Summer has almost arrived, and many people have started planning their beach trips. But this summer, you may no longer need to own both a swimsuit and a beach towel, thanks to the towelkini, a combo towel/bikini beach outfit created by Aria McManus, a designer based in New York. The idea of the towelkini is that you can lie down by the beach, pool, or wherever and still have the comfort of a towel under your head. Then you can stand up and still be dressed. The towelkini is available in three colours: hot pink, athletic gold and lime green. It can be styled in different ways. Try wearing it as a cover-up over a swimsuit when lying down on the beach or as a stylish frock by doubling it up. In every case, it can save you from having to carry a towel and swimsuit separately. Towelkinis — a new beachwear trend While the towelkini is made to help people lie out in the sun and keep them covered, it could give some very strange tan-lines. Another drawback is that though it has been designed to remove the need to wear a swimsuit, you might need to wear some kind of bottom outfit as it leaves your back completely exposed. You also can't sunbathe or swim in it, or you'll have to deal with a wet towel on your body all day. But it could be worth a try on the beach this summer.