Monthly Archives: August 2008

Bikini Watch: Mix-n-Match in 2009

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Don’t throw away those mismatched tops and bottoms! It’s finally in vogue to match just about any swimsuit top with a different bottom.

Gone are the days when Solid bikini tops could only go with solid bottoms. Striped tops went with striped bottoms… and solids with solids, prints with prints. No more! For that matter, say goodbye to buying bikini “sets” and welcome a whole new world of bikini freedom where it’s tres chic to pair unconventional and unlikely separates together.

We loved the look of this Lisa Lozano two piece that we saw at the 2009 Miami Swim Show at the Miami Convention Center. The model is wearing a soft pink striped crochet halter with a solid chocolate bottom. And check out singer Rihanna on the beach in this uber-mod, contrasting two piece. She’s striking in a safari-print Bandeau top and a gold-printed hipster bottom.

So what’s the rule on matching seemingly mismatched swimwear separates? We say, if it feels good, wear it. Pair floral print bikini tops with zig-zag bottoms, or pair checkered bottoms with wild stripes. The greater the contrast, the hotter the look!

Bikinis that Balance out Curves

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You don’t have to be pencil thin to look good in a bikini. The Kate Moss “waify” look is a thing of the past, and now curves are in… in a very big way. If you’re a curvy girl, you don’t have to rule out wearing a two piece at the beach — there’s strategy in choosing bikinis that can balance out your lovely contours.

In fact, many swimwear designers including big names such as Ed Hardy, Poko Pano and Pistol Panties to name a few, have sexy two piece and monokini swimsuits that flatter curvacious figures.

Red Carter has some gorgeous monokini cut-out swimsuits that can work wonders for girls with curves.
Here’s proof positive that choosing the right swimsuit can flatter even the most shapely curves — check out Hollywood star, Kim Kardashian in this smoking hot one-piece cut-out. We all know that that Kim’s best assets are… ahem… behind her.

In this striking monokini , it’s all about smoke and mirrors. Kim gets the most of her curves with an optical illusion. The vertical connecting piece draws the eye down the center of her swimsuit, creating a major contrast to her voluptuous curves. The result? A flawless, hour-glass figure.

Photo courtesy of People.com.

Swimwear Trend for 2009: Romantic Ruffles

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Ruffles and frill-inspired bikinis are making big waves in swimwear for 2009. Our Swimwear Team saw models sporting everything ruffled from Triangle tops to bandeaus, and frilly skiritinis at the Miami Swim Show.

We saw lots of ruffles and frills peeking out whenever and wherever they could and we expect them to make headlines in next year’s swimwear. There were ruffled skirtinis from Betsey Johnson Swimwear, embellished frilly triangle tops by Pistol Panties, bandeaus, soft ruffle-edged bikini bottoms and flouncy cover-ups.

But we almost died and went to swimwear heaven when we stumbled across this unbelievably sexy, Ann Margaret-inspired bikini stunner from local Miami designer, Alexis Barbara.

Check out the wooden pull-thru hardware detail on the neck tie.

The ruffled Sliding Triangle to is elegant, sexy and oh-so-prissy! And if you’re a little light in the cleavage department, ruffles add layers that help to fill you out. The long, strappy tie sides help make this gorgeous two piece a winner in our book.

And it’s definitely a winner on sexy model/actress (bottom left) Michelle Hunziker. She was spotted on Formentera Island wearing a similar version of the Barbara bikini.

Betsey Johnson Swimwear 2009 Preview

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When it comes to Betsey Johnson Swimwear, you know you’ll find swimwear fashion that’s truly one-of-a-kind with a flattering fit that accentuates your curves. This year, our favorite whimsical designer has found a way to inject even more girly-girl, flirty sex appeal into her novel swimsuits.

Our Swimwear Team was at the Betsey Johnson booth at the Miami Swim Show to see the unveiling of the designer’s colorful swimwear collections for 2009. And she didn’t disappoint, infusing more feminine sex appeal in herswimwear designs. Betsey’s back with hippie-chic themes, plenty of neckline ruffles and flirty frills, retro prints, wavy tops and bottoms and overall well-constructed, ultra feminine suits.

Our favorite is this one from her “At the Hop” collection – a retro-inspired medley of playful dots accented with hot pink bows and ties against lovely ruffles, frills and pleats. She’s got belted hipsters, flirty skirtinis that adjust for more or less derriere coverage, saloon-style halter push up tops, peak-a-bow bra tops and well-constructed tankinis. And if you like Betsey’s ruffled necklines, you’ll love Pistol Pantie’s frilly-edged swimsuits.

Stay tuned for future posts to find out more about her collection.

Ed Hardy Swimwear Sizzles in Miami

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By far, one of the hottest events of the Mercedes-Benz Swim Show in Miami, Florida was the highly anticipated Ed Hardy fashion show which featured designer swimwear by Christian Audigier.

The star-studded affair took center stage July 19th at South Beach’s Raleigh hotel, drawing major celebrities like former NBA star, Dennis Rodman, for a first-hand look at sexy new swimwear for 2009.

This model is showcasing one of many tattoo-inspired bikinis from the new Ed Hardy line. It was an amazing swimsuit show that captured the essence of true “rock-and-roll meets glam” chic in a variety of vibrant colors and styles.

The dynamic duo of Ed Hardy — a San Francisco tattoo artist — and French designer Christian Audigier formed in 2004 when Audigier took Hardy’s art and incorporated it into the well known “Ed Hardy by Christian Audigier” label.

Today, Ed Hardy’s electric and distinctive style has become iconic among fashion trendsetters from Beverly Hills to sunny South Beach.

In fact, Britney Spears has been photographed wearing Ed Hardy bikinis on recent trips to Las Vegas and Costa Rica. If you love Ed Hardy fashion, then you’ll also love designer Salina’s fresh take on wild print swimsuits. Photo Courtesy of Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week.

Read related posts:

Ed Hardy Fashion Show Video (YouTube)
The New Ed Hardy Line
Ed Hardy Swimwear Rocks Miami
Ed Hardy Love and Luck

The Miami Swimwear Show (a.k.a. Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week)

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Only one thing to say about it – if you weren’t there, you should have been. The Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week in South Beach was to die for! From July 18th to July 22nd, the historic Raleigh Hotel in South Beach became the epicenter for an international swimwear summit of sorts – a meeting of the most fashionable minds where the hottest swimwear designers from around the globe showcased their designs for 2009.

So who’d we see? Swimwear designs by Ed Hardy Swimwear, Red Carter, Diesel, Salinas Swimwear Pistol Panties, Poko Pano and Ondademar, Vix, Custo Barcelona, to name a few. Take a look at this sexy South Beach-inspired bikini with hardware detail, paired with dressy cover-up. Did you recognize the woman in the pink swimsuit? It’s Tori Praver — a Sports Illustrated model who used to model for Guess girl and Guess Swimwear.

We raved when we saw this one at the fashion show! We’re calling this hot little number from Pistol Panties Polka Dot Paradise.

See more photos like this here.

Photo courtesy of the Associated Press.

But don’t worry, we’ve got you covered with profiles of the top designers, a preview of the hottest swimwear trends for 2009, tips on finding the best fit for your body and much more.

By the way, welcome to the Swimwear Blog, where we dish almost daily on swimwear fabulocity. Check out our posts for the latest updates on swimwear design trends, celeb swimwear gossip, great bargains and all things beachy. So stay tuned and tell us what you think about the swimwear preview for 2009.