throughout the 60s and the 70s 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 as common as the bikini, it is perfectly reasonable to use full piece bathing suits, referred to as maior in portuguese which literally translates to '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.

 the most bold choice for women in the bathing suit department is the fio dental, translated dental floss, and commonly know as the thong in english - the name is fitting, as the only thing in the way of complete exposure is a string thong -  this bathing suit is attention-grabbing, for both brasilians and visitors, so it is always a good idea to cover up when using this bathing suit on the boardwalk or after leaving the beach.