The high leg cut does something that no other bikini bottom does quite as well: it makes your legs look longer before you’ve even stood up straight. That’s not a small thing when you’re standing on a beach. It also gives a more intentional, fashion-forward look than a standard brief, which reads as someone who thought about what they were wearing rather than just grabbed something. We’ve been pulling together our favorite high leg bikinis across a range of styles, from minimal and sleek to printed and bold, because this cut deserves a really focused edit. The best ones sit high enough to create that leg-lengthening line without feeling like they’re fighting you every time you move. Fit matters enormously here. So does the quality of the fabric, particularly anything with stretch recovery so it actually holds its shape after a swim. These are the high leg bikinis we’d genuinely pack ourselves. The cut earns its reputation every single time.