Less is not always more..

As we're approaching the summer months and it's getting hotter outside, all those posters with models showing off their skinny bodies in next-to-nothing bikinis start to appear in the vitrines. Same old same old bikinis in forms of triangles and ones without straps. Black, red, white or completely colorful. striped, dotted, I even saw one made of denim the other day! It seems like everything has been done, so what does the fashion world do? Bring back something from a longtime ago that was considered to be "out" and make it "in". After all, the bikini has been quite popular since the 1940's so it's time to shake things up a little bit. So if we do look a little bit closer in the stores we notice that the old one-piece swimsuit has crept back into our ranks (and I'm not talking about those wannabe one-pieces that came back about three years ago as bikinis where the top and the bottom are connected by a couple of strings or two two-inch pieces of fabric. I'm talking real one-pieces, that cover up the stomach completely and actually look good. 

Now I am happy about this for several reasons, as I do not like wearing bikinis:

• I don't like it when people see me in my underwear, and to me there is not much difference between a bra and panties and a bikini
• I feel like one's body should be respected and appreciated, and I do not feel like I am doing so by running around as good as naked in public. Leave something up to imagination!
• Not everybody has to see me in a certain way. I believe that that should be reserved for a special someone and it makes it just the more special
• Come on! We've been wearing the same triangle top bikini since we were twelve!! It's time for a change ;)

 Lanvin Spring/Summer 2011
Michael Kors Spring/Summer 2011  

A lot of people probably don't even notice the old-newcomer on the shelves but as someone who looked desperately for a decent swimsuit not only in the States but also in Germany, Italy and Greece. And the number that I found that were kind of alright and not too grandma-ish and in my pricerange waaaaassss -- drummroll -- TWO! At first I obviously felt very unsexy in my swimsuits and weird because I had never been wearing a one-piece at the beach, especially never been the only one under 40 that was wearing one. But eventually I got used to it and now I'm proud to have followed my values and emancipated myself from the big crowd. And I'm telling you! ONE-PIECES ARE MAKING A COMEBACK!! And brace yourselves ladies, they are not the kind that we had to wear for our 7th grade swim p.e. class...Still doubtful? Just take a look at the Spring/Summer Fashion Weeks of 2011: Lanvin, Antonio Marras, DKNY, Michael Kors and Marc by Marc Jacobs.. all of them showed at least one one-piece in their collections. And for the rest of us, who can't afford the designer swimsuit there are all the waaaayyyy cheaper department and chain stores with really cute/sexy swimsuits available to us! 

I put some of my favourites that I've seen so far into the little slideshow below (and fyi all of them cost max. 30EUR)