Trendlet: Thigh-high swimsuits

Whether tankini or thong, the two-piece bathing suit has ruled for So. Very. Long.

But thanks to retro beachwear, barely there looks on the sands have come down a peg. So this summer, it's all about full coverage - with a little leg.

The one-piece thigh-high sizzles in solid hues, color-blocked patterns, and slinky cutouts. There are even some long-sleeve options. Flashdance, anyone?

We started wearing bathing suits in the early 1900s, but there was no such thing as a tank-top-style onesie until the 1930s. The bottoms, however, were more boy-cut than thigh-high.

In 1978, Cheryl Tiegs made one-piece history when she modeled a fishnet white swimsuit in Sports Illustrated. During the 1980s, the cut of the thigh crept higher as beauties from Elle Macpherson to Jayne Kennedy sported the sleek looks.

The thigh-high suit was fashionable through the 1990s - thanks to Pamela Anderson and the rest of the Baywatch crew. But by the 2000s, thongs got hotter on the beach scene.

Fast-forward to November 2013, and Kim Kardashian posted a selfie of herself in a white, thigh-high one-piece. Then last year, the suit got more attention, with the popularity of 1980s retro. The look continues to be a favorite every time Beyoncé and Lady Gaga perform in onesies.

Shoregoers who crave a long, lean look. Depending on how high-cut the suit is, it can be conservative enough for teens, tweens, their moms, and their moms' moms.

Not without a cover-up.

This bathing suit silhouette requires confidence in your bod that boy-cut briefs just don't. Yet, fear of cellulite aside, the best thing about this kind of swimsuit is that whether you are playing beach volleyball, sunbathing, or making sand castles, everything stays in place.

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Mustard yellow Zubaida Zang, $89.99;

burnt orange Zubaida Zang, $119.99;

red Zubaida Zang, $89.99; all at http://www.zubaidazang.com.