Related Links

Featured Links





Recommended Products



 

 
Featured Articles

Five Tips For Choosing The Best Swimwear In Plus Size
As the temperatures rise, you may begin to think of beaches, swimming pools, and the dreaded trip to the department store to pick out swimwear in plus size. More than ever, there are a multitude of different styles, colors, and fabrics that are available ...

Men's Sunglass Trends
Some trends come and go. Others stick around for a while. And some become a part of our cultural landscape. When considering a pair of sunglasses that are right for you, ignore the trends and ignore the hype. The right sunglasses for you, aren’t ...

Pubic Hair Shave Fashion - What's Hot?
Pubic hair shave is not a taboo any more. It seems like all women are shaving pubic hair. It is not an unusual phenomenon which is attributed only to models and athletes any more. Find out why pubic hair shave is so popular and what the hot pubic hair ...


Google
Light And Tight Or Wet With Regret: Why Fabric Matters In A Swimsuit
 

While most women consider size, fit, and color when choosing a swimsuit, there is another significant characteristic of a swimsuit that many consumers often forget to think about when shopping for and purchasing a new swimsuit: fabric.

Swimsuit manufacturers like to introduce new swimsuits made from different types of fabric into the market in order to produce a more unique swimsuit product. However, while a swimsuit made from an exotic fabric will greatly add to the uniqueness factor of your swimming wardrobe, the type of fabric a swimsuit is made of greatly affects both the fit and the overall life of that swimsuit. With all of the different fabric options available for swimsuit consumers, a brief guide to the strengths and drawbacks of several of the most common swimsuit fabrics may be quite valuable.

100% Cotton: As consumers become less and less fond of synthetic materials, swimsuits and bikinis made entirely from cotton are becoming more and more popular. While cotton swimsuits can be extremely cute and fashionable (not to mention light and airy), they do not always provide the best fit or the greatest overall longevity in a swimsuit. Cotton swimsuits are not known for staying in place on the body, and they have a tendency to ride up and bunch (an undesirable characteristic in any swimsuit). As a fabric, cotton does not stand up long to the destructive nature of chlorine and sun. It is likely that your cotton swimsuit will fade fairly quickly, especially if you are swimming in chlorinated pools.

Spandex/Lycra: Most swimsuits contain some percentage of spandex or Lycra in their fabric. These fabrics provide the stretchy fit that allows a swimsuit to stay in place on the body. Generally, the higher the percentage of spandex or Lycra in the swimsuit material, the more the swimsuit is designed for more serious or competitive swimming. While high-spandex materials cover the body well and smooth out any unsightly body bulges, they can become tight and uncomfortable. Also, spandex has a tendency to run if snagged on the


side of a concrete pool or on a wooden lounge chair. Because high-spandex swimsuits are designed for use in serious and competitive swimming pursuits, however, they are often treated for chlorine resistance. While this chlorine resistance does not provide complete protection from chlorine, it does significantly lengthen the lifetime of the swimsuit.

Metallic Overlay: Swimsuits with metallic overlay sewn into the fabric are designed to be glamorous and eye-catching, but not necessarily to hold up and endure extensive swimming. While metallic overlay certainly adds a level of pizzazz and style to any swimsuit, the overlay is guaranteed to fray and dull after only a short amount of time. In general, swimsuits with metallic overlay are meant much more for show than they are for getting wet.

Velvet: Swimsuits made from velvet and other types of crushed fabrics have become more popular in recent years. A velvet swimsuit is definitely nice to look at and to touch, but it is not best for either swimsuit fit or longevity. When wet, velvet has a tendency to soak up water, and can become quite heavy and sodden. This heaviness causes a velvet swimsuit to sag away from the body, losing the tight fit that is so necessary in a swimsuit. Also, velvet is not a fabric meant to come in close contact with chlorine. Like swimsuits with metallic overlay, velvet swimsuits are much more valuable for their uniqueness and style factors than they are for their longevity.

In order to ensure that you receive your desired fit and longevity in your next swimsuit purchase, be sure to check the tag in the swimsuit before buying it. While all of the above fabrics can make a decent, good-looking swimsuit, each particular swimsuit fabric is designed for different reasons and activities. In general, the best way to acquire the best swimsuit for you, in terms of fabric, is to know what you plan to use the swimsuit for and where you plan to wear it.



News



Fashion house Versace may seek outside investors
Reuters
By Antonella Ciancio | MILAN May 25 (Reuters) - Italian family-owned fashion house Versace may seek outside investors and could consider an initial public offering to fund growth and help it better compete in the global luxury industry, a top executive ...

and more »

Fashion brand puts its own stock in Facebook
Boston Herald
By Donna Goodison Even as Facebook's initial public offering faces regulatory scrutiny, the parent company of fashion brands Juicy Couture, Kate Spade, Jack Spade and Lucky Brand is now using the social networking website to sell its own stock.

and more »

Lockerz Acquires Fashion Sharing Site Chick Approved
MarketWatch (press release)
SEATTLE, May 25, 2012 /PRNewswire via COMTEX/ -- Lockerz, the leader in rewarded social expression, today announced the acquisition of Chick Approved, an online fashion community enabling users to share and receive instant feedback on personal style.

and more »

Fashion news: Britney Spears, Elsa Peretti and Louis Vuitton
Los Angeles Times
Britney Spears showed up in Austin, Texas, this week for "The X Factor" auditions. Her dress was notable... and was noted..... by, well, many. The Elsa Peretti heart necklace for Tiffany & Co. is a classic symbol of a relationship that started in 1974.

and more »

Firstpost

South Africa's Soweto gets its fashion week
BusinessWeek
By DONNA BRYSON Struggling but deserving designers will get a chance to show work inspired by the creativity and history of South Africa's most famous township in Soweto's first fashion week opening Thursday. The township on Johannesburg's southwestern ...
Post-apartheid Soweto gets a fashion weekFirstpost

all 213 news articles »