A bead for use with a string bikini has a body with a front face in a rear face, a first passageway extending through the body and a second passageway extending through the body. These first and second passageways intersect and the bead is collapsible so as to move the front face toward the rear face. The passageways are adapted for receiving the strings of a string bikini so as secure the strings in the position relative to each other. The bead allows for tying a string bikini in a number of unconventional ways. The present invention also provides a string bikini with such a bead, and method for using a securing a string bikini.