Rio girls have become almost legendary over the years for their small bikinis, toned bodies, and their tanned skin. The 1960s Tom Jobim song, The Girl from Ipanema, helped to bring attention to the beautiful women of Rio de Janeiro, and the city has been known for its sunbathing beauties ever since. When it comes to bathing suit fashion for Rio de Janeiro girls, bikinis are certainly prevalent. The typical Rio de Janeiro bikini is small, and it's not uncommon to see thongs in throngs.

The beaches of Ipanema and Copacabana are two of the best places to find iconic Rio de Janeiro girls, at least if you are looking to enjoy some of Rio's best beach attractions as well. Essentially all the beach women of Rio de Janeiro wear bikinis, no matter what beach they choose to hang out at, so if you're a female, you'll want to bring one if you have it if you don't want to stand out. You'll also want to bring a sarong or purchase one at one of the city's many beach shops. Cariocas, which is the nickname for Rio natives, don't bring towels to the beach, though it is customary for women to bring sarongs. These light wrap-around garments can take the place of a towel. Occasionally, Rio girls who are sitting on sarongs at the beach might offer up a corner for a male to sit on in a friendly gesture.

Rio women have also become famous worldwide due to their Carnival costumes. The Rio girls who are part of the city's famous Carnival, it is worth noting, have also become iconic images that are attached to the city—decked out in small, glittering two pieces and towering, elaborate feather headdresses, and many carnival photos are in fact pictures of Rio Carnival girls.

Rio de Janeiro Map

Rio de Janeiro girls don't go topless at the city's beaches. Not most of them, anyways. There is at least one beach near the city that does allow nude sunbathing, and that beach is Abrico beach. Naturalists who are also tourists tend to populate this beach. Back at the main beaches, women shouldn't be ashamed of their bodies when it comes to strapping on a bikini. No matter what shape they're in, the women of Rio de Janeiro stick to bikinis, and you'll simply stand out if you choose to arrive in a one piece. Many female tourists wait until they get to Rio to buy their bikinis for the beach, just to make sure that they will fit in accordingly.

The Rio girls don't always sit on their sarongs when it comes to getting off their feet at the beach. Sitting on a beach chair is also acceptable behavior in terms of the societal norms. Men can also sit on chairs if they prefer, it is worth noting, as there are definitely some gender norms for behavior and positioning at Rio beaches. Women usually don't stand on the beach in Rio, unless they are applying suntan lotion, and it's not exactly customary for them to participate in beach sports. Rio de Janeiro girls tend to focus on working on their tans, but an occassional dip in the waves is often a must as well.