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Are These TikTok-Hyped Swim Shorts Proof That Full Coverage Bathers Are Making A Resurgence?

Instagram/@jessicavanderleahy
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I vividly remember being at a waterpark when I was 11, refusing to take off my iconic Piping Hot boardies that I proudly wore over my bather bottoms before I went on all the waterslides. Not because I loved them, but because I had this relentless fear that, one day, I'd come off a ride swimmer-less and have to wade bare bottom out of the shallows. The thought wasn't pretty.
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When I turned 18, the g-string — or as every swimwear brand calls it "cheeky" — bikini bottom trend finally got ahold of me and I spent the last three summers going from wearing literal shorts, to nothing but a light string of material standing between my coochie and the world.

To bridge the gap between these two extremities, TJ Swim has finally released a swim booty short that gives you the coverage of my Piping Hot boardies circa 2011, without the old-school Blue Water High-esque design and insufferable chafe.
Promptly adopted by Aussie influencers Sophia Begg and Sammy Robinson on both TikTok and Instagram, this shorts and bikini combo has been making the rounds online as a versatile summer staple.
TikTokker @sarahbada_ also makes the case for swim shorts in one of her recent videos, and is it just me, or could that be the sound of a more full-coverage summer? Only time will tell.

One thing I do know: it'll be a major relief for me and my razor because, best believe, my pubes aren't getting touched if they're going to be tucked inside my shorties all summer.

Outside of that little benefit, these shorts are great if you find yourself in a situation where you've headed out for a beach walk in activewear, only to see how warm the water is and wish you wore togs for a dip.
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While it doesn't seem within reach right now (at least for Melbourne, anyway), when those 35-degree days finally roll in, and you're tasked with the inevitable 5pm fish and chippy run after spending hours at the beach, these shorties also mean you don't even need to change for the event either. Particularly if you left the house sans cover-up and don't wanna drip water in your beloved denim shorts before the car ride home. IYKYK.
Featured in four colours — sage, blanc, steel and desert — these shorts come with two different styles of matching bikini tops. Major bonus points for being completely biodegradable and crafted with eco-friendly fabric, too.
Interested? Get your mitts on a pair for $69.99 (usually $99.99), here.
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