Hailey Bieber is “ready” to make 2026 the year of tummy tan lines.
On January 3, the 29-year-old model posted a series of photos from her family’s tropical introduction to the New Year, including multiple bathing-suit selfies to serve as inspiration for upcoming 2026 swimwear trends. After all, Bieber is used to playing trendsetter when it comes to her nails, hair, and makeup routines, so why not test the limits of her influence with what’s sure to be this summer’s most controversial bathing-suit craze?
Though Bieber has a penchant for vibrant string bikinis—including the itsy-bitsy teeny-weeny yellow one she wore in slide 11 of her most recent post—she has also been known to embrace the classic one-piece, like the plunging black style she wore on the cover of her recent GQ “Man of the Year” cover. Now she’s doubling down on a swimsuit that’s somewhere in the middle—and no, I’m not talking about a tankini.
It turns out 2026 may be the year of the monokini. Two out of the three bathing suits in Bieber’s most recent post are technically one-pieces but feature elaborate, strappy cutouts that make careful sunscreen application vital beyond its obvious health benefits. She started off tame with a ruffled black one-piece with a deep-V neckline and a lace-up front. In the striking selfie, she opted for minimal makeup and a naturally tousled wavy bob, though she elevated the look with a pair of large diamond earrings.
Bieber’s second swimsuit was far bolder and strappier. In slide five she revealed a leopard-print monokini that exposes much more of her torso and would pair beautifully with her last set of cheetah-print nails, though she’s currently rocking a neutral, glassy manicure. She later shared a slightly sandier selfie in the animalistic one-piece on her Instagram Story, as if to prove she actually wore the cutout swimsuit to the beach.
So would you brave the tan lines that are sure to come with these one-pieces in 2026, or is that actually a part of the appeal? Perhaps we’re seeing the natural evolution of Gen-Z’s tan-line makeup craze that swept TikTok back in 2024. Honestly, I sure hope it’s not.
Not to be a millennial unc about this, but if I’ve said it once, I’ve said it a hundred times: Make sure to apply and reapply plenty of sunscreen, regardless of your bathing suit preferences. Surely, a skin care queen like Hailey Bieber would agree.
