13 Sports Illustrated Models on the Virtues and Perils of One-Piece Suits
Photo: Jamie McCarthy/Getty Images
It’s no secret that we love a good one-piece swimsuit here at the Cut, so when oodles of Sports Illustrated swimsuit issue models descended upon West Broadway last night to celebrate the 2014 Sports Illustrated swimsuit issue, we wanted to know their take on the style.
As professional bikini-wearers, do they even own one-piece swimsuits, much less venture outside wearing them? “My sexiest bathing suits are one-pieces,” said Chanel Iman. “I feel like one-pieces are more designed. They’re more stylish than a little tiny bikini.” Many of the models agreed, but voiced a surprising majority of the models talked about one-pieces’s ravaging effects on their even suntans. Only Samantha Hoopes acknowledged the negative effects of UV rays. “I love lying out in the sun, but it’s damaging, so I like the sprays,” she said. “I mean, look at me right now. Obviously, I’m airbrushed.” To be honest, they all looked pretty airbrushed to us.
Read on to find out who feels her torso is too long for a one-piece, who swears by her American Apparel tank, and who feels too weird to wear a bikini with her family.
Chanel Iman "My sexiest bathing suits are one-pieces. You know, I feel like the one-pieces are more designed — the one-pieces I always pick ...
Chanel Iman "My sexiest bathing suits are one-pieces. You know, I feel like the one-pieces are more designed — the one-pieces I always pick out, they’re more stylish than a little tiny bikini — which, I love little bikinis, but my sexiest are, like, whole suits."
Photo: Dimitrios Kambouris/2014 Getty Images
Irina Shayk "I love one-piece swimsuits, because I can eat a lot. Because I don’t need to pull my stomach in. And one-piece swimsuit, you kn...
Irina Shayk "I love one-piece swimsuits, because I can eat a lot. Because I don’t need to pull my stomach in. And one-piece swimsuit, you know it’s very trendy right now. It’s back in fashion. I’m a model who loves to eat. Especially when I travel, I love to try all the traditional food. I’m eating on the shoot, so I have to pull my stomach in. It’s very hard work, by the way."
Photo: 2014 Michael Stewart
Bregje Heinen "It needs to be sexy, open-backed. Front doesn’t really matter, but like, an open back. It looks cute, but really to go tannin...
Bregje Heinen "It needs to be sexy, open-backed. Front doesn’t really matter, but like, an open back. It looks cute, but really to go tanning it’s better to wear a two-piece."
Photo: 2014 Getty Images
Gigi Hadid "I own one-pieces, but I actually got a lot from the Sports Illustrated shoot. And I love them; I’m really into them. Some of my ...
Gigi Hadid "I own one-pieces, but I actually got a lot from the Sports Illustrated shoot. And I love them; I’m really into them. Some of my favorite shots in this issue are in one-pieces."
Photo: 2014 Getty Images
Cris Urena "Yes, sometimes, but I am always conscious about the tan lines, so usually I stick to my Brazilian-style swimsuit — the less, the...
Cris Urena "Yes, sometimes, but I am always conscious about the tan lines, so usually I stick to my Brazilian-style swimsuit — the less, the better."
Photo: 2014 Michael Stewart
Hannah Davis Photo: 2014 Michael Stewart
Kate Bock "Well, we’re going to Miami, so I was just packing my bag for that. And I do own one that is red-and-white striped and very cute, ...
Kate Bock "Well, we’re going to Miami, so I was just packing my bag for that. And I do own one that is red-and-white striped and very cute, and I bought it in France, but I’ve never worn it, because I don’t want that tan line. So I do own one, but I don’t know about when I’m going to wear it. At an indoor pool? I don’t know."
Photo: 2014 Michael Stewart
Lauren Mellor Photo: Dimitrios Kambouris/2014 Getty Images
Chrissy Teigen Photo: 2014 Jim Spellman
Emily DiDonato "I always wear one-pieces, especially when I’m with my family and my cousins and people like that; I’m not like, super sexed-...
Emily DiDonato "I always wear one-pieces, especially when I’m with my family and my cousins and people like that; I’m not like, super sexed-up. But I guess, I usually just stick to basics. I’m not like a fun bikini girl either — I just like plain, simple."
Photo: 2014 Michael Stewart
Nina Agdal Photo: 2014 Gilbert Carrasquillo
Sara Sampaio "I don’t because of tan lines, but I do love them and I wish the sun rays could tan you under the swimsuit."
Photo: Micha...
Sara Sampaio "I don’t because of tan lines, but I do love them and I wish the sun rays could tan you under the swimsuit."
Photo: Michael Stewart/2014 Michael Stewart
Petra Nemcova "Oh yeah. I love a one-piece. I use them more when I do laps. But they are beautiful."
Photo: 2014 Gilbert Carrasquillo
Rachel Hunter "One-piece can be quite sexy. I actually have one from when I was 16! You don’t have to be scantily dressed to be sexy."
...
Rachel Hunter "One-piece can be quite sexy. I actually have one from when I was 16! You don’t have to be scantily dressed to be sexy."
Photo: Dimitrios Kambouris/2014 Getty Images
Samantha Hoopes "I actually love a one-piece. I shot a one-piece for Sports Illustrated and it’s just so hot. The front was zippered open, s...
Samantha Hoopes "I actually love a one-piece. I shot a one-piece for Sports Illustrated and it’s just so hot. The front was zippered open, so that’s sexy in itself. But a white one-piece is just pure and sexy in itself. It’s not over-the-top."
Photo: 2014 Michael Stewart
Hannah Ferguson "I don’t wear one-pieces actually, because I feel like I have a long torso, so I have a hard time fitting into one-pieces. G...
Hannah Ferguson "I don’t wear one-pieces actually, because I feel like I have a long torso, so I have a hard time fitting into one-pieces. Growing up, I took swim lessons — my mom was kind of strict, so we weren’t allowed to wear bikinis. But I was also shorter then so it was easier. But now I can’t — it’s a hard fit to find."
Photo: 2014 Michael Stewart
Lily Aldridge Photo: 2014 Michael Stewart
Christie Brinkley "I have probably more bikinis than one-pieces, because of the tan lines and work — can’t really have those tan lines. But ...
Christie Brinkley "I have probably more bikinis than one-pieces, because of the tan lines and work — can’t really have those tan lines. But I like to wear a one-piece if I’m going to be, you know, body surfing, or stand-up paddleboarding or sailing or kayaking."
Photo: 2014 Michael Stewart
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