throughout the 60's and the 70's the amount of fabric used to design bikinis progressively decreased, and in the 1980's rio de janeiro saw the introduction of the most daring bikini designs, gaining success and recognition worldwide. while not too common, it is perfectly reasonable to use a full one-piece bathing suit, referred to as a maior in portuguese, literally translating as 'bigger'.

many of the maiors sold in rio de janeiro are very bold, with large cut-outs in the front and back, with only thin pieces of thread tying the suit together. on rio's beaches the most bold choice for women is the fio dental, or literally, dental floss, also called a thong - the name is fitting, as the only thing in the way of complete exposure is a string thong.