Why Is It Called Tankini?

Tankinis are a type of swimwear that closely resembles a tank top shirt and a swimsuit, a combination that allows for comfortable coverage and stylish design.

The word, tankini, evolved from the term for a one-piece bathing suit called "tank suits" that women adorned in the 1920s.

Anne Cole: The Inventor of the Tankini

As a designer who understood women’s desires and needs in a swimsuit, Anne Cole was an innovative pioneer in a largely male-dominated industry. With her intuitive sensibilities and talent, Anne Cole has created some of the most important pieces in women’s swimsuit history.

Anne Cole is the original inventor of the Tankini, created in the 1990s for the modern woman who wanted both tasteful design and coverage. Cole’s idea was that the tankini should offer the convenience and ease of a bikini while providing more coverage.

Her unique and innovative design also opened up possibilities for women to mix and match the prints and colors of their swimsuit tops and bottoms.

In contrast to one piece swimsuits, the tankini gave every woman an opportunity to customize their swimwear according to the unique shape of their bodies. With the tankini, a woman could choose her best size tankini top with her best size bikini bottom, something that had never been done before.

Our tankini collections continue to honor Anne’s vision of empowering women and their bodies by giving them more choice in how a swimsuit fits and feels on their body. Get a look at our newest arrivals in swimwear here.

What Does a Tankini Look Like?

Traditionally, tankinis have the look of a cross between a two-piece bathing suit and a tank top. With today's wide variety of designs, tankinis can offer stylish coverage for the wearer.

Tankini swimsuits come in various styles, including bandeau swimsuits, halter bathing suit top, high neck tankinis, racerback tankinis, tankinis with plunging necklines, tankinis with sweetheart necklines, and more.

Our colorful tankini tops will bring you your preferred coverage while making you look fresh and vibrant on those warm sunny days lounging by the pool with your favorite beach read.

Swimming Tankinis and Strapless Tankinis

Anne Cole's swimming tankinis and strapless tankinis are elegantly designed to flatter a woman's silhouette with the versatility of a two-piece swimsuit.

All of our swimming tankinis, including strapless tankinis, are form-fitting for women of all sizes, from a size 6 to plus size 5X/24W. A tankini bathing suit is generally a two-piece swimsuit consisting of a tankini top and a bottom piece, typically bikini bottoms.

With Anne Cole swimming tankinis and strapless tankinis, you can choose from numerous styles to mix and match your preferred tops and bottoms. You can select your mixture of bold designs, such as a high neck tankini with bikini bottoms, a halter tankini top with a skirted bottom, and more.

Our stylish tankini swimsuit collection’s colorful prints, floral patterns, and other playful details will bring you that perfect blend of both trendy and chic elegance while you sip on pina coladas in the shade.

Get inspired by our lookbook and our current collection!

Can You Swim In A Strapless Tankini?

Yes, you can!

Anne Cole's strapless tankini swimsuits are perfect for both swimming and lounging by the pool and form-fitting to hug your body and flatter your curves.

All of our bikinis and strapless tankinis are specially constructed to stay put and offer support while you enjoy any water activities. We carry various tankini styles, including strapless tankinis and bandeau tankinis, halter top tankinis, triangle tankinis, and more.

Whether you're looking for a bold color or a delicate floral print, our tankini bathing suit collection will give you a polished beach look that's perfect for swimsuit season. Shop now and score Labor Day sale on our site!