bikiniAfter reading the results of a poll conducted by Marie Claire based on what types of swimsuits men most like to see women wearing on the beach or at the pool, I've gotta admit that I was a tiny bit shocked. I mean, it wasn't a surprise that out of the 100 men who were surveyed, 93 percent of them preferred a standard two-piece, but the fact that a regular bikini fared higher than a string bikini? Yeah, that surprised me a bit. I guess men aren't as into the whole dental floss thing as I thought?

And another type of suit on the list that had me scratching my head a little bit? The chic, '50s-style retro looking suits. Men aren't exactly fans of those, considering only 21 percent found them to be attractive. (What would Marilyn Monroe say about that?)

And while one-piece bathing suits did better than I expected, with 65 percent of men preferring them, tankinis only pulled in a 53 percent approval rating. Hmm. Guess I'd better think twice about ditching regular two-pieces all together and going for a sportier look this summer.

Judging from these results, it seems as though men prefer suits that are feminine and show off a woman's best assets without being too terribly revealing. They like skin -- but they don't like too much skin. Huh. Interesting.

I can't help but wonder just how different these results would be if the same exact poll had been given to 100 women instead to gauge what types of suits they prefer to wear -- and see other women wearing. If I had to guess, I'd say that the standard bikini would probably come out near the top, simply because every woman dreams of having the perfect bikini body. It's hard not to notice when one of our own steps out on the beach looking toned and lump-free in a two-piece.

But if women had been surveyed, I also think the retro suits would've done a lot better -- because we gals are really digging the whole Mad Men vibe right now. Bathing suits from a bygone era make us feel beautiful and sophisticated, not to mention the fact that they're a whole lot more comfortable than a skimpy two-piece.

And odds are good that tankinis would've been a hot choice too, simply because they look good on most women -- and they're quite practical, especially for moms.

What is your favorite type of bathing suit to wear? What type do you find most attractive on other women?


Image via sfmission.com/Flickr