Swimsuits are really quite a young invention. In ancient Rome and Greece, swimming activities were commonly done in the nude. And this continued for quite some time at least for men. Women began clothing themselves in the United Kingdom as early as the mid 17th century but it wasn't until the mid 19th century that swimming in the nude for both sexes were banned in the UK. Today, there are a myriad of choices when it comes to women's swimwear. They range from the extremely revealing thong bikinis to the more modest one piece swimsuits. We will be looking at two of the most popular forms of women's swimsuits today.
Bikini
The Bikini was a very early invention. They were invented in the nineteen fifties by a French engineer (Of all people). This type of women's swimsuit was named after Bikini Atoll, which was the site for nuclear testing during World War 2. The bikini became so popular that it quickly became the leading form of swimwear for ladies. It also facilitated the emergence of the hair waxing industry. It is a two piece swimsuit with coverage for the crotch, buttock and breast areas. It is the swimwear of choice particularly for those that wish to showcase their form. Since its inception its use has steadily rose to become the most preferred ladies swimsuit in the world today. The bikini alone accounts for almost a billion dollars in sales annually.
However, there is evidence that the first bikinis were actually invented by either the Romans of the Greeks. Artwork depicting women and ancient goddesses wearing bikinis were found in Sicily and Pompeii. Due to its popularity, there are many variants on the market today. These include the tankini, monokini as well as bandeau bikinis.
One Piece Swimsuits
Before there was the bikini, there was the one piece suit. In fact, all late 19th century to early 20th century ladies (and mens) swimwear were one piece suits of some sort. Considered more modest than revealing varieties, they used to be the most popular types until bikinis took the scene by storm. They were made from cloth and used to sport skirts that were designed to hide the thighs. With the invention of lycra, almost all single piece suits were a mix of nylon and lycra as they were very stretchable and inexpensive.
They are also the preferred swimwear for all water sports which include swimming, water polo, synchronized swimming and diving. Technological advances have replaced the standard one piece with full body suits made from materials that offer lower resistance underwater. Today, there are a few varieties commonly sold which include, halterneck's (Single strap around the neck), tank suit (The most common, double strapped) and bandeau style suits (no straps).
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