The Main Character of Love Island Seems to Be Under Boob and We Have Questions

OK, so I have a bone to pick. A new season of Love Island Australia is on the way, with applications still open and casting via Tinder profiles… but I can’t help noticing that the main character on Love Island around the world is the underwire cut-out halter top wrap-around bikini.

I know, it’s a mouthful. If you have no idea what I’m talking about, refer to the picture below.

IDK about you, but I’ve been seeing these bikinis everywhere, not only on Love Island and other reality TV shows but splashed all over Instagram.

Now look, I know that fads and trends often don’t really make sense, and there’s usually no point questioning them… but with these bikinis, I can’t stop myself. I have so many questions. Firstly, how do anyone’s boobies fit into them?

Coming from a long line of curvy Italian mamas, I was never going to be a part of the Itty Bitty Titty Committee, which I acknowledge limits my bikini options. But even the most petite of babes, with the perkiest of boobs, still look like they’re one dance move away from poppin’ out of these bather tops. Like, I’m nervous for their nipples.

When I was in high school, and my melons were still in their growing stage, a little bit of healthy side boob was always in order. But even at their smallest, I couldn’t imagine wearing something with a full under boob exposed, not only for the fear of falling out but also because surely that one piece of flimsy underwire couldn’t hold anything up?

I don’t know, maybe I’m a bit more of a prude than I thought. I think that wearing whatever makes you feel at your peak Hot Girl Summer vibe is absolutely the right decision, and if it’s these underwire cut-out halter top wrap-around bikini tops, then so be it.

But I can’t help but think that they’re not a very inclusive design, and that bugs me. Trends in bikinis and crop tops always seem to only be designed for specific body types, that fall into that unrealistic ideal category. I can honestly say that I’ve never looked at someone in this style of bikini and thought “damn, I bet I’d look good in that”.

Forgive me if I’m wrong, but isn’t that how we all want to feel? Being a plus-size model, I’m a huge advocate for body positivity, diversity and inclusivity, which really makes me want to see designs that suit every body to be the fashion trend of the moment.

There’s a reason that we only ever see one type of body in these bikini tops, and that’s because it only works on one type of body. When you look at a picture of a hot babe in a bikini top and know that on you, it would just look flat out ridiculous, it makes you feel as though your body isn’t the ideal. You may really want to wear it, know you can’t, and wish your body was different, which is exactly the negative body image cycle that we should be trying to get away from.

Personally, I think we’re a little way off from not idealising certain body types and that’s OK, I don’t expect it to happen overnight.

I just really wanted to point out that these bikini tops seem to be everywhere, but that doesn’t mean that they define what a beautiful body looks like.

I kinda want to buy one and take a picture of myself and show everyone the comparison in a true Celeste Barber fashion. But I actually think I’d probably be showing more boob than would be deemed appropriate on Instagram. Which honestly, says it all.