In the Summertime – Socioverse

When the weather is high… we all are going to wear the most beautiful swimwear of the season! That is the pure (and hot) truth because nothing says summer better than a colorful swimming suit. Nothing reminds us of famous movies with villains and sexy girls faster than a red bikini. And nothing goes prettier with tanned skin and a good cocktail.

Itsy Bitsy Teenie Weenie Yellow Polka Dot Bikini!

Well, polka dot bikini are in trend again this summer, but also the crochet white and beige two pieces, the block-color suits in one piece (in red, orange, fuchsia, blue cobalt or emerald green), the prints of all kinds (from geometrical to animal print and 3D prints generated by AI) and the most fantastic embellishments (form crystal to beads, from gigantic bows to laser-cut models).

Noteworthy: there are three important rules when it comes to swimming suits. First, you should wear what you like, secondly, choose what suits you best and thirdly, take care of the place and opportunity in which you wear it (I mean, different stuff for sportive swimming or tanning by the pool). And, of course, do not forget about SPF lotion!

God Created Woman (and some designers the perfect swimming suit)

* The swimming suit history has begun with… some bathing dresses, actually. In the 1700s showing up somewhere in your underwear was a non-no situation, therefore women who wanted to swim had to have long, “bathing” dresses, with weights hanging from the ends to prevent them from floating when they entered the water.

Noteworthy: To be even more correct historically speaking, back in the older days of Ancient Rome, swimming for pleasure wasn’t common. When people did swim or bathe, they went nude, though occasionally women also sported a bandeau-style top with a pair of briefs.
* In the early 1800s… women began to walk more and more on the beach, and the “beach dress” was made now out of white muslin or cotton, with long sleeves, and was worn over long pants. A few more years have passed and the “bathing cabins” have appeared – little wooden houses on wheels, with which women go down into the water fully clothed. At the end of this period, long-sleeved bathing suits and flannel pants appeared.

Noteworthy: When sports began to seize the world’s attention, spurred by earlier events like the modernized Olympics in 1896, swimsuits changed drastically. For the first time, swimming was seen as a sport, something to be taken seriously, and the new one-piece swimwear reflected that.

* The 1910. This was the moment of the first proper bathing suit. It was made out of thick materials, as well, but it left a bit of skin exposed, on the arms and hands. On some beaches, however, there were even “censors” who made sure that the length of the bathing suit (pants, sleeves) was the legal one.

* 1920-1930. During this period, the knitted swimsuit played a significant role in pushing the boundaries. Knitwear manufacturer Jantzen launched some shorts attached to a sleeveless pleated top in bright colors. At first uncomfortable, because they got soaked with water, bathing suits of this type became successful with the introduction of the newly invented fiber, Lastex, into the composition of the material.

* 1946. Hello, bikini! The first bikini a fast presented at an event in Paris, next to a pool, was worn by model Micheline Bernardini, and was initially banned in Spain and Italy, being considered too indecent.

* The 1950s. Films and actresses contribute to the implement the trends. In 1953 Brigitte Bardot appeared at the Cannes Film Festival in a bikini, just like in some of her films (in 1957, in “God Created Woman”, for example). In 1955 British Diana Dors poses in a bikini in a gondola at the Venice Film Festival. Remember Marilyn Monroe’s red one piece swimming suit in “How to Marry a Millionaire” (1953)? Or Brigitte Bardot beautiful shot in “Girl In the Bikini” (1958)? I rest my case.

Noteworthy: French couturier Jaques Heim and Swiss engineer Louis Réard are credited with inventing the bikini (which have been named after the first nuclear weapon tested at Bikini Atoll in the Pacific).

* 1960s. What is with all the “itsy-bitsy-teeny-weeny-yellow-polka-dot bikini”? Well, California girls set the tone for beach parties. It wasn’t long before, also in America, in 1964, the first swimsuit cover of the famous Sports Illustrated magazine appeared, with Babette on the cover wearing a pair of white bikinis.
Noteworthy: Rudi Gernreich, a designer from the 1960s, removed even more fabric from the swimsuit with his “monokini”, a design that ironically looks back to the very first swimsuit: bare skin.

* 1974. The thong brief appeared. Obviously, first worn in Rio de Janeiro and St. Tropez, favorite places for fun on the beach. A few years later, around 1980, the bathing suit model with very cut-out briefs appeared.
* 1990. This is probably the era when the swimsuit was seen, worn, and imitated like never before. “Baywatch” was probably one of the most-watched series of that decade, and Pamela Anderson was the absolute diva.

* In 1995 Victoria’s Secret made the first presentation of its underwear and swimwear collection and from that moment on everything was… history. Extravagant shows, incendiary calendars, millions of viewers watching the famous Victoria’s Secret show.
* The 2000s brought with it problems of acceptance, of diversification of swimwear models, which adapt to silhouettes less conforming to the ideal. And while the top models are still every month on the cover of Sport Illustrated, big companies create campaigns for “plus sizes”. And a lot of collaboration between fashion houses and sport brands begun at that time.

Short history of a men’ shorts

During Roman times, male bathing was carried out naked – until 1880, when this practice was totally forbidden. Men’s swimwear styles during the 1880’s were rather copying traditional undergarments. The first swimsuits were made from knitted wool with stretchy properties absorbing less water than cotton (but still difficult to swim). In 1910-1920 the men fashion style on the beaches included (mandatory) top tanks and shorts, in dark, solid colours, reaching all the way down to the elbow and below the knees. The 1930s came with a more fitted, high-waisted design in swimwear and the introduction of Lastex and nylon. Olympic swimmer Johnny Weismuller was one of the boys that promoted the swimsuits in this period. Weissmuller had given some input into the design and recommended low cut arms on a tank top, with a naturally-fitting waist, coupled with a pair of full trunks. The end product was the very first pair of bathing trunks, initially released in France. Finally, in 1937, men were legally allowed to swim bare-chested.

The 1940 came with a big promotion of male physique and bodybuilding, and swimwear followed. But the 1960s represented the turning point: Rudi Gernrich launched his radical designs (monokini also for men) and the Australian brand Speedo was invented, designed by Peter Travis.

The hippie movement of the 1970s brought boxer trunks and the 1980s came with the neoprene garments and tight Lycra swim briefs. The 1990s introduced loosely-fitting surf board shorts to the market, along with the rising popularity of surfing as a sport. At the beginning of 2000s, beaches were hit by a Brazilian fashion wave and the Sunga Suit became popular, with its various colours and low cut design.

My name is Bond. The Bond girl in bikini.

Of course that we can all name a dozen of movies with hot and famous swimming suits (from romantic image of Brooke Shields in “The Blue Lagoon” to sexy Kate Upton in “The Other Woman” and Jessica Simpson in “The Dukes of Hazzard “ or the adventurous Angelina Jolie in ‘Lara Croft” and Demi Moore with Cameron Diaz in ‘Charlie’s Angels”). But I think that nothing says more adventure, sexiness and… danger than a Bond movie. Of course, with the swimming suits of the best Bond Girls. Therefore, I will let you choose between iconic Ursula Andrews (“Dr. No”, 1962), Honor Blackman (“Goldfinger”, 1964), Trina Parks (“Diamonds Are Forever”, 1971), Gloria Hendry (“Live and Let Die”, 1973), Izabella Scorupco (“GoldenEye”, 1995) and Halle Berry (“Die Another Day”, 2002). What is your pick?

7 swimming suits #madeinRomania

I am pretty sure that are even more than seven Romanian brands that are producing cool & good swimming suits. We chose 7 brands for you and let us know when you discover new ones.

Jolidon – it is one of the biggest and oldest brands in Romania, and their offer includes all kinds of swimming sport pieces – from one piece swimming suits to bikini sets or even pareos perfect for the beach. – www.jolidon.com.

Noire Swimwear – a very hip Romanian brand, having collections inspired by nature’s prints (as flamingos, snake skin or peacock feathers). https://noire-swimwear.com/

I.D.Sarrieri – is also a very well-known Romanian brand, with sexy and very luxurious models. Attention to details and an elaborate craftsmanship are the attributes of the lingerie brand. https://sarrieri.com/

Les Waves – recently appeared on the Romanian market, the brand approached the swimming suits market and especially the surfers and boarders’ community. Sportish, but nice and glam at once. https://leswaves.com/

INFSD – a brand that was started by two influencers in Cluj (Alina Ceușan and Carmen Grebenișan) and it offers a lot of alternatives – from sexy two pieces to one-piece swimming suits, perfect for pools or even cold waters. https://infsd.com/

Sofia Erhan – Luxury swimming suits, perfect details and good quality fabrics – these are the main advantages that characterize the brand’s pieces. https://sofiaerhan.ro/en

Sugar Couture – premium swimming suits, made in Romania, from good fabrics and cool models for the summer. An athleisure brand that said that we all should be… the girl who always gets what she wants. https://sugarcouture.net/

Photography: brands pages, pixabay.com, outnow.ch.

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