Hoda Kotb Is Pro-Bikini — and So Is Her 80-Year-Old Mom

This summer, take Hoda Kotb's advice: wear whatever you want on the beach. In a recent segment of The Great Debate on an episode of "Today With Hoda & Jenna," hosts Kotb and Jenna Bush Hager discussed the topic of bikinis vs. one-pieces.

In 20 seconds, Kotb explained why she was 100 percent on board with wearing bikinis — largely because of powerful words of wisdom she learned from her mother: "Confidence comes from inside." Her mother is in her 80s and wears a bikini, and "is tan, bronzed, and beautiful," Kotb said. After seeing her mother wearing a two-piece, Kotb said she was inspired to wear bikinis, too. You can see Kotb smiling with her adopted daughter, Haley, in a bright, matching two-piece in this Instagram video from 2019.

If you want to wear a bikini but are feeling self-conscious, Kotb has some empowering words: "Who cares if stuff's goo-ing out? It doesn't matter! You live once. How do you want to live? Scared?!"

On the other hand, Bush Hager, who has three kids under the age of 10, is on team one-piece. She said she feels more comfortable in one because she can play with her kids and not worry about her top falling off — she likes her suit "to be tight," she said. With a one-piece, she can avoid a sunburn since she said her stomach "hasn't seen the light of day since I was 18," she said.

Regardless of where you fall on the bikini vs. one-piece debate, in the end, what's important is that you wear what you want to, and what makes you feel good — regardless of what you feel like you "should" wear or what other people say. Two-piece, one-piece, sporty, sexy, cover-up, no cover-up — what's most important is that you do you, whether you're 80 or 18.