Everyone has their favorite bathing suit style that fits them and their personality. That’s a given, but when it comes to TV and movies, there are more than a few almost everyone can agree are better than the rest. Let’s not waste any more time and get to the fun in the sun and look at the most unforgettable bathing suits in pop culture.
Jenny Hanley, ’10’
Bo Derek didn’t create an iconic swimsuit moment in 10, she delivered a fashion moment that will live on forever in movie history with this simple yet satisfying ‘70s look.
Aquaman, ‘Aquaman’
Aquaman makes swimming in pants look not only good but also incredibly easy.
Linda Barrett, ‘Fast Times at Ridgemont High’
The Matrix gets a lot of hype and love for its slow-motion fight scenes, but let’s be real. Phoebe Cates invented slow motion in Fast Times at Ridgemont High when she emerged in this red two-piece.
James Bond, ‘Goldfinger’
It’s debatable who the hottest James Bond is, and it’s really hard to decide when Sean Connery came out in these itty-bitty blue swim shorts in Goldfinger.
Santanico Pandemonium, ‘From Dusk Till Dawn’
Jake Wyler, ‘Not Another Teen Movie’
Would Jake Wyler’s whipped cream bikini have disappeared as soon as he stepped foot into a pool? Yes, but in a lot of ways, that makes his suit that much better.
Loana, ‘One Million Years B.C.’
Raquel Welch made prehistoric fashion look timeless in this torn-in-all-the-right-way ensemble.
Ron Burgundy, ‘Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy’
Anchorman will always be regarded as one of the funniest comedies of the 2000s, but it’s also one of the most stylish, especially when it comes to the leading man, Ron Burgundy. Whether he was on-air or poolside, he was always serving.
Nurse Flower Child, ‘Coffy’
Pam Grier in that white bikini may just be the only thing people alive in 1973 remember about that year.
Bodhi, ‘Point Break’
Sometimes an unforgettable swimsuit is also highly functional, like Bodhi’s surf number in Point Break.
Catherine Holly, ‘Suddenly, Last Summer’
Elizabeth Taylor was so revered that anything and everything she wore became a must-have, including this one-piece with the cutout detail in the front from Suddenly, Last Summer.
James Bond, ‘Casino Royale’
Daniel Craig seemed to pay a bit of an homage to Sean Connery, the Bond that came before him, by rocking a pair of blue shorts just like Connery did years before him in Goldfinger.
Allie Hamilton, ‘The Notebook’
How many people ran out to try and live their 1940s fantasy after seeing Rachel McAdams in this vintage red suit?
Dickie Greenleaf, ‘The Talented Mr. Ripley’
The real talent was Jude Law in those white shorts.
Lifeguards of ‘Baywatch’
There are a handful of things from pop culture that will always represent the ‘90s, and those suits from Baywatch are in that group.
The Deep, ‘The Boys’
Got to love swimwear that is suitable for water and board room meetings with fellow superheroes.
Princess Leia, ‘Star Wars: Episode VI – Return of the Jedi’
In a galaxy far, far away, there is a bikini that will forever stand the test of time, and it belongs to the late, great Carrie Fisher.
Borat, ‘Borat! Cultural Learnings of America for Make Benefit Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan’
A swimsuit so nice that even Grammy-winner John Mayer rocked it in real life!
Giacinta “Jinx” Johnson, ‘Die Another Day’
It’s the holster that really takes Halle Berry’s orange two-piece to new heights.
Benoit Blanc, ‘Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery’
Benoit Blanc never fails to impress in the Knives Out series, even when he’s trying to solve a murder mystery by the pool in a blue and white striped number.
Madison Lee, ‘Charlie’s Angels: Full Throttle’
Demi Moore has had a lot of those eye-catching moments throughout her career, but she really outdid herself in the Charlie’s Angels sequel in that itty bitty simple black bikini.
Chad Gates, ‘Blue Hawaii’
Fans got to see a whole new side of Elvis Presley in those white beach shorts.
Barbie, ‘Barbie’
One of the most notable bathing suits in the history of humanity belongs to the one and only Barbie, which is now forever immortalized in film thanks to Margot Robbie in Greta Gerwig’s Barbie.
Kendra Beltran is a pop culture obsessed writer who spent her youth tirelessly jotting down ‘Total Request Live’ data after school. She took that obsession and a useless college degree, and spun it into enough to pay her rent by writing for MTV Geek, Collider, Popverse, and more. Over the years her interest in pop culture has only grown, and today she finds herself baking while streaming ‘RuPaul’s Drag Race,’ running (slowly) while listening to podcasts about the ‘90s, and hanging out with her dog while taking in emo playlists. Kendra also hosts a podcast dedicated to all the crushes people have had in life from Disney to real-life called Crushgasm.
