SWIMSUITS have come a long way since its first appearance in the 19th century.

It started out as a conservative long-sleeve dress with knee-length tights beneath and as the 20th century passed, it gradually evolved to be made of less and less cloth, bringing us to the bikinis of the present day.

While the amount of cloth that makes a bikini is somewhat negligible, women should still pay attention to choosing the right bikinis to flatter their unique body shapes in order to highlight their assets and down-play their flaws.

View photos for a guide on the right types of bikinis for your body shape.

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