Swimwear trends don't move in quite the same cycles as other fashion trends. That's because it's hard to reinvent the bikini, Beach wear or the monokini: in the need to balance functionality and sex appeal, designers are limited to what they can actually do. Despite this, one piece and bikini trends are certainly still influenced by other fashion trends. For example, bikinis in 2009 and 2010 were heavily inspired by some of the key fashion trends for those years: cutaway clothing, one-shouldered pieces, fetish fashion, high-end sportswear and rock-chic garments. These are largely styles of the past, however.
So what swimsuit trends can we expect for 2011 and into 2012? You'd be right if you guessed swimsuit styles influenced by other key fashion trends for the year. So when it comes to choosing a bikini for 2011 and 2012, these are the styles should you be looking out for.
Vintage-inspired swimwear
There's a scene in 1956's High Society where Grace Kelly kneels poolside and pushes a model boat, the True Love, across the still water. She's wearing a white halterneck swimsuit that ends in a small, ruffled skirt; her chin-length hair is neatly curled, her feet are bare. Never has a swimsuit looked so elegant.
Of course it's the bombshells, the pin-ups, of the same era we're more inclined to think of when it comes to 1950s swimsuits in particular - the Marilyn Monroes and the Jayne Mansfields. They're playful, curvaceous, steeped in sex appeal. And so the reason we refer to the former is to balance out the latter: vintage-style swimwear has a huge place in 2011 and onwards, but it doesn't have to be all strawberry cheesecake cliches. And the right piece can be whatever you want it to be, as bombshell as Monroe or as sophisticated as Kelly.
Nor does a vintage bikini or swimsuit have to be like a pin-up girl costume. In 2011 many designers are infusing vintage-inspired details into modern pieces - a high-waist here, a vintage print there - and the results can be perfect for the zeitgeist.
Some features to look out for:
one-pieces with cinched-in waists, sweetheart necklines and halters
high-waist bottoms
playful prints - gingham checks, hawaiian prints, nautical themes
shirred sides that accentuate the waist and hips
fuller-cupped tops
So what swimsuit trends can we expect for 2011 and into 2012? You'd be right if you guessed swimsuit styles influenced by other key fashion trends for the year. So when it comes to choosing a bikini for 2011 and 2012, these are the styles should you be looking out for.
Vintage-inspired swimwear
There's a scene in 1956's High Society where Grace Kelly kneels poolside and pushes a model boat, the True Love, across the still water. She's wearing a white halterneck swimsuit that ends in a small, ruffled skirt; her chin-length hair is neatly curled, her feet are bare. Never has a swimsuit looked so elegant.
Of course it's the bombshells, the pin-ups, of the same era we're more inclined to think of when it comes to 1950s swimsuits in particular - the Marilyn Monroes and the Jayne Mansfields. They're playful, curvaceous, steeped in sex appeal. And so the reason we refer to the former is to balance out the latter: vintage-style swimwear has a huge place in 2011 and onwards, but it doesn't have to be all strawberry cheesecake cliches. And the right piece can be whatever you want it to be, as bombshell as Monroe or as sophisticated as Kelly.
Nor does a vintage bikini or swimsuit have to be like a pin-up girl costume. In 2011 many designers are infusing vintage-inspired details into modern pieces - a high-waist here, a vintage print there - and the results can be perfect for the zeitgeist.
Some features to look out for:
one-pieces with cinched-in waists, sweetheart necklines and halters
high-waist bottoms
playful prints - gingham checks, hawaiian prints, nautical themes
shirred sides that accentuate the waist and hips
fuller-cupped tops
Ruffled bikini / ruffled swimsuit
Perhaps it's the inspiration of vintage swimwear on 2011 and 2012, or it's just the need for women to find a distinct, feminine way for their swimsuits standout by the pool and at the beach, either way: ruffled bikinis and ruffled swimsuits are one of the swimwear trends for the coming season.
And the fact that ruffled swimwear is an on-trend style at the moment is just about where the rules for the trend end. Unlike vintage swimwear or even one-shouldered bikinis, ruffled swimwear has no distinct style 'rules'. Instead we've seen it styled and cut in a lot of different ways for spring / summer 2011 and 2012, often working alongside other one piece and bikini trends for the year.
Perhaps it's the inspiration of vintage swimwear on 2011 and 2012, or it's just the need for women to find a distinct, feminine way for their swimsuits standout by the pool and at the beach, either way: ruffled bikinis and ruffled swimsuits are one of the swimwear trends for the coming season.
And the fact that ruffled swimwear is an on-trend style at the moment is just about where the rules for the trend end. Unlike vintage swimwear or even one-shouldered bikinis, ruffled swimwear has no distinct style 'rules'. Instead we've seen it styled and cut in a lot of different ways for spring / summer 2011 and 2012, often working alongside other one piece and bikini trends for the year.
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