Article Fashion

The bikini was invented by Louis Reard and Jacques Heim
in Paris in 1946. However
due to its skimpiness
hardly anyone had the courage to wear a bikini until the late 1950s
when actress Brigitte Bardot created a splash by wearing a bikini in the film
‘And God Created Woman.’ The bikini revolution subsequently became a rage
and even got its own song: ‘Itsy Bitsy Teeny Weeny Yellow Polka Dot Bikini.’

Coming back to the present
bikinis have become modest in character. Bikini bottoms are offering more coverage than in the past without giving up on their sex appeal. Last season witnessed straight
top-line bikini bottoms. Surprisingly
there were hardly any deep-V bikini bottoms
thongs or G-strings in sight. With more coverage in style
fashion houses are predicting that the ‘skirtini’ is going to be the next big thing in the swimsuit industry.

Bikinis come in a variety of styles
the most popular being ‘Tankini’ (a longer top that leaves only a small portion of the stomach exposed)
‘Bandini’ (a bikini with a bandeau top)
‘Camikini’ (similar to the tankini except the top looks like a camisole)
and ‘Boy Legs’ (the bottom is longer and resembles short shorts). The classic halter-top
however
is still in vogue although the ‘Bandini’ was the hippest bikini style last season
with almost every swimwear label producing its own take on it. For the ties that bind
sashes
rather than spaghetti strings
were in demand.

For those on the heavier side
sarongs continue to be a flattering way to cover up the extra pounds
although board shorts are a sporty alternative.