It's Pool Season: Why One-Piece Swimsuits Are Back

By Jamie Laughlin Wed., Apr. 25 2012 at 11:25 AM

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Let's bring it back, ladies.

I think something happens when a girl reaches bikini age: We are so eager for that right of passage to skin-bearing that we see the one-piece suit as childish.

I gotta tell you, one-pieces are hot. Really hot. And our favorite swimwear designers have started to take notice again.

The style hasn't been properly embraced by the general public since the '80s when it was a natural extension to the leotard-wearing "let's get physical" work-out culture, and that's a damn shame. We've dipped back to that era in every other element of our wardrobes -- from blazers, and fringe boots to shredded up leggings -- so why not embrace the era's sexiest, most comfortable contribution to women's fashion: the one-piece? (But not the one-piece thong. That's a dark point in fashion history that's not to be resurrected.) Pair the suit with some high heels and sunglasses and you've got a movie star look that sets you apart from every other girl at Joule Pool.

Carmen Marc Valvo's Sunny Isle Swim Dress

Available at Neimen's for $151.00.

I could see Natalie Portman wearing this. Classic in design while still remaining seductive, this little number is glam glam glam. (Best of all, it converts the scarea of your upper thighs into something to be sought after.)

Betsey Johnson's Pinwheel One Piece

Available here for $180. Betsey Johnson, you got me again. How does she keep making clothes that are sooo girly without being saccharine? This swimsuit is so freaking cute that you won't want to wear a cover-up. It makes you wonder: is there such a thing waterproof false eye lashes? If so, please wear them and some espadrilles with this sassy water frock, then sit back and wait for boys to buy you drinks.

Trina Turk's Bali Hai

Available at Everything But Water for $156.00. Play up the Pucci influence of this water goddess ensemble for a fraction of the price of the real deal. Pair it with some gold shades, bangles and voluminous hair and you'll look great poolside at Revive or on a weekend getaway to Miami.

Bleu Rod Bettie's Block Star

Everything But Water for $85.00. Are you kidding me? Pulling in the most pocket-friendly price tag, this suit begs for a convertible (preferably a white, 1966 Mustang, but leave your options open). And maybe a cute greaser boyfriend or two.

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Thongs

It is nice to a lady if she wear appropriate swimsuit in swimming. Its your own choice on what kind of swimsuit you will be wearing. This 1 piece swimsuit is really amazing and it is suitable for any sizes of a women.

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Lots of your energy and energy has approved since one item bathing suits were well-known. I even wonder if they were ever well-known, or it was just that there were no solutions. Now when there are a lot, and I mean a LOT of difference in styles of bathing suits, every season we can see some new pattern. Of course, superstars are one that determine styles.

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I have truly found some of most amazing and excellent featured post about swimsuits from this post.

Sotiredofitall

How much are the shoes in the first photo? They look difficult for walking on the beach or swimming,

Paul

Oooo la la ... I am so glad I am a guy ....

thanks Jamie

Jamie L.

Anytime, Paul!

Jamie L.

I know. Being a girl blows. This is actually the low to mid-price point for a suit. So, if we're going to drop the bucks, we might as well pick something fashionable.

Sotiredofitall

$180 for a bathing/swim suit???

Guesto

I tell ya more women need to give the C String a chance this summer.

just sayin'

Nice try, fatty. Or former fatty with vicious stretch marks

Jamie L.

Oh, hey dude! Thanks so much for dragging your knuckles across my blog, and for keeping it classy by assuming that world fashion trends revolve around your sexist stereotypes. PS, just changed my Facebook status to "it's complicated" because I think there's a spark between us.

Highway Man

"or keeping it classy by assuming that world fashion trends revolve around your sexist stereotypes."

Dallas Observer is the definition of class... of supreme quality... a premier weekly magazine of the highest order... I mean you can't just find shit like Patrick Williams stuff in the Dallas Morning News: http://blogs.dallasobserver.co...

Keep the dream alive.

just sayin'

Maybe you should change your status to "in a relationship" and change your profile pic to you holding your Fry Daddy in a loving embrace.

One piece swimsuits are for people that are hiding something. Just like tankinis. Nobody cares about world fashion trends when they are swimming and sweating at the lake or at the pool all day.

Ryan

I'm totally on board with just sayin'. Virtually all American women are fat, vile, overly entitled wildebeests. I find it hillarious that men that work out and have nice physiques are immediately considered to be douchebags or misogynists. While women are beautiful in all shapes and sizes...whatever. We're not douches, we're just tired of working our tails off in the gym and watching the rest of the world lumber around drunk off fast food grease and high fructose corn syrup trying to make us feel bad for thinking they're gross and unnatural and saying tha we're weird for being normal. I'll keep an eye out this year for beautiful women, with nice physiques, wearing one-pieces at the pool/lake. IF I see EVEN ONE, I'll be happy to come back here and eat crow. I'm 100% positive that won't happen.

just sayin'

You feel bad for me because I stay in shape or because I have too much pride to let myself get fat? I have a rigid approach to what is and isnt beautiful because I pointed out that girls that wear one pieces to the pool party are usually hiding something? And thats going to keep me from living a real life? Wow. Well, I don't like seeing old women in bikinis or fat guys with hairy backs prancing around in speedos either. I truly am a miserable person. Its so shallow of me to have an opinion. If it makes you feel better, Im not a fan of the bleached blonde, orange skin girls with giant implants in bikinis, either.

Jamie L.

I was all ready to rail into you (it was good, too!) a false fashion column with your byline... but i digress. After reading your last comment now I just feel bad. You shouldn't care so much about that facade stuff or let it keep you from activities that you enjoy. Your rigid approach to what is and isn't beautiful is not the stuff that enriches a life, it's the stuff that keeps you from living one.

just sayin'

Humblebrag? Of course, in the 80's the bikinis probably couldnt contain the bush, either.

And I do hold myself to the same standard. Actually, its kinda the opposite. If I ever got to the point where I couldnt take my shirt off at the pool without needing a bikini top, I would just stay home. I would never do the male version of a one piece and swim with my shirt on.

Jon Daniel

My ex-wife (bathing suit model) wore one piece suites in the 80's because her breast were too big for the way suits were designed back then. So if that was "hiding something", I guess she was hiding the natural D's. Other than that, I suggest you hold yourself to the body standard you apply to women, or STFU