The one-piece swimsuit gets a glam reboot for summer 2016

The one-piece swimsuit has been making a slow comeback for a few seasons now. In fact, after being relegated to the back of the wardrobe, this bathing suit is set to splash onto the scene as a must-have for summer 2016. Once made to look frumpy and outdated by the bikini and other two-piece ensembles, the swimsuit is back with a vengeance, rocking some seriously glamorous styles inspired by ready-to-wear catwalk collections.

Star of the beaches until the 1960s, the one-piece swimsuit fell slowly out of fashion as the iconic bikini, then later the monokini, revolutionized women's swimwear. Made popular by stars of the day like Brigitte Bardot and Ursula Andress, the bikini's success was boosted as women's liberation movements gained ground. The one-piece was soon sidelined, kept mainly for sporty swimming sessions.

As the bodysuit makes its comeback in lingerie collections -- as well as in ready-to-wear -- the one-piece swimsuit has been creeping back on trend for the last few seasons, inspiring fashion and swimwear designers alike. Women also seem to be adopting this new generation of one-piece bathers, thanks to revamped, more feminine, glamorous and sexy designs.

Details inspired by ready-to-wear collections

The spring/summer 2016 season will put the one-piece back in the spotlight, rebooted with details and accessories inspired by ready-to-wear trends. Instead of a block color suit with a choice of thin or wide straps or low or high necklines, new designs bring new possibilities and options, sculpting silhouettes and getting the best out of this summer must-have as daytime drifts into early evening.

This season sees the one-piece finished with all kinds of on-trend prints, such as stripes, graphic and geometric patterns, plus animal-print designs. Flowers big and small will also be on the agenda, as well as tribal and abstract motifs. There's sure to be something for everyone.

Another detail lifted from Fashion Week catwalks is zips, which were big news on the runway this year. These make a great way to change a swimsuit's look, worn zipped up for an understated feel or unzipped to reveal a plunging neckline. In fact, necklines are seriously low in this season's one-pieces, sometimes cut down to the belly button, and with added jewels bringing a glamorous touch to these revamped pieces.

Fashionistas will also find swimsuits finished with frills, another major trend in ready-to-wear collections, as well as sheer designs. Lace-up details and asymmetrical cuts, 3D effects, sexy cutaways, bows, ribbons and pleats will be coming to one-piece swimwear too.

The tankini: an inbetweener

Anyone who isn't quite ready to take the plunge with a one-piece bathing suit can opt for a tankini, another major swimwear item for summer 2016. This is basically a two-piece swimsuit matching a pair of regular bikini bottoms (or shot-style bottoms) with a tank top. It's a good compromise before diving into the one-piece trend.

As well as prints, details, accessories and cuts following the same trends as rebooted one-pieces, tankinis have the added advantage of mix-and-match tops and bottoms. Try twinning a block-color top with patterned bottoms, for example, or picking pieces in different colors.