked in the Los Angeles and New York Who What Wear offices but currently calls L.A. home. It is here where she leads and manages Who What Wear's fashion team and oversees all day-to-day editorial content and large tentpole moments. This includes all of the runway, trend, and shopping-driven content that ultimately helps to build a strong brand reputation within the industry. Lauren's role also includes helping to set the fashion direction for all original photo shoots and often styles many of the celebrity cover shoots, including big names like Kaia Gerber, Normani, and Kristen Stewart.

She has also attended multiple fashion weeks, including New York, London, Milan, and Paris, where her personal style has been featured on sites such as Vogue, Harpers Bazaar, and Elle. She prides herself on discovering and supporting small brands and on her knack for a good vintage shopping find. When she isn't working, she enjoys researching and dining at reputable restaurants around both her neighborhood and the globe.