A Brief History
Swimsuits (or bikini, if you will) have always been popular. While the two-piece swimsuit as a design existed in classical antiquity, the modern design first attracted public notice in Paris on July 5, 1946. French mechanical engineer Louis Réard introduced a design he named the “bikini”, taking the name from the Bikini Atoll in the Pacific Ocean. Four days earlier, the United States had initiated its first peace-time nuclear weapons test at Bikini Atoll as part of Operation Crossroads.
Réard hoped his swimsuit’s revealing style would create an “explosive commercial and cultural reaction” similar to the explosion at Bikini Atoll.
The go-to attire for beach goers everywhere, these beautiful clothes are a seemingly evergreen trend. So in honor of awesome swimsuits all over the word, here are some interesting facts about wearing them!
Digging Deeper
The easiest way to look great in a swimsuit is to wear one that’s just a few sizes too small
You’ve heard of the saying “cut you coat according to your size”. Well, while this concept might actually work for general clothes, swimsuits are a tad different. The truth is that if you’re looking to stun everyone with your swimsuit, then the best tip is to go for one that s a few sizes too small. It might seem mundane, but this means that you’ll be properly highlighting your physical features (I mean, if you’re not looking to show off your best body, then why are you really wearing a swimsuit?); however, a flip side to this rule is that you also have to be careful. Your swimsuit should not be worn in such a way that you end up adjusting every two minutes. Make sure that you’re comfortable with the way the swimsuit loos on you and the rest should be as easy as it gets.
Swimsuits essentially help you look better
It’s a commonly known fact that if you want to catch some rays at the beach, the best thing to wear is a swimsuit; however, swimsuits also help your physique. They’re perfect for showing off your toned abs and perfectly chiseled body, and they essentially do a lot of the work for you. It is especially obvious when you wear a swimsuit with a color like black (which, on its own, helps the body to naturally look slimmer).
They give you a general outlook of your body
If you really want to get the best opinion about how your body looks, swimsuits are the best outfits to put on. A swimsuit bares you to your minimum acceptable dressing ensemble, and it provides you with a detailed and picturesque look of yourself. In essence, if you’re wondering whether you need to hit the gym a little bit more, then just put on a swimsuit and judge yourself.
How do you look?
Swimsuits are also perfect for sports
Extreme sports like surfing and water rafting (as well as normal outdoor sports like water polo) are done by the ocean, and this means that for ladies to be able to participate in them effectively they will need to be in swimsuits. A lot of sport apparel manufacturers such as Nike and Adidas UAE have noticed this, and this has spurred the production of various lines of sport swimwear.
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Historical Evidence
For more information, please see…
Kennedy, Sarah. The Swimsuit: A History of Twentieth-Century Fashion. Carlton Books, 2010.
The featured image in this article, a photo postcard of a woman’s bathing suit from 1920s, is in the public domain in the United States. This applies to U.S. works where the copyright has expired, often because its first publication occurred prior to January 1, 1924, and if not then due to lack of notice or renewal. See this page for further explanation.