Makers of the sailor bikini are back to prove one-piece swimwear can still be daringly sexy.

Last summer, Japanese fashion label No. S Project released a sailor suit bikini that was so popular it sold out in just two days. With beach weather on the way once again, the company’s designers have unveiled their latest creation for frolicking in the surf and on the sand, and while it’s once again a sailor suit-inspired swimsuit, it’s eye-catching in all-new ways.

In contrast to last year’s separate top and bottom, the new swimsuit is a one-piece design…sort of. While it’s officially called the Sailor Beachwear One-piece, the complete set actually consists of two garments: the dress-like outer layer (which can be worn while swimming) and a string bikini bottom to be worn underneath.

Combined with the short hem of the dress, the separate bikini bottom creates a bit of virtual pantie flash appeal, heightened by the striped pattern of the bottom, mimicking a popular print for young women’s undergarments in Japan.

Around back, No. S Project’s designers have done even more to dispel the musty image of a one-piece bathing suit, with plenty of exposed skin on the upper and lower back, even as the schoolgirl uniform-like collar provides greater-than-average coverage of the shoulders. The dress is form-fitting and flares femininely at the waist, providing the same sort of visual slimming as No. S Project employs in its line of skirts and dresses which provide the look of an anime heroine’s physique.

Two different color options are available: a two-tone with white chest ribbon, and a black dress with red ribbon.

▼ Both come with the same bottom.

Pre-orders are currently being taken here on No. S Project’s website, where the Sailor Beachwear One-piece is priced at 17,820 yen (US$165). Delivery is scheduled for late June, coinciding with the end of Japan’s rainy season and the beginning of beachgoing conditions.

Source: No. S Project via IT Media
Images: No. S Project