bathing suit

A Vilebrequin Father's Day: Beachfront Daddies Get Their Crankshafts Turned

Filed under: Apparel, Men's Style, Modern Gentleman

Vilebrequin's french definition might not exactly translate as "killer beach-trou, bro," but that's what you'll hear all day long whilst sporting a pair. I test-drove this slick import in demanding summery conditions featuring 95-degree scorch, scampering tots, sun-worshipping hipsters, and riparian resplendence along the James River in Richmond, Virginia. The view flowed f

rom blue sky to lush green vegetation, punctuated by a smattering of kayaks that made the panorama look like the scene of a brief paint gun fight. On the rocky beachhead, the afternoon produced a lithe parade of string bikinis, tankinis, and bandinis (sadly, no monokinis). Nearly all of the males wore board shorts of various lengths and tattoos of questionable taste as they reposed on tattered blankets and pulled lotion from beat-up backpacks. The stylish exception shone like a beacon of smartness: my two boys and me in matching Jim & Jam Vilebrequin swimtrunks (those ain't no cute models in the pix, these are our family photos...Brooks & Sebastion with yours truly). If the day were a William Carlos Williams poem, I'd say that So much depends / upon / a blue rabbit / glazed with river / water / besides the white / linen.

Vilebrequin rhymes with "celebs will grin," and anyone who's taken holiday on the gulf of Saint-Tropez will recognize the reinforced double-stitching, spinnaker canvas, and the braided tying cords tipped with engraved zamac, an alloy that will never tarnish or corrode.

If you own a bespoke suit, a tailored shirt, or custom cufflinks, this is your bathing suit. I mean, why on earth would you wear cut-off denims shorts to anything other than a costume party, Daisy Duke convention, or a spontaneous dip outside the Diesel outlet? If you don't yet have a shirt-maker on your speed-dial, consider this your entryway into fine duds. Appreciate the couture of hand-cut back pockets for pattern alignment, water wallet for stowing cash and cards dryly, and a signature label upon the rear waistband that's a handsome and subtle, anti-gauche declaration of brand. Add to this garment's quality construction the whimsical, classic, breezy, patterns of tropical flora and fauna the likes of which one might find papering the walls of cabanas in exotic locales, and you've got a helluva reason to hit the surf.

Tags: bathing suit, fathers day, modern gentleman, swimwear, tesauro, vilebrequin

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Glamour Back in Fashion at Miami Swimsuit Shows

by Jared Paul Stern (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Apparel

At Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week in Miami designers just showed the latest looks in swimwear for Spring 2010. "Old glamour is back in a big way" declared the Miami Herald of the numerous collections on display at the chic Raleigh Hotel in South Beach. Check out the video above for some highlights - you'll enjoy it even if you can't wear any of the suits yourself. Other trends of note to emerge from the round of eye-popping events, according to the Herald: hot pink is in, ditto transparent material; as for shape it was "all about the bandeau and the monokini (attached bikini) or cutout one-pieces," while high-waisted and ruffled looks made a splash as well. Many of the suits were "sexy in a feminine way - not overtly flashing a lot of skin." Oh well.

Tags: bathing suit, BathingSuit, bikini, fashion show, Fashion Week, FashionShow, FashionWeek, Mercedes-Benz, Miami, models, Raleigh Hotel, RaleighHotel, South Beach, SouthBeach, swimsuit, swimwear

Tara Matthews Frog Bikini

by Nicole Weston (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Apparel

Summer carries on and, as we finally come to the height of the season, it might be time for a new bathing suit. If bold colors and prints don't suit you, you don't have to settle for something boring, or plain. The Frog Bikini by Tara Matthews is dressed up with lovely frogs, embroidered on both the top and bottom of the two-piece olive swimsuit. The frog is done in gold thread, with tiny jeweled eyes; it has a high level of interest and detail, but does not attract unnecessary attention to the suit itself in the way a gaudy pattern would. Besides, the frog is adorable and there is hardly a better animal to portray on a swimsuit than an amphibian. Price: $385.

Tags: bathing suit, BathingSuit, bikini, embroidered, embroidery, frog, swim suit, tara matthews

Build-Your-Own Bikini

by Nicole Weston (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Apparel

We've known for some time that you can create your own polo shirts, ties and hats at Ralph Lauren's website. By selecting the color combinations for the main piece and the accenting polo pony, you can end up with someting unique that flatters your coloring and suits your style. This summer, the designer has added to the idea with create-your-own bikini and sarong options for women. The basic bikini is made out of stretch mesh pique, Polo's signature suit material. It has a low-cut halter top and a low-rise bikini-style bottom that pair to creat a sexy silhouette. The top and bottom pieces can be the same or different colors and are $42 each. The sarong is short, with a side tie, and is $50. The only feature that would improve the process is if you could upload your own photo to the website and see how it looks on before you buy it.

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Tags: apparel, bathing suit, beach, bikini, clothing, custom, designer, ralph lauren, suit, summer

Betty One Piece Swimsuit

by Nicole Weston (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Apparel

Can't wait to see the Notorious Bettie Paige? You can definitely capture the look of the 1950's pin-up with this fantastic Betty One Piece bathing suit from Bondi Bathers. It's retro and sexy, with a low-cut neckline and full-coverage boy-cut legs. The cut of the swimsuit is very flattering due not only to its slimming black color, but to princess panels that create a very streamlined appearance. One trip to the beach in this and you might end up with more fans than Bettie herself. Price: $131.

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Tags: apparel, bathing suit, beach, bettie page, betty one piece, BettyOnePiece, bondi bathers, retro, summer, swimsuit, vintage

J. Crew Beaded Bathing Suit

by Dakota Smith (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Apparel

From the J.Crew Collection, the preppy retailer's more expensive line of clothing, here's a beautiful and apparently swimmable suit. Shells and beads decorate the top of the suit, while there's boning along the sides. And sure, brown isn't always the most flattering color for a pale beach newbie, but this suit probably looks really pretty once you have a tan. Price: $100.