Believe it or not, swimsuits have been around since the days of Ancient Rome, when public bathing was all the rage (hence the term bathing suit). What's interesting is that the suits women wore a millennia ago were shockingly similar to the suits women wear today. When the trend crossed the pond to America, conservative minds grabbed hold of the idea, turning functional lightweight swimsuits into bulky dresses made out of wool. In 1946 the modern day bikini was born, at a time when women were beginning to flirt with new-found freedoms and civil rights. During the 60s, designers tapped into the wide-spread feelings of rebellion and discontent with social constraints.
Now that the free-love days are over and we're all burned out on overexposed models and actresses-nothing surprises us anymore. Girls are learning the value of leaving more to the imagination rather than letting it hang all out for the world to see. Okay, we know why. But you get the idea!
There are a lot of great ways to accessorize with one-piece suits. Along with the beach/pool essentials, silk scarves are a great way to keep the wind from tangling hair and fading hair color, and they happen to be this season's "it" accessory. Hollywood role models have had a counter-effect in some circles of young people.
What's more, I think we're simply bored. We have decades of fashion trends to reflect on and re-invent in fun and creative ways. One-piece swimsuits are more flattering to some body types-they can elongate the torso and camouflage problem areas and scars from C-sections. If the Baywatch babes can look sexy in a one-piece, why can't the rest of us?
A. Covington is a fashion writer with a penchant for handbags, silk scarves and luxury accessories. She lends her fashion sense to the women's fashion blog The Divas Dreams. Her readers get a regular dose of fashion tips and articles on handbags, fashion trends and accessories.
