Summer has officially started and is bringing the latest styles for women’s swimsuits with it. From one-pieces with bold prints to swimwear with a more sporty look, many of this season's trends hit the market last year and are now back by popular demand.

“These are all things that started out last year, and then they’re really, really prevalent this year,” said Hillary Etienne, director of marketing and design at Dress Up, a local chain of boutiques based in downtown Gainesville. “Retailers are listening to their customers and seeing what they respond well to, and then they’re bringing that back and giving them even more options this year.”

In one piece

Leah Billiter, brand manager at Belk in Gainesville, said the store is selling lots of one-piece swimsuits.

Etienne also said one-piece swimsuits are back and here to stay.

“We definitely are seeing a ton of one-pieces,” she said. “I really think that this truly is the year of the one-piece.”

But the style is bringing some variations with it.

“Really, we're seeing some high-cut sides,” she said. “So we’re seeing a lot of that typical ‘Baywatch’ vibe with the cut for those one-pieces and also for two-piece sets as well.”

Go blue

Several colors are trending this year, especially blue.

“Some of the popular colors that we’ve been getting in are every shade of blue — kind of like a bold blue and sky blues,” Billiter said. “Any kind of shade of blue seems to be selling really well.”

Billiter also said the “bohemian look” is in style.

“There’s been several different styles that we’ve had in a burgundy,” she said. “It’s kind of like the bohemian look — the burgundy and the mustard color (and) forest green.”

Etienne said warmer colors are also making a trend.

“Desert colors like burnt orange (and) truly like sand tan,” she said. “Those are all really popular right now as well.”

Be bold

But this year’s swimsuits are far from plain and solid. Etienne said tropical prints are what’s in style.

“The palm leaf is really big this year,” she said. “We’re seeing a ton of bold print.”

She also mentioned stripes are making an appearance on this year’s swimsuits.

“That’s another really popular trend,” she said. “So really that retro, colorblock stripe is really popular as well.”

Ruffle it up

This season is also bringing a change in the material of the latest swimsuits.

“It’s not just your typical swimsuit texture,” Etienne said. “We’re seeing a lot of ribbed fabrics and cutouts.”

She also said the styles are very feminine.

“There’s a lot of romantic touches,” she said. “So we’re seeing a lot of ruffles (and) a lot of really pretty lacing.”

And beading is making a debut, too.

“We had several different brands come in with different embroidered flowers with beading on it or some kind of tribal print with beading,” Billiter said. “Those have been pretty popular.” 

Get sporty

Etienne said swimsuits have some sporty influences this year.

“This trend started emerging last year, and we’ve seen it really carry over,” she said. “So the swimsuits that have more coverage in the back — real sporty with some zippers and that sort of thing.”

She said racerbacks are popular for this type of look.

Mix and match

And of course you can’t forget about the standard summer bikini, but this year, that two-piece is a little different.

Billiter said mix-and-match bikinis are popular.

“You can have a patterned top and a solid bottom or a solid top and a printed bottom,” she said. “Just have fun and mix and match.”

Dress Up and Belk both said high-waisted bottoms are now popular.

“We’ve sold a lot of the high-waisted bottoms,” Billiter said. “That’s been a trend.”