Swimming into the Vintage Look

By Angela Bethea | April 13, 2012

Our time of hibernation is over and the beach bum lifestyle of sand sitting and sunshine soaking is about to begin. This summer bikinis and one piece suits take a step back in time to support and accentuate curves. Get ready to strip down or cover up in these new fashion forward vintage inspired swimwear looks.

Marylin Monroe wore vintage suits best because she had the body for it, curvy and able to fill out a swimsuit in all the right places. This summer look like a bombshell in the 1950’s inspired pieces, which are playful and conservatively sexy. One piece swimsuits will feature a straight-cut boy leg which will lift your bum and keep your thighs looking slim. Cinched-in waists will give the appearance of an hourglass figure and sweet heart necklines with boost your bosoms.

Expect vintage bikinis to look very different than your normal attire. Pin-up styled bottoms will run high up to your navel, even covering in some cases. This is great if you have some love handles to hide or long legs to accentuate. Bikini tops will be fuller cupped for support or padded for those who want to flaunt it. Although bottoms will be dominated by the high waste cut, tops will have more variety. Halters, strapless and sweetheart cuts will be available for the vintage look. However, when pairing a strapless top with a high waist bottom, chose a vintage structured top that is sweetheart cut.

The pattern chosen will determine if your suit screams sophisticated Grace Kelly or va-va voom Jayne Mansfield. Suits in solid colors with small amounts of detail will show off chic class when paired with oversized sunglasses or chunky costume jewelry. A navy blue suit with white details is a classic nautical look and as a dark color, will flatter any shape. Other elegant suit patterns may have stripes of pastel colors, black and white accents, or polka-dots. To add more sex appeal opt for a suit with vertical stripes which will cause the eye to fall on all the right places. If stripes will bring too much attention try a suit with highlighter hues, bold floral prints or graphic prints of your favorite vintage celebrities.

To avoid swimming in a pin-up looking swimwear costume, follow these tips:
• Do mix and match vintage cuts with modern day prints and fabrics.
• Look for suits made of sporty materials with vintage cuts.
• Do not purchase your suit from a site where models are dressed up as pin up girls. This usually means these suits are meant to be costumes.

This season it will be easy to find the perfect retro inspired suit, but make sure you try on any swimsuit before purchasing. These new cuts will fit differently than previous summer styles and trying them on will help you chose the best fir for your body. Whatever style you end up choosing, it is guaranteed that these new suits will make you look like a glamorous, vintage inspired, Hollywood star.