Mejo John asked:


The history of swim wear – be it menswear or women’s wear – makes fascinating study. Women’s swim wears have always been a heated topic in the fashion industry and there has been several changes in women’s swim wear according to the trends of the passing eras. Women’s swim wears were initially introduced with the purpose of covering up certain essential body parts of those women who were daring enough to bathe publicly. Since then, there have been several changing styles and functions of the female bathing suit. It is indeed amazing to know that so much has been achieved in the swim wear with such scant material.

The first known use of a bathing costume was in Greece during 350 B.C. The fourth century mosaic wall was discovered depicting girls dressed in what resembles the modern-day bikinis. But, swim wear went out of fashion after the fall of the Roman Empire when water sports were no longer encouraged and the prudish Europeans regarded the sea more as a source of physical therapy than recreation.

Spas where men and women together engaged in public bathing began in France and England during the 18th century. The typical swim was nothing more than a brief symbolic dip in the water with ladies on one side of the beach and men on the other.

The earliest bathing suit was an old smock more in the nature of a bathing gown. Thus these suits were far from comfortable and ladies started sewing lead weights into the hem of the bathing gown to prevent any indecent exposure.

The early 1800’s were presumably the starting point of a revolution in swim wear when Americans openly and publicly flocked to the beaches for seaside sports and recreation.

When public swimming, sun bathing and water sports became increasingly popular, the time was ripe for change in women’s swim wear. The necessity arose for a specially designed swim wear that not only protected one’s modesty but also convenient enough to engage in swimming and sports activities.

By the end of the 19th century, swimming had come to be recognized as an acceptable form of water activity and as well as an intercollegiate and Olympic sport. By the 1880’s the women’s swim wear was introduced, consisting of a blouse and trousers in one piece. There was also a separate skirt that extended below the knee with buttons at the waist to conceal the figure.

Then we had the swimsuits that started gradually exposing more and more skin. The beginning of the twentieth century signaled a bold era in swim wear for women. After that swimsuits began the trend of becoming more transparent and briefer. This was followed by a bikini or two-piece women’s swimwear consisting of two separate items – one covering the breasts and another covering the groin or the entire buttocks region. The rest of the torso was left uncovered.

As the women’s swim wears witnessed a gradual evolutionary process, men’s swim wear also underwent many changes over time. From the beginning men’s swim wear was distinctly different from the female’s suit, with pronounced characteristics of boxiness and solidity contrasted with the exaggerated curves of the women’s wear.

Though men were beginning to look sexier, there was still some controversy regarding baring the chest. However, men continued to fight for their right to expose their chest and by the early 1933, we had a convertible-style suit that allowed the top to be removed.

With women’s suits becoming more and more daring and flamboyant during the 1950’s and beyond, the male bathing costume saw an explosion of color patterns and fancy artwork.



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Amy Jarman asked:


Summer is just around the corner which means that it’s not too early to find the perfect maternity swimsuit. Fortunately, maternity swimwear shopping does not have to be as daunting as it sounds with so many fun styles on the market today. You may even find maternity swimwear shopping a lot more fun and a good deal less frustrating than shopping for a suit pre-pregnancy because for once you don’t have to worry about a belly slimming style! The hard part is figuring out what style is best for your new body type. Here are a few suggestions to guide you in your selection based upon your top priorities in a maternity swimsuit:

Belly Coverage

The Tankini and Halterkini styles are all fun, flirty bikini skimming styles that usually allow a little bit of belly to peek without showing your whole basketball tummy to the world. These styles are easy to wear as they are 2 piece and allow modesty without being prudish. As the name implies the Tankini are typically tank style tops which are usually more supportive for more endowed women while the Halterkinis are behind the neck halter tie styles which can create a little more cleavage depending on the how low cut the style of the suit and the bust size of the woman wearing it.

Different Size on Top and Bottom

Since many stores and manufacturers do not sell separate sizes for top and bottoms, the adjustable tie bottoms can be made bigger or smaller to help with this dilemma. The Hipkini is another variation of the Tankini and Halterkini 2 piece styles and depending on the manufacturer can either implie a lower rise bikini bottom or an adjustable tie bikini bottom. If you need to make more or less room in the hip/thigh area the adjustable tie is very useful in getting the perfect fit and looks cute at the same time!

Hip and Bottom Coverage

The Babydoll style suit can come in both Tank and Halter styles is an excellent choice for a full coverage maternity swimsuit that looks flattering but not frumpy. This style suit usually comes with over the belly bottoms, so even if the top rides over the belly in the water, you are still fully covered. Prego Maternity currently makes a number of fun patterned Babydoll suits including an Aloho black and white pattern as well as solids. Another bonus of the Babydoll is that it offers superior bust support.

Strapless

The Prego Strapless Mini is a superb 2 piece mini with under the belly bikini bottoms. The mini top fully covers the tummy and hips and gives you a sleek elongated look, along with your baby bump of course. Prego’s lightly padded mini top provides surprising support for a strapless suit and fits securely across the bust like a tube. This suit also has a detachable halter string that gives a little extra assurance for swimmers, if desired. Prego makes the mini in a number of pretty patterns as well as solids.

Fashionable 1 Pieces

Yes, it is possible to wear a one piece maternity suit and look sexy! Maternal America’s 1 Piece Keyhole Swimsuit is an excellent style for all body types. This one piece has incredible lines that really flatter your figure with adjustable halter ties and peek-a-boo keyhole center. So while you are fully covered, you are far from prudish in this tastefully sexy suit. This season Maternal America is also offering the “Jasmine” 1 Piece Keyhole Suit in a zesty turquoise pattern which is perfect for any island or beach get away!

Maternity Bikinis

If less is more for you and you have the body to go with it, then by all means flaunt it! But, don’t even think about squeezing into your pre-pregnancy suit, because the fit is not the same when you are pregnant! Bellabumbum makes a glove-like colorful striped maternity bikini that is truly designed to fit your maternity shape for all trimesters. The Bellabumbum Bikini is a halter style top and comes in both mandarin and aqua stripes. The bottoms have a secure wide comfortable band with adjustable ties. Prego Maternity also makes a perfectly fitting Maternity Bikini with a keyhole halter style top and very elastic hip riding bikini bottoms. Prego’s Maternity Bikini comes in both solid black and brown.

So, whether your goal is to show more or show less, there is a maternity swimsuit style suit out there that is perfect for you!



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Anne Tide asked:


The current market tempts with various types and styles when it comes to swimwear; for instance, you may already be familiar with the Vix Swimwear that is available at almost every online store. But buying tips are to be followed when deciding to buy such an item; you will have to focus on your present style and comfort because these are the most important matters when it comes to making the difference. The perfect swimsuit from Betsey Johnson Swimwear for you will be the one that can provide you with quality and comfort; it will also highlight all the personal and positive features of every body and the weak areas will be hidden too. Your body will be made to look sexier but it will also feel comfortable when wearing the fit and adaptable swimsuits.

The right style is to be found because picking the appropriate swimsuit is vital to your style and comfort; you should learn how to make the difference between the existing styles in order to choose the type from Vix Swimwear that is going to work in your case. Many styles are already available and you can even try to go for provocative styles if you are daring enough. For instance, you can choose the one piece suit especially if you are interested in not flaunting your body. If your body shape allows it, you can go for the sexy two piece bikini swimsuit that is likely to be fit for the most daring persons. You may even consider proving yourself with the necessary cover-up that will help you reconstruct the shape of your body.

Prints and colors are other aspects that should be considered when buying a swimsuit from Betsey Johnson swimwear; every person will be able to find her favorite colors and prints among the ones that are already available on the current market; but you will have to try the suit in order to make sure that a particular print or color that is going to suit you when in natural lighting. For instance, some of these prints and colors may not look so well when on hangers but they could look great on you thus revealing your positive features and great swimsuit body.

If the mid-drift area is your main concern, you will have to pay attention especially if you are highly interested in the stripes print; you will have to choose the vertical ones and stay away from the horizontal stripes because they are not likely to suit your body shape. Vertical shapes are considered as genuine illusions when it comes to providing the viewer with longer length while the horizontal lines are usually making the person appear wider than in reality. The plus size women should be interested in buying a bikini from Vix Swimwear that has smaller patterns in order to create the illusion of a slimmer body; the bigger design patterns are to be avoided in this case in order not to exaggerate the person’s body shape.

Fabric and design are among the most important factors when determining the appropriate swimwear for your personal use; they are the key factors and you should go for the fabrics that are able to resist to chlorine without damaging their texture. The spandex materials along with the high percentages of nylon are to be looked for in order for the swimsuit to stretch in the desired and comfortable manner. In case that you are keen on buying only the branded products, you should be aware that fashion changes on a constant basis. Therefore, you should choose the swimsuit that suits your own personality instead of going for a branded product that is not likely to make you feel comfortable when swimming.

The bikini from Betsey Johnson Swimwear is likely to mark the durability and quality of all the products that belong to this brand; but you will have to do the research by yourself in order to find whether a particular brand is likely to be more suitable for you or not. You should not be influenced only be the brand name; on the contrary, you should pay attention to its quality as well because you have to be interested in purchasing a product with a long lifetime. Even the current prices are to be compared in order to make the most profitable choice; money can be saved when purchasing your swimwear because you can access the online stores that are likely to provide you with cheaper prices than the ones that are to be found at the local stores.

While selecting your future swimsuit from Vix Swimwear, you will have to think about its future functionality; you will also have to consider the frequency when it comes to wearing the swimwear in order to choose a long lasting one. Every time you look at swimwear your choice is to be regarded as a new key piece that is going to be added to your present wardrobe; therefore, you may think about its proper care in order to use it for many years to come.



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Alfred Thomas asked:


It is common knowledge that Speedo is a leading international brand name of swim suits. Speedo makes various styles and patterns of swim wears but their most controversial competition swimsuit is the sexually provocative one that provides scanty coverage and tightly clings to the body. Another striking feature of Speedo Swim wears is it further shrinks when swimming in cold water.

But an interesting fact is that out of a 100 women interviewed, the men’s Speedo was able to garner only 25 votes. Thus the inference is even women are not happy seeing men in Speedo swim suits. This may be because not all men are endowed with the physique of Hercules or Adonis. Notwithstanding this fact, most prudish fashion designers opine that Speedo should not be worn when going to the beach or a public swimming pool.

However, a couple of months after the Olympics, sports reporters confirmed that the winners of nearly all major swimming competitions wore Speedo swim wears. In view of this, the Speedo men’s swimsuit LZR Racer has now become the most-wanted accessory for champion swimmers. During the subsequent U.S. Olympic Trails, the best performers were clad in high-tech Speedo swimsuit. The Speedo Men’s swimsuit LZR Racer is now emerging as the most-wanted accessory by the world’s frontline swimmers. Sports statistician claim that viewed in retrospect, forty world swimming competition records have been created by swimmers who wore Speedo LZR Racer. Speedo has lately launched another version of these stylish racing suits called the FASTSKIN LZR Racer.

Speedo manufacturers have stated that use of the water-revolting material in FASTSKIN LZR Racer was used to develop additional oxygen intake to the extent of 5%. The US swimming group’s coach announced these suits could enhance swimming performance. Several sports officials feel the wearing of Speedos should be banned under anti-doping laws.

Speedo has also introduced Women’s swimwear designed to resist the harmful effects of chlorine and sunlight. The special features include soft cup construction to provide maximum breast support and an orthodox design for maximum coverage in the leg, neckline and back. Colors are mainly in the primary attraction in women’s swimsuits and the patterns are attractive though not exotic.

Speedo swimwear has established an unassailable market presence for itself by turning out some of the most competitive swimwear in the market. Instead of focusing merely on fashion, Speedo is dedicated to designing and retailing comfortable and performance enhancing swimsuits that are ubiquitously found on the diving, and racing circuits.

Performance swimsuit is the area where Speedo scares the competition away. There are three differene models – XD Skin, Speedo endurance and Swym. XD Skin is made of innovative material that can resist water saturation for nearly two hours, so it dries far quicker than many other swimsuitsThis material is also highly resistant to chlorine and ultra violet rays, both of which contribute to swimsuit break down. Speedo Endurance swimsuits are ideal for swimmers who spend a lot of time in the water. The fabric is also resistant to chlorine, which means it will not fade or degrade as quickly as other conventional swimwear.

Speedo Swym line is twenty times more resistant to sun and chlorine fade than conventional swimsuits, because they contain no spandex. The material also resists water absorption to enable the wearer to stay dry longer, and dry off quicker. Speedo is emerging as the number one swimwear brand worldwide and swimmers prefer them for their better fit, performance, quality, and continued innovation.



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sizoja asked:


My 6 year old daughter is tall and skinny. Most one piece swims are to short and give her wedgies. Two piece are too loose on the top and come up on waterslides. Any suggestions?

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Galia Ivanova asked:


It is hard to define the best swimwear. It depends on your personal choice whether you like one piece or two piece swimsuits, sexy bikini or exotic swimwear, swim dresses or skirtinis. There is even more – colors, shape, brands, details, patterns and sizes to choose from.

As I mentioned sizes, your swimwear size is the first most important thing you should know before looking for a new swimwear. If you don’t know your size, it is very easy to take your measurements and find your correct swimwear size.

To measure your bust or torso, you should lower your arms let them hang naturally before check the tape measure.

Bust – lift your arms and measure around the fullest part of your bust.

Torso – holding one end of the tape measure at top of your right shoulder, wrap it down across your body, between your legs, and up across your back to the right shoulder again.

To measure your waist or hips take a deep breath and let it out slowly before check the tape measure.

Waist – wrap the tape measure around that part of your waist where you fold when you bend over.

Hips – stand with your feet together and wrap the tape measure around the fullest part of your hips.

Now when you know your measurements and looking at the size charts you happen to be between two measurements, just take the larger size – you will have more comfort and support that way.

When you choose a new swimwear, the first rule to consider is – are the color and the shape matching to your figure. To be sure of that you need to follow a few simple rules:

1. If you have small bust – pick a suit with colorful pattern or playful printed bikini top.

2. If you think you can’t find a beautiful swimwear because of your large bust, just pick a solid colored one with square or round high neck.

3. If you have big hips – pick a high cut leg swimsuit.

4. If you think you are short – choose one piece swimwear with colorful print or vertical stripes.

5. If you have wide shoulders you can try a two piece swimsuit with light colored top and dark bottom.

6. If you want to hide your bottom – consider wearing skirt or shorts, but if you wanna hide your belly as well, then – think of a swimdress instead.

7. One piece swimwear with full tummy control is great if you wanna hide your belly and sexy bikini or exotic swimwear is great if you wanna show your great body at the beach.



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Amy Jarman asked:


Swimming is one of the best exercises you can do while you are pregnant. For all trimesters of your pregnancy, swimming is safe and provides you with a low-impact exercise with excellent cardiovascular benefits and low risk of injury.  Swimming improves your body’s ability to process and use oxygen as well as improved circulation, endurance and better muscle tone. Swimming can also help you sleep better at night, relax your muscles and help you burn excess pregnancy calories.

If you were a regular swimmer before pregnancy, then swimming while pregnant should be an easy transition. Remember to listen to your body and take it a little slower as you progress with your pregnancy so you do not overexert yourself as you are swimming for two now and your body has to work a lot harder than before. If you were not a regular swimmer before pregnancy, than check with your doctor or midwife first. You will need to take swimming gradually and listen to your body so you do not stretch your limits.

In the cooler months you will probably be swimming in an indoor pool or outdoor heated pool. Make sure that you remember to stay well-hydrated, even in the cooler months when you do not think about cooling down. When you are pregnant your body requires more fluids, particularly during exercise. It is a good idea to drink before swimming, about every 20 minutes while swimming and then after swimming. Also avoid caffeine beverages as they will dehydrate you.

If you are more of a light swimmer, the breast stroke is a good low-impact stroke to do when you are pregnant. This stroke makes it easy to get the oxygen you need and is a little less taxing on the body and lungs and easier to go a slower pace. Also the breast stroke can lengthen chest muscles and help align your back muscles which is particularly beneficial in your 3rd trimester when muscles in your back and chest can become misaligned.

As you tummy expands as early as the first trimester, it is a good idea to invest in a maternity swimsuit that is suitable for lap swimming. One piece suits are usually your best bet rather than the fashion maternity swimwear such as babydolls and tankinis which can fly around you in the water and make it harder to swim with all the extra floating material. The simplier and sleeker the suit the better it is for allowing you to glide naturally through the water and provide less water resistance. Also, look for a suit that is very stretchy with room to expand in both the bust and belly as you will continue to grow in those areas over the nine months of your pregnancy.

Some good one piece suits to consider are Prego’s Empire Tank and Texture Heart Swimsuit. Both of these styles are stretchy one piece maternity swimsuits that are designed for actually swimming laps in the pool. Both are made with 20% lycra that will give you some room to grow where you need it. If you are in between sizes or unsure which size to get, it’s best to buy up a size so you will have room to wear the suit for your entire pregnancy. Prego’s Empire Tank suit has exceptional bust support with a bra-link band in the back and wide adjustable shoulder straps. Both suits can accommodate a range of bust sizes.

If you were not a regular swimmer before, then you can try a kickboard, water aerobics or even just walking across the pool for low-impact water resistance exercise. Just about any style maternity swimwear would work for these types of pool exercises and are still a wonderful way to get a safe workout when pregnant. Some women prefer not to wear a strapless mini for pool exercising for obvious concerns. If the strapless mini is your preferred style, then look for one with a removable halter strap that you can wear in the pool for a little added security. The Prego Maternity Swimwear Strapless mini is very well made with a secure and fitted design around the top that actual provides bust support and a detachable halter strap.

If you are more of a light swimmer, the breast stroke is a good low-impact stroke to do when you are pregnant. This stroke makes it easy to get the oxygen you need and is a little less taxing on the body and lungs and easier to go a slower pace. Also the breast stroke can lengthen chest muscles and help align your back muscles which is particularly beneficial in your 3rd trimester when muscles in your back and chest can become misaligned.

So regardless of the season, check with your doctor about trying out swimming or pool exercises during your pregnancy for health benefits to both you and your baby.



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Defiant_Rose asked:


I’m looking for swimsuits in the Dallas area, but have not been able to find any worth buying. Most places carry only regular sized, or if they have plus-sized, it’s the halter tops which don’t work for my figure. I am size 18-20, and 23 years old, so I’m not an extreme case. I thought it would be easier then this to find plus-size clothing worth buying.

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Kelsey M asked:


i have been trying to find swimsuits, and it is inpossible. does anybody know where i can find online swimsuits for less?

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Colin Pike asked:


Summer is the season of fun at the beach and there is plenty of sunlight making it imperative to put on sun protective swimwear. Whilst the great pastime time during this period is sun bathing, the greatest danger lurking along beaches and swimming pools is ultra violet rays from the sun.

Ultra violet rays are emissions from the sun that has the potential of causing damage to unprotected skin surface.

Protective swimwear is clothing that we put on to fend off the negative effects that these radiations can have on the body.

The manufacture of protective swimwear is an elaborate process. Although the clothes themselves are made up of ordinary, everyday fabrics, it is the lining and the special treatment of the clothes that turn them into sun protective swimwear.

One technology is to use durable, breathable, lightweight, and very comfortable fabric with a 4-way stretch. The inner part of the fabric is lined with the ultra violet light protective coating. If the swimwear is going to be used for swimming in a pool, then it is made from chlorine resistant swim fabric.

For people who are highly sensitive to sunrays or photosensitive skin or skin cancer, the choice is high-SPF clothing. These contain containing colorless compounds, and treated resins that absorb ultra violet light.

The essence of sun protective swimwear is to reflect as much as possible, the dangerous ultra violet rays from the sun as much as possible. This means, shiny, silky or reflective clothing are the best.

Another technique is to use tightly woven micro fiber containing enhanced titanium dioxide which diffuses ultra violet light and CoolMax mesh to ensure ventilation and moisture management.

There are several types of protective swimwear available. There are some for babies, some for men and some for women. Between these we have ordinary and high end designer swimwear. Although all of them have the protection against the sun, there are vast differences in quality of fabric, design and appearance.

There are some swimwear that cover the entire body and some that are just top wear, shorts or pants.

With the high end fashion, you can have two, three and even sometimes four piece swimwear with a hat or sunglasses to match.

Of increasing popularity are mens protective beach wear comprising of a shirt, shorts and matching glasses. These products are both in the regular version and high end fashion.

Before we get on to why we need protective swimwear , it may be helpful to look at ultra violet rays. Ultraviolet rays (UV) or radiation is the invisible rays that are part of the energy that comes from the sun. UV radiation can damage the skin, cause melanoma and other types of skin cancer. There are two types of UV rays – there is the UVA which causes ordinary sun burn and the UVB which penetrate deeper into the skin to cause melanoma and other types of skin cancer.

Physiologically, overexposure to UV radiation can disturb the bodys immune system and the skins natural defenses.

Sun protective swimwear offers you a kind of filtering against these harmful rays. People most susceptible to these rays are those with light clothing and in areas where there is no overhead protection like the beach. Protective swimwear is also needed during summer when the sun shines a lot and consequently emits more ultra violet rays.

If you are interested in the stats, – 1.3 million New cases of skin cancer are diagnosed each year. – One in five Americans will contract skin cancer. – Malignant melanoma, the worst form of skin cancer, has increased 1800percent since 1930

It is likely that many patients can save themselves the discomfort of these illnesses by putting on some swimwear that will protect them.

You need to exercise a lot of discretion in buying this type of swimwear.

Sun protective swimwear is categorized per UPF rating. UPF is the amount of radiation that can pass through the clothing. For example, a fabric with a UPF rating of 15 will permit one fifteenth of the UVR to pass through it and a UPF 20 fabric, one twentieth of the UVR to pass through it. What this mean is, depending your skin sensitivity, you will go for the clothing that suits your skin type, and of course, how long you will be exposed to the sun.

It is also important to consider weave type. Generally, the tighter the weave or knit, the better the protection against the sun.

The less the light that can pass through the clothing, the better. To test porosity, you can hold the swimwear against the sun and see how much light comes through.

Darker clothes should also be preferred against lighter clothes.

The price of this protective swimwear ranges from $49.95 upwards and there are several shops offering regular and high end fashion swimwear. Examples are:

Swimwear can be pretty expensive and therefore need a lot of care to prolong their life. Here are a few tips on how to care for them:

Avoid oil-based suntan lotions which can stain the fabric and cause it to stretch. Stretching increases porosity and consequently permits more UV light to come through.

Soak clothes in vinegar to prevent fading which permits more light to come through the clothes.

Chlorine can interact with the protective swimwear and damage it. Try to soak your body wet before jumping into the pool to minimize the chemical reaction with the chlorine in the pool.

Enjoy the sun, tan as you want but be mindful of the danger of UV – put on your sun protective swimwear and save your beautiful skin.



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