When choosing a bikini, the shape of the bottom can make a big difference to how it fits, feels and looks.
Two popular styles are cheeky and Brazilian bikini bottoms. While they can look similar at first glance, there are some key differences in the way the fabric is shaped across the hips, back and bum.
At Ashlea Baker Swimwear, both styles are designed with a flattering high-leg shape, but the coverage is different.
What Is a Cheeky Bikini Bottom?
A cheeky bikini bottom has more fabric around the lower back and hip areas, while offering less coverage across the lower bum cheeks.
On the front, the hip panels are wider, giving the bikini bottom a little more coverage around the hips.
The result is a shape that sits comfortably around the hips while showing more of the lower bum.
What Is a Brazilian Bikini Bottom?
A Brazilian bikini bottom has a distinctive heart-shaped back, with narrower coverage across the hips.
The front has smaller hip panels which are designed to sit higher on the hip, creating a higher-cut appearance.
Although the back has less fabric across the hips, the Brazilian shape can actually provide slightly more coverage through the lower bum and crotch area compared with a cheeky style.
The overall shape creates a high-leg, flattering silhouette while still giving a little more coverage through the lower centre of the bottom.
Cheeky vs Brazilian: The Key Differences
The easiest way to understand the difference is to look at where the fabric sits.
Cheeky bikini bottoms:
• Wider hip panels on the front
• More fabric around the lower back and hips
• Less coverage across the lower bum cheeks
• A high-leg shape with a cheekier finish
Brazilian bikini bottoms:
• Narrower hip panels on the front
• Hip panels designed to sit higher on the hip
• A heart-shaped back
• Narrower coverage across the hips
• Slightly more coverage through the lower bum and crotch area
• A high-leg shape with a more defined silhouette
Which Style Is Right for You?
The choice between cheeky and Brazilian comes down to the shape and coverage you prefer.
If you like a little more fabric around the hips but want a cheekier finish across the lower bum, a cheeky bikini bottom could be the right choice.
If you prefer a narrower fit around the hips, a higher-cut front and a distinctive heart-shaped back, a Brazilian bikini bottom may be more suited to you.
Both styles are designed to flatter the figure, but they create a slightly different look and feel when worn.
The Brazilian Bikini Bottom at Ashlea Baker Swimwear
The Brazilian is one of the best-selling bikini bottom shapes at Ashlea Baker Swimwear.
The Picante Brazilian Bikini Bottom and Cherry Brazilian Bikini Bottom are the exact same design, made in two different printed fabrics.
The shape features a high leg, narrower hip panels and the distinctive heart-shaped back that defines the Brazilian style.
Whether you prefer the playful Picante print or the Cherry print, the cut remains the same.
Choosing Your Bikini Bottom
There is no single right amount of coverage when it comes to swimwear. The best bikini bottom is the one that gives you the shape, fit and level of coverage you feel most comfortable wearing.
Understanding the difference between cheeky and Brazilian bikini bottoms can make choosing your next bikini a little easier, particularly when you're deciding how much coverage you want across the hips and bum.
At Ashlea Baker Swimwear, the aim is to create flattering, wearable bikini shapes that feel just as good as they look.