Swimwear Trends for Summer 2008

Humorist Erma Bombeck once said:  “People shop for a bathing suit with more care than they do a husband or wife.”

Sadly, in most cases, Bombeck is dead on. 

But the good news is that whether you are size 2 or 20 there are plenty of options available.  Finding a swimsuit that looks great and feels great is possible.

This year trends include shiny hardware accents on suits, snakeskin prints, and metallics, particularly gold.  But the overall theme for the 2008 swimsuit season, according to experts, is retro glam.  Think vintage-inspired looks that conceal more than they reveal.  Some are calling the look “more covered up,” if not downright modest. 

What this means is that it is actually hip to cover your hips.  This season’s suits feature a lower leg and a higher waist, and more coverage all around.

A strapless polka-dot one-piece that could have been pulled from Marilyn Monroe’s closet, rather than Mariah Carey’s was recently featured on the pages of Vogue magazine with a caption that read:  “All hail!  The power of a great set of gams – it’s all the skin you need to show.”

Which is not to say that the one-piece can’t be sexy.  Some versions are seriously sexy, with plunging necklines and strategic cutouts.

Women also have the option of going with the still popular in-between styles: the tankini and the monokini. 

The monokini is a swimsuit that gained popularity last season.  It looks like a one-piece in front and a two-piece in back.  Meanwhile, the tankini, which consists of a tank top and bikini bottom is, according to manufactures, a perennial top seller because it is made to fit women of all sizes.  These days you can find tankinis in sizes from zero to 24.  The full-coverage suit also accommodates women up to a cup size E.

See Also:

Swimwear Through the Ages