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One-Piece Swimsuits — Summer 2008From Grecian Goddess to '50s-style Retro Swimwear
From retro to raunchy, one-pieces are flying off the shelves in high-street stores, with their sexy cuts and elegant styling to suit all shapes.
This year, the one-piece is back in vogue in a big way. The emphasis is one cuts with sex appeal, whether it is the figure bearing low plunges or the more demure and elegant Grecian swimsuits and ‘50s retro styles, today’s swimwear designers producing heart-stopping swimsuits which offer both coverage and sex appeal. Says Australian swimwear manufacturer, Seafolly, “One pieces have made a resurgence on the fashion front in the last couple of years as they emphasize the silhouette and add an air of elegance to swimwear." This is good news for the more generously proportioned 30 to 50-somethings who want to look fashionable as well as comfortable on the beach. Whilst one-piece swimsuits are certainly more modest than a bikini, that doesn’t mean that they have to be boring. This year the trend is for feminine and elegant cuts with a touch of sex appeal. Grecian-style SwimsuitsIn keeping with the goddess gowns, toga dresses and gladiators, it is no surprise than the Greco-Roman look has infiltrated the swimwear market. Most women's swimwear designers have gone for asymmetrical toga look, with Iceberg, Hermès, Jantzen and Carmen Marc Valvo Aphrodite styles feature in the June 2008 USA edition of Elle magazine. Jantzen’s affordable metallic gold ring-trim toga style swimsuit will set you back $132 from Macys and a Grecian ruched Carmen Marc Valvo swimsuit is $162, available by special order. This year’s one shoulder and asymmetrical styles can work for you or against you. One-shouldered suits may have the effect of accentuating the bust whilst vertical asymmetric lines can minimize it, along with reducing a large tummy. On the subject of going Greek, Figleaves.com has a sexy but sophisticated low-plunge Going Greek swimsuit in black, white or red, by La Blanca, but this elegant swimsuit is selling out fast. Retro 40s and 50s-Style SwimwearThink Audrey – and Katherine – Hepburn, or Marilyn Monroe. Retro femme-fatale swimsuits are making a comeback this year. Offering more coverage, due to their low-leg cuts and old-school full-style briefs, this cut is ideal for anyone who wants to look chic and stylish without showing off too much flesh. The paneling detail on many of the ‘50s-styles are ideal for pear-shaped women as they have a slimming effect. For a really retro look then nothing beats the flamingo stretch silk swimsuit from Abaeté ($365) from Abaete.com, complete with paneling, side ruching and floral décolletage. Alternatively Macys currently has a Runched Vamp Red Retro Style from Jantzen at ($100) or an Audrey Hepburn-style It Figures Retro Sheath Dress ($96.00), the epitome of elegance. Embellished SwimsuitsThis season’s trend of “embellishments” which proliferate dresses, shoes and handbags are carried through into swimwear. Any detail on the bustline will draw attention away from a bottom half and visa-versa. Featured in Elle magazine, Moschino has a beautiful rhinestone detail swimsuit ($390) in off-white and an Anna Sui Nail-Head Knit Swimsuit ($286), with a deep low plunge is a real show-stopper. If money is no object then an almost too good-for-the-beach Swarovski crystal trim halter-neck from Dsquared2 ($4,985) offers plenty of bling! Cut-Out Swimsuits or MonokinisWhether you consider a monokini as a one-piece or a new breed on its own, these cut-out swimsuits are hitting it big in stores this year. Morphed from a standard swimsuit and a bikini, these swimsuits are hot, hot, hot. If you want to appear fashion-forward but still follow the classics then go for a stylish monochrome cut-out like Badgley Mischka’s halter cut-out swimsuit ($340), or a very affordable and elegant jewel trim Baby Phat cut-out by Kimora Lee Simmons ($110). Whatever shape of size you are there is plenty to choose from this season, from retro to raunchy – take your pick!
The copyright of the article One-Piece Swimsuits — Summer 2008 in Women's Lingere/Swimwear is owned by Gill Hart. Permission to republish One-Piece Swimsuits — Summer 2008 in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.
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