Summer’s in full swing, and stars are diving in.
Lady Gaga, Tiffany Haddish and Kourtney Kardashian are just a few of the celebrities who bared it all in bikinis in 2021, bringing some much-needed heat to our Instagram feeds and style mood boards as the weather got scorching hot.
Below, see (and shop!) the top swimwear snaps of 2021 — and don’t forget to check out the best bikini moments of 2022, too.
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1. Rihanna
Who wouldn’t want to start the new year off right with Rihanna? On January 1, the bad gal posed in a metallic Rick Owens bikini top and matching Dries Van Noten skirt ($1,980), along with super sexy Amina Muaddi x AWGE embellished sandals ($1,860) co-designed by her boyfriend, A$AP Rocky. “New year’s resolution: apply the pressure,” she captioned the snap.
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2. Megan Thee Stallion
“More self love all 2021,” the “Hot Girl Summer” hitmaker captioned this series of beach snaps on January 1, adding a purple heart emoji to match her lavender bikini.
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3. Cardi B
For her first Instagram post of the year on January 1, the “WAP” rapper sparkled in a pink sequined bikini top ($180) and bottom ($145) from Beach Bunny Swimwear.
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4. Salma Hayek
The “Frida” beauty celebrated the start of 2021 with a bikini selfie, modeling a brown halter-neck two-piece for her adoring fans on January 3.
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5. Lizzo
The “Truth Hurts” hitmaker showed off her twerking skills in a colorful custom faux fur bikini and matching coat from Georgia by Kelsey Randall on January 3. “Flintstones,” but make it fashion?
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6. Jennifer Lopez
On January 6, J.Lo showed off her “beach bum” in a glittery Triangl “Macia” bikini ($99) teamed with some exorbitantly pricey accessories: Balmain sunglasses ($730) and a Dior logo bucket hat ($1,200). Don’t be fooled by the rocks that she’s got!
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7. Naomi Campbell
The supermodel frolicked in the desert sand during a trip to Africa on January 8, clad in Melissa Odabash’s “Grenada” tiger-print bikini ($226) with a blue sarong, layered gold jewelry and a straw hat.
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8. Saweetie
Saweetie shared this shot from her “Best Friend” music video with Doja Cat — in which she poses in a custom crystal-encrusted yellow “Icy” bikini by L.O.C.A. — on January 9.
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9. Mary J. Blige
The “Family Affair” hitmaker celebrated her 50th birthday on January 11 by modeling a gold snake-embossed halter top and matching bottoms with wraparound ties. She further amped up the glam with gilded aviator shades, a stack of gold bracelets and Nefertiti hoop earrings ($299.99) from her own jewelry line, Sister Love.
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10. Brielle Biermann
Kim Zolciak-Biermann’s daughter pulled a Britney on January 12, posing on the beach in her mom’s Salty K “Seashells” top ($90) and matching thong bottom ($90) and headband ($25) with a giant snake wrapped around her shoulders.
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11. Emily Ratajkowski
“Pregnant on a boat,” the then-expectant social media superstar joked on January 21, clad in a sexy, strappy black one-piece ($160) from her own Inamorata swimwear label.
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12. Dua Lipa
On January 21, the “Don’t Start Now” singer squinted in the sun while wearing Mirror Palais’ “Late Bloomer” top ($95) and matching bottom ($95).
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13. Christie Brinkley
The 67-year-old supermodel flaunted her fit figure in a Fendi suit on January 21. “I post these pictures because I hear from women my age all the time that say, ‘Thank you for changing the way people think about the numbers,'” Brinkley shared in a recent interview with Fox News.
“I remember people thinking that after 30, you should never wear your hair past your shoulders or your hemline needed to hover your knee caps … I’ve always found those rules so limiting,” she continued. “It’s like telling a gymnast she can’t do flips past a certain age. If you’ve got great legs, show them.”
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14. Kourtney Kardashian
The eldest Kardashian sister enjoyed “a little fun in the sun” on January 29, wearing a red-hot bikini top ($69) and Brazilian-style bottom ($69) from Sommer Swim.
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15. Khloé Kardashian
The Good American founder embraced her stretch marks in a black two-piece swimsuit from the brand on January 30, writing, “I love my stripes.”
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16. Kim Kardashian
The shapewear mogul sizzled — and seemed to send a message about the state of her relationship with Kanye West — by pairing a brown string bikini with Yeezy’s polarizing Foam Runners (aka “Yeezy Crocs”) on January 31.
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17. Kylie Jenner
The queen of lip kits made a case for the upside-down “underboob” bikini on February 5, posing in an electric blue Sommer Swim top ($69) and bottom ($69).
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18. Bella Hadid
On February 8, the supermodel slipped into a blue bikini trimmed with conch shells for a series of mirror selfies — and later clapped back at a troll who said she looked “tired” in the shots.
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19. Paulina Porizkova
On February 19, the fashion icon posted a throwback photo of herself modeling a cheeky gold bikini, along with the hashtag “#sexyhasnoexpirationdate.”
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20. Gigi Hadid
Devon Windsor shared this shot of her catwalker pal clad in a bikini from her swimwear collection while pregnant with baby Khai on February 27.
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21. Jennifer Lopez
J.Lo spent her #SelfcareSunday in a super high-cut white Heart of Sun one-piece ($180) on February 28.
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22. Susan Lucci
On March 2, the 74-year-old “All My Children” star sizzled poolside in a white strapless swimsuit, crediting the snap to her husband, Helmut Huber. “Helmut paparazzi strikes again!!!,” she joked in her caption.
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23. Dorinda Medley
The “RHONY” alum made it nice in paradise on March 2, sporting a one-piece swimsuit printed with photos of her own face.
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24. Gabrielle Union
The “Bring It On” beauty beamed in a black chain-trimmed Moeva bikini ($311) on March 13.
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25. Kathryn Dennis
The “Southern Charm” star stripped down for her first swimwear shoot on April 1, donning a strappy gold bikini from Liliana Montoya Swim and writing that “our bodies deserve unconditional love too.”
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26. Kendall Jenner
These boots are made for … tanning? The catwalker styled her nude I.Am.Gia bikini top ($35) and bottom ($35) with cowboy-worthy footwear on April 5.
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27. Serena Williams and Olympia Ohanian
Game, set, match. On April 7, the tennis pro and her 3-year-old daughter twinned in hot pink one-piece swimsuits — Serena’s printed with “The Shady One,” Olympia’s reading “Wild Child.”
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28. Elizabeth Hurley
The “Bedazzled” actress modeled her “favorite bikini” — the leopard-print “Victoire” ($182) from her own beachwear line — on April 9.
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29. Kim Kardashian
The aspiring lawyer channeled “Legally Blonde” heroine Elle Woods on April 22, prepping for the bar exam in a tiny beige bikini top ($55) and bottom ($55) from Nessy Swimwear.
“What law school is this??? Asking for a friend? LOL,” Kardashian’s pal Jonathan “Foodgod” Cheban joked in the comments.
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30. Naomi Osaka
The tennis champ teamed her hot pink hair with a matching collared one-piece from her collaboration with Frankies Bikinis on April 28.
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31. Hailey Baldwin
On May 1, the blond beauty teamed her pink terrycloth Triangl bikini ($99) with almost $30,000 worth of gold and diamond jewelry by Jacquie Aiche, including a Y-shaped necklace studded with stones ($8,750) and a body chain ($15,250) adorned with a whopping 32 diamonds.
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32. Ireland Baldwin
On May 3, the daughter of Kim Basinger and Alec Baldwin posed in a sexy, strappy leopard-print bikini to make a statement about self-acceptance.
“PSA: it’s incredibly freeing to stop worrying about what others think of you and being imprisoned by constantly thinking of what you can do to make people like you!!,” Baldwin wrote.
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33. Coco Austin and Chanel Marrow
During a Bahamas getaway on May 4, the social media star and her 5-year-old daughter matched in coordinating coral bikinis from Wild Blush Swim — Coco’s paired with rose gold aviators, Chanel’s with pink heart-shaped shades.
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34. Kim Kardashian
On May 6, KKW hit the gym in a plunging back thong swimsuit with high-cut sides and extreme cutouts — proving that when it comes to the superstar’s workout wear, function takes a back seat to fashion.
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35. Winnie Harlow
The Jamaican-Canadian stunner made a case for the velour bikini on May 13, sizzling in a “sea breeze blue” two-piece ($99) from celebrity-loved label Triangl.
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36. Julianne Hough
The dancer and singer was “feelin’ fancy and free” on May 19, flaunting her fit physique in a white bikini and $926 Cult Gaia cover-up that didn’t cover up much at all.
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37. Lady Gaga
“Cheek to Cheek,” indeed: Mother Monster showed off her curves in a tie-dye thong bikini by Bond-Eye on May 26.
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38. Kylie Jenner
On May 27, the makeup mogul entered “do not disturb” mode in this pearl-studded gold crochet bikini ($342) by Alameda Turquesa, which she accessorized with Jennifer Fisher bangles ($245), a delicate body chain and a pink Oséree hat ($170) to shield her famous face from the sun’s rays.
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39. Paulina Porizkova
The catwalk legend flaunted her awesome abs in her “favorite” bikini — a tiny gold two-piece she estimates is “probably about five years old” — while vacationing on June 1.
“This is why I hold on to all my clothing, I always seem to like it better a few years down the line,” Porizkova explained. “When it’s not longer fashionable or worn by everyone.”
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40. Halle Berry
“If it requires a bikini, my answer is always yes please!” the Oscar winner confidently captioned this beach pic on June 7.
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41. Tiffany Haddish
She ready — to bring the summer heat, that is. The “Girls Trip” star celebrated the start of beach season with a series of sizzling swimsuit snaps, posing on the shore in a colorful brushstroke-print bikini ($26) and matching sheer cover-up ($32) by Matte Collection on June 22. -
42. Brooke Shields
On June 22, the “Blue Lagoon” beauty hit the beach with her teenage daughters, Rowan and Grier, with the trio matching in gingham swimwear from Aerie. -
43. Megan Thee Stallion
The “Thot S—t” hitmaker modeled a bevy of bikinis from her own Fashion Nova swimwear line on June 23, just in time for hot girl summer. -
44. Sharon Stone
The “Basic Instinct” actress looked like a ray of sunshine in this bright yellow bikini on June 26; no wonder Paulina Porizkova, Kate Hudson, Jamie Lee Curtis and Vera Wang (among many others) couldn’t help but spam her with fire and star emojis in the comments. -
45. Irina Shayk
The Russian supermodel posed topless to promote her Tamara Mellon shoe collaboration on June 27, crouching on the beach in her yellow “Sun Valley” sandals ($695) and a barely-there bikini bottom in a similar shade. -
46. Selena Gomez
The “Hands to Myself” singer modeled a purple tie-dye suit she created in collaboration with La’Mariette — the swim brand co-founded by her BFF and former assistant, Theresa Mingus — on July 3. “What I love about this brand is that it celebrates women who who love their bodies unconditionally giving themselves the grace they deserve,” she wrote in her caption. -
47. Kourtney Kardashian
Cue the fireworks. Kourtney Kardashian created sparks when she wore a tiny GCDS bikini ($155.75) with a matching bucket hat and bandana-printed heels ($204) on the Fourth of July. The Poosh founder also brought in plenty of praise for showing off her cellulite.
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48. Demi Moore
On July 6, the actress shared snaps from Andie Swim‘s summer campaign, for which she modeled alongside her three daughters, Rumer, Scout, and Tallulah Willis.
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49. Lisa Rinna
The “Real Housewife of New York” celebrated her birthday by snapping a selfie in a high-cut Norma Kamali suit ($150) with a plunging neckline. “This is 58,” she captioned the shot, shared on July 12.
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50. Lady Gaga
A star is worn. On July 21, the “Stupid Love” singer posted a sultry Instagram video emerging from her pool in Lali + Layla‘s strappy, star-shaped “Stella” top ($69) and “Hazel” bottom ($65). She accessorized with a vintage Chanel chain belt and cutout sunglasses by Retrosuperfuture ($440). -
51. Simone Biles
The superstar gymnast looked “sweet like candy” in this pink, yellow and orange tie-dye bikini on August 8, showing off her medal-worthy abs after returning home from the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.