This Year, Guys Grin and Bare It
Retro trend means more modest look for women, though
By Constance Hsiao

Summer is almost half over, and long past is the seasonal swimsuit craze that takes place even before this half of the world is tilted toward the sun.

Nonetheless, the beaches are as crowded as ever, especially in the long days of record-breaking heat that have baked the East Coast. So what to wear?

Typically, buying a swimsuit all comes down to one’s personality, say retailers.

For men, though, retro has meant that men’s suits are getting tighter. Plus, says Canyon Beachwear manager Christina Powers, “stripes are also big.”

It also seems there’s a lot of variation in color this season. Johanna Baer, manager of Speedo Authentic Fitness in San Francisco, has a number of competitive swimmers as clients, and sells many one-piece suits in “grey, black and the light-lime color.”

However, Sara Minor, who handles scouting, developing and imaging at Mitchell Management, said that “the swimsuits this year are a lot more colorful and stylish -- there’s lots of good colors put together. It’s not just solid black anymore.”

Powers agrees. “The suits are getting more retro; there’s a lot of oranges and mustards,” she said.

When taking the long, hard trip throughout an endless train of stores to find just the right suit, one needs to keep several things in mind.

“Pay attention to lining and reinforced seams,” said Baer. “Normally people need to size themselves up -- they should not be buying their normal size, they should buy a size above that.”

Among females, teenagers might go for skimpier suits than older women, who are more likely to prefer sophisticated designer suits, according to Powers.

She adds that thanks to “the biggest, most blatant trend” this summer -- the “tankini” -- lots of women have been able to chill out about having those few extra pounds or “problem areas” in full view.

The bikini bottom and tank-top duo, a style that has become ubiquitous in the past few months, has never been done before -- at least not to this extent, according to Baer.

“A lot of people don’t like the restriction of a one-piece,” Baer said in explaining why the tankini has taken off. It gives wearers “more freedom but also covers the midsection if they’re uncomfortable about showing so much skin.”

Minor, who is highly involved with the fashion world, cites different reasons for the immediate popularity of the tankini.

“Girls are becoming more active, and it’s not just about lying out anymore,” she said. “They need to be able to swim or play volleyball without worrying about their top falling off.”

Other popular women’s swimsuits this year have also adopted a retro -- and decidedly modest -- look: boys’ brief-style bottoms and attached “swim skirts,” for example. Said Powers: “We’re really revisiting the ’60s in style.”

For those women with shorter legs, Minor suggests high-cut swimsuits. For women with smaller busts, “a lot of swimsuits are coming out that have something like the Wonderbra that are padded and push-up.”

What’s one of the bigger changes that the swimsuit industry has moved away from? “The G-string,” Powers said. “We sold a lot of those in the ’80s.”

Photos of Esther Lee and Amy Kang were taken by Henry Kee of Kee Photo, located at 767 Sacramento Street, San Francisco. (415) 397-7773.