Who knew that the swimdress would make a return to Australian swimwear wardrobes?

The swimdress conjures images of Hollywood beauties Rita Hayworth, Betty Grable, Marilyn Monroe and Jayne Mansfield, all with legs 'up to here' and immaculately pedicured feet.

But as they say, everything old is new again, and the swimdress is an absolute delight in terms of cut, style and its cleverness in hiding a multitude of sins. Now that we've seen how gorgeous the latest versions are, we can't imagine why they've been gone so long!

You can't go past a swimdress in the class stakes.

Sure, there are plenty of women for whom baring as much skin as possible is a priority, and sun hats off to them! But for those of us who prefer a little more coverage, but who don't want to forgo style, the sexy swimdress is the answer. Turn yourself into a Hollywood pinup girl and try one on! We can practically guarantee you'll adore how you look in it! Glamour, colour and it lends itself so well to accessorising.

The swimdress's best claim to fame - since Old Glamour Hollywood days - is its gorgeous cut. It's highly flattering to a range of body types and it enhances the curves of the female body. You can also select from varied necklines, backlines, strap styles and swim skirt lengths; whatever you feel looks best on your shape. As one piece swimwear goes, the swimdress takes swimsuits to a new level.

For the most part it looks like a regular one piece but its most endearing feature is its skirt which can be flouncy and flirty, bell-shaped, ruffled or slightly plainer. The skirt can be longer or shorter and some designers offer the one swimdress style with a choice of variations.

Plus size swimwear women love the fact that the swimdress comes in larger sizes too. For some, it helps to hide their least favourite features and highlight what they love. A ruffle-detailed neckline accentuates a beautiful bustline whilst the skirt can help to hide a flabby bottom. The longer line of the swimdress helps to add length to the torso and gorgeous patterned fabrics divert attention away from the silhouette of a not-so-hourglass figure and toward the prettier features.

Contrary to popular opinion, the swimdress's emphasis is not entirely on hiding flaws, but on accentuating the parts you'd like to flaunt. And to be frank, the swimdress is finding favour not just with curvaceous women who look for plus size swimwear. It's fast becoming popular in the smaller sizes too; perhaps they're used to wearing bikini swimwear, but sometimes feel the need for a bit more coverage. Don't we all have days when we feel like we'd like to cover up our tummy?

The fact is, the swimdress is a charmer. Women of all sizes, body shapes, ages and vintages love it and we're particularly glad it's making a return visit. You can still have your regular one piece or your skimpy bikini swimwear, but most women will have a day at the beach or poolside when they'll be thrilled that they bought a swimdress.