beauty

Reality check: Lena Dunham in her cossie is what swimsuit inspo really looks like.

On Tuesday, Lena Dunham decided to put on a bikini. She then posted it to Instagram because, when you find something brilliant, the decent thing to do is to share it with your mates.

It’s red with white paisley detailing, and the best cut the Girls creator has ever found for her body shape.

Anyone who’s a fan of Lena’s cossie can buy it on the Hot Lava website, with the top and bottoms sold separately in sizes XS – 2XL.

(Image: Instagram/Lena Dunham)

Straight away, these images of the 31-year-old were labelled as 'swimsuit inspo', something for women to aspire to.

And they are. Not because she's 'brave', but because her body kind of looks like it could be ours, and it's in a bikini.

In the lead up to summer, prepare to brace yourself for an avalanche of swimsuit inspo photos featuring long, tanned limbs flatteringly sprawled on the edge of an infinity pool somewhere in Greece. There'll also be dangerously high-cut bikini bottoms.

What you won't see is how bloody uncomfortable having a thin strip of neoprene up your bum is. Or sun rash. Or when your stomach refuses to stay tucked into the full-brief bikini bottoms you specifically bought because they're 'good for pear shapes'.

That's why these pics from Lena are so good.

She's not 'flaunting her curves' or 'baring her derriere'. She's just a girl who decided to put on a bikini and felt pretty damn good about that decision.

On that note, here's a gallery of a bunch of talented women with complex personalities... who happen to be wearing bikinis.

ADVERTISEMENT

Do you find images of women of different shapes. sizes and ethnicities in swimwear inspirational?

LISTEN: Jessie Stephens explains why the phrase 'summer bodies are made in winter' is problematic...

READ MORE: