By Helaine R. Williams
Arkansas Democrat Gazette
June 27, 2006
Dressing Room: A swimsuit can fit and have style
Summer made its hot, official arrival Wednesday, July Fourth is next Tuesday ... and swimsuit season is under way. But for those women who are (a) making do with last year’s suit while still pondering what to get this year, (b) beginning to realize that this year’s suit purchase was a mistake and/or (c) waiting for the sales ... this column’s for you.
The thing to always remember when swimsuit shopping is that a good fit is key. Seventy percent of women surveyed by Caravan Opinion Research on behalf of off-price retail chain T.J. Maxx selected fit as their No. 1 criteria in bathing-suit selection. Luckily, swimsuit styles and silhouettes are more diverse than ever.
At T.J. Maxx, whose “Biggest Designer Swimsuit event ever” began Thursday, swimsuit shoppers will find skirted suits, square-neck maillots, higher necklines with ring detailing at the collar, bottoms that adjust through gathered ties at the leg, midriff- and chest-flattering ruching detail and slenderizing two-piece suits. And all 60 percent less than department-store prices. Colors include lots of neutrals, most prominently chocolate brown — but stripes, polka dots and florals can still be found. Also big among swimsuits this summer are natural embellishments such as seashells, wood beads and vintage coins. Coverup choices include sarongs, beaded tunics, caftans, gauchos and palazzo pants.
Below are a few other retailers waiting to serve you swimsuit-buying stragglers.
Fit is an even more prominent issue at plus-size stores like Avenue. Avenue’s 2006 Beach Wear collection, $20-$100, includes cotton beach caftans, shell-trimmed pareos, slimming tankinis and wedge sandals for extrawide feet.
Lands’ End beckons this year with The Little Black Suits section ... suits that are “just as slimming, flattering and charming as the proverbial ‘little black dress.’” These are priced at $39-$89 (regular torso, long torso and plus sizes are more). To help women individualize their selection, landsend. com offers an online Swim Finder that pinpoints the styles best suited for each person. Shoppers may search by suit style, height of leg opening, bra type, body shape or even “anxiety zones.”
“Standing in a sea of bikinis designed to best fit an ultra-thin model, the search for the perfect swimsuit can be daunting when you’re not a celebrity size 2,” reads an e-release for Girls4Sport, a surf and swimwear designer based in Santa Cruz, Calif. So the company offers tankini separates, $30-$48 “for real women and for real wear.” Halter, sports tank, sleeveless, short sleeve and long sleeve tops can be paired with coordinating bikini bottoms, boy briefs, hipster bottoms and board shorts. The summer 2006 collection features swirling color prints, vintage surf prints and a variety of color-blocking combinations. Sizes range from XS to XXL; the separates are available at Amazon.com and Girls4Sport.com.
Speedo, the venerable swimwear brand, stands ready with Axcelerate, a women’s fashion swim line whose mix-and-match pieces were inspired by Olympic swimmer Amanda Beard. Featured: high-cut boy shorts with contrast piping and zip-up tanks in red, orange, steel gray, eggplant and turquoise. Want to cover up? Check out the coordinating activewear, which includes fitted jackets, pull-on shorts and seamless capris for $38-$128. This and other Speedo collections for men, women and kids may be ordered at speedousa.com.
Island Company, an alleged favorite line of celebs such as Paris Hilton, Molly Sims, Cameron Diaz and Jenny McCarthy, weighs in with a line of mix-and-match, preppy-chic bikini separates. Sporting bright prints and nautical stripes, these separates cost $39-$42 each. The company also has men’s board shorts, matching men’s and women’s suits and vintage-inspired beach tees. If your specialty retailer doesn’t carry the line, go to islandcompany.com.
“Now that everyone has picked out their swimsuits for the summer, we’ve already witnessed several faux-pas at our local beaches and pools,” reads an e-release from Silhouettes, the catalog for women size 12 and up. “Many people have the misconception that women over size 12 have to resort to frumpy, skirted granny swimsuits, flower patterns or baggy white T-shirt style coverups. ... This is simply not true!” We concur. The company has what could well be the world’s most attractive “skirted” swimsuit — a fitted retro-style sheath that, as the youngsters say, is “hott.” Silhouettes offers a number of other sexy suits, roughly $69-$110, that conceal flaws and reveal assets. Log on to: silhouettes.com.
Need shoes for the beach? Sure, there is no lack of flip-flips out there, but among the most notable are the ones made by Silly Sandals. Known for designs that reflect various hobbies, holidays and pastimes, Silly Sandals includes a Spirit Sports Collection whose straps are adorned by specialty beads made to look like baseballs, soccer balls, tennis balls and the like. More glam looks are available, too ... including “Shell Game,” a sandal featuring luminescent clamshells on a ribbon strap with soft, suedelike lining. Need shoes for Independence Day? Try “Freedom,” a rhinestone-studded “salute to Old Glory.” Silly Sandals, $22-$34, can be found at select Dillard’s stores, boutiques, sports specialty stores and at sillysandals.com.
Flattering tankini separates “for real women and for real wear” are on tap at Girls4Sport, a California-based surfwear and swimwear company
