My favorite bathing suit bottom from another manufacturer has these cinching sides that I love - when I went back to them to get another pair in a different color, I was bummed that they were no longer selling them. I was happy to find these on Amazon! Being able to cinch the sides means you can customize the look to suit your body shape - totally worth the money. If you have thighs that are wider than your hips, you absolutely should try this type of bottom.