Farewell to the minimalist bikinis and cutaways of recent years. This season's swimwear is all about cool, refined glamour
There is a Slim Aarons photograph called Leisure and Fashion, taken at the Colony Hotel in Palm Beach, Florida, in the summer of 1961, of a young woman watching a poolside fashion show from her slatted lounger. She is wearing a petrol blue two-piece with a wide-brimmed coral hat to shade her eyes from the sun streaming through the palm trees above. A bottle of Mumm is chilling in a silver bucket next to her and she is holding an old-fashioned champagne glass, full to the brim, about to bring it to her mouth for the first sip. She is impeccably elegant, utterly poised, but her body language is so relaxed that you don't feel she is posing for anyone. She is beautiful but what strikes you first is not that, but what a nice afternoon she is having. That's the life.
Swimwear, the purchasing and the wearing, is a flashpoint for many of us. Fashion's elaborate fantasy world ? the perfect body, the chic lifestyle ? come face to face with stark reality in a changing-room mirror. We are stripped almost naked and yet aspiring to be somehow magically transformed into Brigitte Bardot by a garment that consists of less fabric than a tea towel. What's more, this is the totemic outfit of our holiday moment, the precious leisure time we have worked towards for months. Oh, the pressure! It is, frankly, a recipe for disaster. I am sure there are a few women out there who actually enjoy shopping for swimwear ? Gisele B�ndchen, say ? but for most of us, it's more of a trial than a treat.
The good news is that this summer's swimwear is less deliberately challenging than it has been in the last few years. For several summers, three extreme looks dominated the beach aesthetic. There was the minimalist, daringly flimsy bikini with triangle top, tie-side knickers, ideally worn with salt-slicked hair, a deep tan and a pout. There was a chocolate-box "cute" look, all gingham and ruffles, to be accessorised with a Cath Kidston beach towel and an old-fashioned ice-cream cone. And there was the cutaway swimsuit, which looked as if a music-video stylist had attacked a regular one-piece with some biscuit cutters, and required gold sandals, large earrings and full hair and makeup.
This year it is cool, refined glamour of the type found in Aarons photographs that is permeating the swimwear collections. That means well-constructed two pieces and elegant swimsuits that conjure up the jet set of a more genteel age, before superyachts and speedboating paparazzi. Jane Shepherdson, who has just launched her first range of swimwear for Whistles, told Vogue recently that she was inspired by flicking through the coffee-table book Poolside with Aarons. "It's filled with wonderful images of the young and the beautiful ? CZ Guest, Lilly Pulitzer and Cheryl Tiegs ? all lounging with Martinis in hand. I wanted to capture the mood." She describes the end collection as "70s cool fused with 50s glamour".
The return of the one-piece in its non-cut-to-ribbons form is good news, but not necessarily the best option for many body shapes. Do not make the mistake of confusing a garment that flatters with one that simply covers up. Don't hide away; be strategic. Try on as many options as you can bear, because it is impossible to judge swimwear on the rail. Structure is what helps, not fabric. A one-piece with a cleverly draped midsection is the most effective option if you are self-conscious about your middle, but a well-cut bikini will serve better than a swimsuit that simply squishes the tummy. Avoid the tankini, which is a miserable, half-hearted sort of a garment that you will constantly be tugging down, pointing out your insecurity to anyone who has failed to spot it. A halterneck or balconette bra-style top with 50s style, high-waisted knickers is a much more elegant tummy-covering tactic. Think laid-back Palm Springs brunch hostess, not Sports Illustrated: not only a more forgiving style reference, but way more chic. Add a hat and a cocktail. And most importantly: relax.
Source: http://www.guardian.co.uk/lifeandstyle/2011/may/24/swimwear-this-seasons-rules
Georgianna Robertson Georgina Grenville Gina Carano Gina Gershon
No comments:
Post a Comment