Whether you call it a cossie, a tog, bather or bikini, retro style swimsuits are dominating beaches this summer.
“ Retro is huge,” said Malia Roeric, owner of Malia's Swimwear Boutique in Olde Towne Okotoks. “ Anything Marilyn Monroe with the really high modest bottoms and the tiny bandeau top, or the one-piece retro suits.”
Unlike the 1960s bubblegum pop song lyrics, this summer's swimsuits have been upsized from itsy-bitsy-teeny-weeny bikinis to a modest-cut and incredibly flattering style.
“ A lot of us aren't built like models,” she said. “ We've got our curves and I think they look great.”
Still, the yellow polka dots are here to stay. The return of the classic style means a shift to “ ultra fun and feminine,” she said.
Pin-up girl swimsuits are the go-to trend of the season with ruffles, frills, lace and both big and tiny polka dots, said Roeric.
While most swimsuits this season do follow the retro cut, each suit has its own unique detailing which Roeric said can also help to camouflage trouble spots.
“ Frills and ruffles are in, because they're so feminine,” she said. “ The colours this year are amazing, like lilacs, dusty roses, and this ultra marine colour, like a jewel tone blue which is shiny and gorgeous.”
A recent trend in swimsuit design is a more structured approach, said Roeric.
“ It's almost like they're amalgamating swimwear and lingerie,” she explained. “ There's padding and there's underwire, so it's not just floppy material.”
When it comes to the best swimsuit styles for different body types, Roeric urged women to ignore the “ recommendations” of fashion magazines for pear, apple or boy-shaped figures.
“ We're all so different and have problem areas in different places,” she said. “ It's totally individual.”
Any woman can pull off any swimsuit style she likes as long as she feels comfortable and confident, said Roeric.
A rule to live by for any female figure is that “ ruching is our friend,” said Roeric.
“ Lots of ladies say I already have bumps, I don't need more,” she said. “ But it totally camouflages and is very flattering if you are feeling bloated. You can change the ruching around to your trouble spots.”
Ruching can also help accentuate curves in boyish figures, she said.
For those of us who prefer a little more coverage than a string bikini, cover-ups and sundresses are a lifesaver at the beach or pool.
“ I have a little fetish with cover-ups,” said Roeric. “ All my dresses, you can throw them in your suitcase and they don't wrinkle which is amazing because when you go on a trip, you can just throw it on and you don't have to worry about ironing it.”
Cover-ups are also a simple way to transition from poolside in the afternoon to dinner in the evening in one swift move, said Roeric.
“ You even could put a camisole underneath it and dress it up for dinner,” she said.
At Pure Jeanius in Okotoks summer dresses and jersey jumpsuits, which can also be used as a cover-up to and from the pool, are scattered throughout the store just in time for the 20-plus degree weather.
“ We wait 10 months for this weather, so we need to enjoy it while we can,” said Pure Jeanius employee Jody Latta with a laugh. “ Our jumpsuits are great for wearing to the beach over a swimsuit, or you can wear them out at night later on if you want.”
Jumpsuits are available in most primary colours, like red, yellow and blue, which sets off tanned skin beautifully, said Latta.
On sundresses, Latta said lady-like details such as lace are trendy for summer along with empire and A-line waists, allowing fabric to float away from the body in a universally figure-flattering style.
“ It's girlish,” she said. “ It's just pretty and the feminine look is coming back.”
Dawn Hegarty, employee at Off the Hook clothing store on Elizabeth Street, saw similar trends in summer dresses.
Jersey cotton dresses dangled off the racks of the store, but in softer and more feminine shades like coral pink and with unique detailing like ruffles.
“ It's very girly,” said Hegarty.
Malia's Swimwear Boutique is located at 22 McRae Street in Olde Towne Okotoks. Pure Jeanius is at 21 Elizabeth Street, and Off the Hook is at 40 Elizabeth Street.
