On July 5, 2008, the bikini will celebrate its sixty-two years of existence. Considering the mass objection in the 1940s and 50s to this new skimpy bathing suit, it is hard to believe that it is so old. And while times have been tough and sales fluctuated up and down through the years, today there are so many bikini companies it makes one wonder how another bikini can be designed that can itself unique.
Indeed, one of the first ways in which designers created different bikinis was to make them smaller to the point of micro.
The government inadvertently helped with this aspect as fabrics were rationed during the war. This gave manufacturers the chance to reduce the material used in a bikini. Today, bikini creators need no excuse to make their designs smaller. Quite small, in fact! Some companies offer strings or “dental floss” as their bikinis.
Another way for the designers to make unique bikinis is in the fabrics used. Traditional fabrics such as nylon and polyamide with a hint of spandex or lycra are popular as well as less traditional raw materials such as candy, seaweed or rubber and then very elegant bikinis are created from handmade crochet and even expensive jewels.
Lastly, designs are different by the prints or solids that the creators use. Polka dots, stripes, plaids, sea creatures, stars and logos all adorn bikinis. In fact, because of the myriad of colours and designs now available, companies encourage the customer to mix and match her bottoms and tops to create a look of her own.
There is no doubt that the bikini has endured. And with trends toward wearing nothing or close to nothing, the bikini is sure to stay for a while longer. Further, along with the major companies producing bikinis, cottage designers have started their own labels by crafting homemade and handmade custom bathing suits to meet the ever-demanding appetite for new bikini styles.
Happy Birthday to the Bikini!
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