Although it is normally credited as being invented in 1947, two-piece swimwear has been recorded in history as early as the fourth century and was used regularly by Roman women. But it is in the last sixty years where the bikini has become synonymous with the beach.
In the past sixty years bikinis have progressed from offering full coverage to today's minimal styles that barely cover anything. There are three main types of bikini that are defined mainly by how much material they are made of and thus how much coverage they afford the wearer.
The traditional bikini generally offers full bottom coverage at the rear and encloses the breasts. Brazilian bikinis lose some of this material in the bikini brief creating low-rise bottoms and more skimpy coverage of the breast. Taking this material cutting exercise to the extreme is the micro bikini (or microkini).
The microkini uses the smallest of material (to keep within public decency laws) and barely offers any coverage at all. The most extreme styles have just a string at the rear and a tiny triangle of material at the front. The bikini tops go as small as to barely cover the nipples. But as most people will never wear these we will concentrate on the traditional bikini shapes and styles.
Which style you choose will largely depend on your body as certain styles are designed for larger body types then others. Body styles, for bikinis, can generally be split into three or four categories and are defined by the largest area of your body.
Halter neck bikinis on the other hand are better suited to the women with larger chests. If your bra size is a C cup, or above, then this style will definitely look better on you and provide much needed support. They generally have wider straps that the spaghetti style straps of triangle bikinis and won't dig into your shoulders anywhere near as much.
Bandeau style bikinis differ from both triangle and halter neck styles because the top is made from a single piece of material and covers your breasts like a band. In fact this is how its name is derived.
Because the weight of your breasts are supported by the band of material, bandeau bikinis come with either two thin straps, one single asymmetric strap or normally without any shoulder straps at all. This style of bikini works best for smaller chests because of the lack of shoulder straps means larger breasts will appear to sag.
If you need a little extra help with your bikini, then look for underwired bikini tops as these will add shape to your breasts. If you want help with your cleavage then look for padded bikinis or plunge bikinis as these will give your boobs a lift and draw them closer together to create a larger cleavage then you would have with traditional triangle styles.
Bikinis are mainly sold as separates so you can either match or mix your bikini pant to your bikini top. This makes choosing your look for the beach easier as you can go for a different style of pant, or a larger size if needed, than the bikini top.
If you're top heavy then look for a plain bikini top and go for a detailed bikini pant to draw the eye away from your chest. Conversely, if your bottom half is larger relative to your top half then keep opt for a plain pant and a detailed bikini top.
Detailing such as rings, bows and tie-ups work well to keep the eyes focused on your best features and away from those you least like. If you really don't like your bottom half then you could go for a bikini pant that is skirted. A small skirting effect is added that is both pretty and good at hiding your bum too.
As trends have a tendency to do, the bikini trend escalated in 1960 when a songwriter named Brian Hyland crafted his Yellow Polka Dot Bikini song, which soon became a hit. Since that time, the bikini has become commonplace among swimwear designers and those who still buy the bikinis.
Recently, however, a new style of bikini has emerged that has gained worldwide attention-the Brazilian micro bikini. It also started as a new way for women to sunbathe, which allowed them to wear as little as possible in order to get the best tan with the least amount of fabric covering their bodies.
Brazilian bikinis-both the bikini tops and bottoms-reveal more skin than any of the previous bikini styles. In fact, the Brazilian bikini bottoms are so revealing that it's mandatory that a woman have her pubic hairs removed before she can go out in public wearing such a bathing suit. To remove the hair that is so visible requires using a warm wax, rather than just shaving that particular area of a woman's body. Thus, with the influence of the Brazilian bikini, its popularity launched the term Brazilian wax-a procedure for hair removal required before a woman could wear the bikini.
The bottoms of Brazilian bikinis have slim strips of fabric that drape over the pelvic bone in front, and the fabric in back reveals almost every inch of a woman's body. The bikini bottoms are known as Tanga, Asa Delta, and Fio Dental. Tanga covers a minimal part of the flesh on the backside, while Asa Delta looks similar to a thong, but has strips of fabric that line each side of the back. Finally, the Fio Dental resembles the size of dental floss as it slithers in between the buttocks of the wearer.
The tops of Brazilian bikinis are equally as flesh revealing as the bottoms. Although bikinis are known to be worn for swimming, the Brazilian bikinis are most appropriately known for sunbathing use. Women can choose one of three styles for these types of bikini tops-triangle, halter, and bandeau. The triangle covers the bust area with two teeny-tiny cups that suggest that they might cover a small portion of the breasts. A halter top is made with somewhat more fabric and is cinched around the neck to keep the bosom from falling out of the suit. The bandeau is like an elastic tube that slips over the head and nestles around the chest area, with no ties at the neck or back.
Let's face it, we do not always manage to maintain our figures in tip top shape. Especially after the winter, during periods of stress and high work tempos, we will slack off. Sometimes, we tend to forget that our bodies do get flabby with age, even with a reasonable diet. This flab build up may be worse if we tend to binge on unhealthy foods.
To have the best bikini body, we will need to lose some fat and tone our body so that we can achieve a nice shape. How can we achieve this? We simply follow a bikini body workout that is sensible and helps to burn fat and tone our muscles.
You may ask, what is the fastest way to trim fat and flab to get the best bikini body possible? Of course, all of us want to achieve visible results as fast as we can. Don't worry about it one bit because following some simple and easy steps can help you look great in a bikini in no time.
Depending on which body part you are having the most problem with, those areas may need more toning and trimming. There are specific areas which need to be given more attention than the others if you want to tone them. One of the most problematic areas is the tummy and thighs. Fat content from the food we eat is usually stored in the stomach area or the thighs.
This is particularly apparent if we do not engage in regular exercise. If there is an excess intake of calories and bad cholesterol, these harmful and ugly fat become deposited in the belly, buttocks or thighs. Therefore to look good in a bikini, we will have to say goodbye to our flabby tummy, chunky thighs, and round buttocks. Since spot reduction in any one problem area does not work, the most effective way is to perform cardio workout exercises to help you burn fat from all parts of your body equally or at equal rates.
Secondly, you have to have to start watching what you eat. Proper dietary habits based on the recommended daily dietary allowance should be followed. It will be helpful if you also adhered to a balanced diet based on what the food pyramid recommends. Most importantly, you should select and consistently engage in a bikini body workout program that focuses on the abdominal area, your thighs and your buttocks, or any area that you feel can be improved so you can have the best bikini body.
Your bikini body workout program should start with warm up exercises to get your body ready for action. The most helpful segment of the workout program will be the cardio exercises to help with fat loss, and which helps to energize your heart and get it pumping.
To get the best bikini body by following a bikini body workout, the program has to be practiced by people who have a strong sense of self-discipline. If you fail to be consistent in following your bikini workout schedule or if you do not give it your best shot, then you will need more time to get the desired outcome
If you are going to the beach and you would like to wear a very nice bikini, the stomach area is the first thing that you should look at working on, since this may make or break that best bikini look on the beach. A flat tummy is essential to project a sexy attractive look. Of course, working on the thighs, buttocks and upper arms will further enhance that bikini look as well. Burning fat from you body and building good muscle tone will be good all rounder solutions to help you look great and feel confident in a bikini.
So, what are you waiting for? Select your very own bikini body workout plan and sweat your way to the best bikini body you have ever had. You will notice that people will start admiring your flat toned tummy, envious of how nice your abs are looking or your long slender bikini legs, even.
What if you are reading this article in the winter time? Well, it never hurts to have your best bikini body ready, even if this is the winter time. You can instead, burn fat, tone up, and look great on the ski slopes. Believe me, people can tell that you have a great bod, even under your ski jacket and pants.
What is a bandeau bikini top?
A bandeau bikini top is a top without any strap. The bikini is supported through the 2 cups and the strap at the back. This strapless look is its most important attraction. There are several variants of the bikini available in the market including bikinis with detachable straps and padded bikini.
Consideration for bandeau bikini selection
The strapless look makes the selection process extremely important. A wrong selection may result in the most embarrassing moment of your life. In this article we shall try to discuss all the important points that you need to consider before buying the bikini.
- Consider your bust size: The bandeau bikini looks good on girls with smaller busts. Hence if you have comparatively larger bust then go for some other type of bikini. As stated earlier the detachable strap bikini may be a good choice for you.
- Not too Loose: Buy a bikini that fits your body properly and is not too loose. Remember that the bikini does not have any strap and hence rests on your body only. Hence if you end up buying a bikini that is too loose then you will not be able to wear it.
- Not too tight: In order to avoid the above problem i.e buying a bikini that is too loose many girls end up buying one that is too tight for them. Remember that the bikini is going to be on the most sensitive parts of your body and hence buy a good fitting one and not one that is too tight.
- Avoid going to deep water: Avoid going to deep water while wearing this strapless bikini. Especially if you go to a water fall or sea then the bikini top may be carried away by water thereby creating an embarrassment for you.
- Try it out before buying: Make sure to try out the bikini before buying and check that the bikini does not ride up or fold while doing some of the common activities that you are likely to do on the beach.
The idea of wearing any bikini is to be comfortable and look good. And finally the only thing that you need to carry it off is loads of attitude. Always remember that and the points above and do not worry too much about whether you look good or not.
For women who like triangle bikini tops, then they can also decide to go for the halter tops. These are bikinis for women with fixed triangle tops and have adjustable strings at the back. These offer a little more support than the triangle bikinis since the neck strand strongly supports the bust. There are different designs of halter bikini tops. For example, there are padded bikini tops, under wire tops, those that expose a lot of cleavage and those that cover up.
Bandeau bikinis are also available for the stylish women. Many people confuse bandeau bikinis with strapless ones. This is because bandeaus can have straps at the center or at the sides. The name comes from bandage meaning they resemble bandages. Bandeau bikinis do not leave any cleavage but cover up the whole bust. They are a favorite with those women who do not want to show off a lot of their bust or cleavage and opt for conservative women's swimsuits.
The other types of bikini tops are the strapless tops. These as the name suggests do not have any straps on them. They are made to be supported by underwires and broad backs. These strapless bikini swimwear designs also have padded tops. This is simply done to increase the support that is offered to the bust. However, generally, these strapless tops are meant for people with small busts. Those with large busts require more support from bikini swimwear tops than that offered by the strapless ones.
Tankini tops are also another option that is available for bikini swimwear. These tankini women's suits have tops that cover most of the tummy. These cover up a lot of flaws such as stretch marks or bulging tummies. These tankini tops are also a great option for women who would like to flaunt their legs. If you have long beautiful legs, then wearing normal bikinis for women might draw attention away from them. Tankini tops ensure that your legs get most of the attention from observers.
There are also bikini swimwear tops that are designed according to the size of the bust. This means that all women with different bust sizes can get a bikini top that is suited for them. Some of the most common size based bikini tops are D-cup and E-cup tops. This is because it is normally difficult for women with these cup sizes to find bikini swimwear tops from the other categories. Therefore, these tops are designed with them in mind and fit perfectly.
There are many women out there who have a great body and are looking to get into a sexy bikini. The problem is, they sometimes run into bikinis that are ill-fitting, less than flattering and not very supportive. If this is happening to you, take some time to read this article and get some tips on selecting the right swimsuits for your full figure body.
Among the many styles of swimwear on the market, there are full figure friendly bikinis. These bikinis are often times thrown into the mix with the other bikinis and sometimes get overlooked. Use the tips below to select a bikini that will look and feel great.
Focus on Support and Comfort
One of the first things you should focus on is supporting your chest. Not only is this better for your back and other parts of your body but it also looks better. Think about it, when you look in the mirror after trying on a bikini that looks less than fabulous - one of the first things that you will probably notice is the breasts are sagging and therefore making your stomach look shorter. When this happens, everything else, proportionally-wise, is thrown out of whack.
So what does this all mean? Steer clear of string bikinis if you are larger upstairs. Not only will you run the risk of spilling out of the string bikini on all sides, you will also have an unflattering frumpy look. On top of that, the string bikini straps will cut into your skin. This is especially horrible when the strap ties around the neck - as most string bikinis do.
Do, however, choose a bikini that has supportive underwire cups. You will be amazed at how wonderfully perky your bust line will be after slipping into a full figured, underwire bikini! One of the biggest worries women have when selecting an underwire bikini is that it will look like they are wearing a bra. This is farther from the truth and a good quality underwire bikini will never have the appearance of a bra. In fact, many women prefer underwire bikini tops to ensure they get the support they need while keeping everything in place - even if they might not need it.
If you are completely against underwire bikinis then consider a thick banded halter top bikini style. This still gives you the support you need while getting rid of the underwire. This is a great option for women who cannot where underwired garments or simply feel too uncomfortable in them. Halter style bikini tops will do wonders for your bustline as well.
Wearing a designer bikini would make one stand out in a crowd. There are designer bikinis available for both beachwear and pool side lounging. Designer swimwear is getting popular day by day. Designer swimwear includes bikinis, swim suits and sarongs.
Bikinis are available in different styles, colors and fabrics. The most popular and preferred prints are animal prints. They are preferred by people of all ages. A designer bikini can be paired with a matching sarong for that extra cool look. What a designer considers the foremost in his or her collection are the appealing colors and styles that are elegant and sexy.
A two-piece halter neck bikini with floral patterns on it adds to the femininity. The flowers are hand painted and makes for a pretty piece. Some bikinis come with jungle prints all over the suit. Some of these designer bikinis are priced high but there are moderately priced designer bikinis as well. Polka dotted bikinis that are teeny weeny fall in this category of the budget. There are also reversible bikinis in lovely colors that have boy swim trunks or a French bottom with a top that is either a halter or a camisole.
There are bikinis in all the seven colors of the rainbow. They are available in a variety of styles too. One can even get accessories to go with the bikini. Each piece is designed with extreme care for that uniqueness and there are accessories available to suit any style or color. For an ultra feminine look there are flirty designs available that are specially designed for the modern and confident woman who wants a different look. Some designers create bikinis to go with every season. They use bright and bold colors for summer and so on. Some women prefer metallic colors too. Some bikinis come with embellishment either in the form of embroidery or the use of stones, beads and crystals.
The designers create a fresh and exquisite collection combining the sleek look with comfort. Most of the celebrities swear by some designers for that elegant look.
The unique suits with their detailed designs have a personal touch on each piece. All these result in a wonderful collection that contains all the wonderful colors creating a feeling of comfort, sophistication and elegance.
Women who are pregnant need not get hyper because they have bikinis designed specifically for them. They have thongs and bikini bottoms designed for them. The bikinis are designed in such a way that they stretch as the pregnant woman's body grows.
The bikinis can be worn either at the mid-belly or below the belly. When one wants to wear the bikini below the belly what one needs to do is to fold the piece of cloth in the form of a band. This band would support the belly from below.
Made of cotton the bikinis have a soft feeling and are of a stretchable fabric. Though the fabric stretches as the belly grows it does not lose the grip factor. It is made sure that the panel on the front has neither any elastic nor any seams that press on the belly. Even the leg openings are designed to stretch.
Maternity bikinis are available in the most stylish of designs. The maternity bikinis give one not only a cool and comfortable feeling but also lets one feel stylish and sassy. There are even bikinis that have funky designs specifically designed for that fun loving woman in you. The designs, styles and prints whether one goes in for the conservative or the daring look the bikini is guaranteed to make you look elegant even with the belly.
