A swimsuit, bathing suit or swimming costume is an item of clothing designed to be worn for swimming. Clothing (also called clothes, accoutrements, accouterments, or habiliments) protects the Human body from extreme Weather Swimming is the movement by humans or animals through Water, usually without artificial assistance In New Zealand English and some areas of Australian English, swimsuits are usually called togs. New Zealand English ( NZE, en-NZ) is the form of the English language used in New Zealand. Australian English ( AuE, AusE, en-AU) is the form of the English language used in Australia. This term is less common in other parts of the Commonwealth where it can also refer to clothes in general. The use of English in the Commonwealth of Nations was inherited from British colonisation. Swimsuits can be skin-tight or loosely fitting and range from garments designed to preserve as much modesty as possible to garments designed to reveal as much of the body as possible without actual nudity. A skin-tight garment is a Garment that is held to the skin by elastic tension. Standards of modesty (also called demureness or reticence) are aspects of the Culture of a Country or people at a given point in time Nudity is the state of wearing no Clothing. The term' "nudity" can also occasionally be used to refer to wearing significantly less clothing than expected They are often lined with a fabric that prevents them from becoming transparent when wet. In Optics, transparency (also called pellucidity) is the Material property of allowing
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Swimsuits types and styles
Swimsuits are designed to cover at least the genitals and in most cultures women's breasts. A sex organ, or primary sexual characteristic, as narrowly defined is any of the anatomical parts of the body which are involved in sexual reproduction and constitute The breast is the upper Ventral region of an animal’s Torso, particularly that of Mammals including Human beings. Men's swimsuit styles are swimming trunks such as boardshorts, jammers, speedo-style briefs, thongs, g-strings or bikini. Boardshorts are a style of men's and recently women's Swimwear that have long been associated with such aquatic sports as Surfing and Wakeboarding A swimsuit, bathing suit or swimming costume is an item of Clothing designed to be worn for Swimming. For other uses of Brief(s see Brief Briefs are a type of short tight Y-shaped Underwear and Swimwear, as opposed The thong is an Undergarment and Swimwear, worn by both sexes mostly women in a style characterized by a thin strip of material along the center of the garment’s Origin G-string or thong is probably the earliest form of Clothing known to mankind having originated in the warmer climates of Sub-Saharan Africa where clothing A bikini or two-piece is a type of women's Swimsuit, characterized by two separate parts &mdash one covering the Breasts (optionally in the case of Women's swimsuits are generally either one-pieces, bikinis or thongs. A one-piece swimsuit is a usually skin-tight one-piece Swimsuit used by women when Swimming in the sea or in a swimming The most recent innovation is the burqini, a more modest garment designed for Muslim women; it covers the whole body and head (but not face) in a manner similar to a diver's wetsuit. A burqini (or burkini) swimsuit is a type of Swimsuit for women designed by Lebanese Australian Aheda Zanetti under the company name Ahiida A wetsuit is a protective garment used for watersports such as Scuba diving, Surfing, Windsurfing, Kitesurfing, and Triathlon
The monokini, a style of swimsuit that most often takes the form of a bikini bottom without the corresponding top, leaves a woman's breasts uncovered. A bikini or two-piece is a type of women's Swimsuit, characterized by two separate parts &mdash one covering the Breasts (optionally in the case of A bikini or two-piece is a type of women's Swimsuit, characterized by two separate parts &mdash one covering the Breasts (optionally in the case of Monokinis are quite common in many places throughout South America and Europe due to the high instance of topless beaches, though due to particularly stringent taboos they are almost never seen in the United States, except in places with a strong European tourist influence. South America is a Continent of the Americas, situated entirely in the Western Hemisphere and mostly in the Southern Hemisphere, with a A taboo is a strong Social prohibition (or ban) against words objects actions or discussions that are considered undesirable or offensive by a group culture The United States of America —commonly referred to as the For pre-pubescent girls leaving the chest uncovered is sometimes considered acceptable.
Special swimsuits for competitive swimming, designed to reduce skin drag, can resemble unitards. A unitard is a skin-tight one-piece garment with long legs and sometimes long sleeves For some kinds of swimming and diving, special bodysuits called diveskins are worn. A diving suit is a garment or device designed to protect a diver from the Underwater environment These suits are made from spandex and provide little thermal protection, but they do protect the skin from stings and abrasion. Spandex or elastane is a Synthetic fiber known for its exceptional elasticity. Most competitive swimmers also wear special swimsuits including partial and full bodysuits, racerback styles, jammers and racing briefs to assist their glide through the water and gain speed advantages (see competitive swimwear). A Bodyskin is a style of Competitive swimwear worn by both female and male athletes A racerback is a type of women's Swimsuit design common today among Competitive swimwear and incorporated into some types of women's clothing Competitive swimwear generally refers to the apparel equipment and accessories used in the aquatic sports of Swimming
Swimming without a bathing suit is a form of social nudity. Naturism or nudism is a cultural and Political movement advocating and defending social Nudity in private and in public. Special nude beaches may be reserved for nude sunbathing and swimming. A nude beach (British English naturist or nudist beach) is a Beach where users are legally at liberty to be nude. Sunlight, in the broad sense is the total spectrum of the Electromagnetic radiation given off by the Sun. Swimming in the nude is also known by the slang term "skinny-dipping". As an alternative to a bathing suit, some people use their trousers, underpants or T-shirt as a make-shift swimsuit. Trousers are an item of Clothing worn on the lower part of the body from the waist to the ankles covering both legs separately (rather than with cloth stretching across Undergarments are clothes worn under other clothes often next to the skin A T-shirt (or tee shirt) is a Shirt which is pulled on over the head to cover most of a person's Torso. At beaches, norms for this tend to be more relaxed than at swimming pools, which tend not to permit this because underwear is unlined, may become translucent, and may be perceived as unclean.
Swimsuits are also worn for the purpose of body display in beauty pageants. A beauty contest or beauty pageant is a competition based mainly though not always entirely on the physical beauty of its contestants and often incorporating Personality Magazines like Sports Illustrated's annual "swimsuit issue" feature models and sports personalities in swimsuits. Sports Illustrated is an American Sports Magazine owned by media conglomerate Time Warner.
Women's swimsuits
One-piece swimsuits
- Tank suit, leotard or simply one-piece: Probably the most common form of one-piece swimsuit, the tank suit form is inspiration for the subsequent creation of the tank top as a mainstream article of clothing. A leotard is a Skin-tight one-piece garment that covers the torso and body but leaves the legs free A one-piece swimsuit is a usually skin-tight one-piece Swimsuit used by women when Swimming in the sea or in a swimming A sleeveless shirt, tank top or singlet (or sometimes Vest) is a Shirt manufactured without Sleeves or one where the sleeves The name "tank suit" is derived from the term "swimming tank", an obsolete term for what is now called a swimming pool. A swimming pool, swimming bath, wading pool, or simply a pool, is an artificially enclosed Body of water intended for Swimming or
- Monokini: a term used for different styles of one-piece swimsuits inspired by the bikini style. A bikini or two-piece is a type of women's Swimsuit, characterized by two separate parts &mdash one covering the Breasts (optionally in the case of Most commonly, a monokini is a bikini bottom without the corresponding top, worn by women, that leaves the breasts bare. Sling bikinis are sometimes, though not often, referred to as monokinis.
- Thong swimsuit: One-piece swimsuit with thong back, buttocks exposed, otherwise ordinary
- Sling bikini: also known as a "suspender bikini", "suspender thong", "slingshot bikini" or just "slingshot". A bikini or two-piece is a type of women's Swimsuit, characterized by two separate parts &mdash one covering the Breasts (optionally in the case of The slingshot is a one-piece suit which provides as little, or even less, coverage (or as much exposure) as a bikini. Usually, a slingshot resembles a bikini bottom, but rather than the straps going around the hips or waist, the side straps extend upwards to cover the breasts and go over the shoulders, leaving the entire sides of the torso uncovered, but the nipples and pubic area covered. Behind the neck, the straps join and reach down the back to become a thong. The thong is an Undergarment and Swimwear, worn by both sexes mostly women in a style characterized by a thin strip of material along the center of the garment’s
- Pretzel suit: a one-piece suit similar to a sling bikini, but the straps encircle the torso around the bottom of the ribcage, forming a very high-sided bikini bottom; instead of the straps passing over the neck and down the back, they simply encircle the neck, joining the straps which pass around the midriff.
Two-piece swimsuits
- Bikini. A bikini or two-piece is a type of women's Swimsuit, characterized by two separate parts &mdash one covering the Breasts (optionally in the case of
- Thong, T-back or G-string. Origin G-string or thong is probably the earliest form of Clothing known to mankind having originated in the warmer climates of Sub-Saharan Africa where clothing
- Tankini: A tank top combined with a bikini bottom. A bikini or two-piece is a type of women's Swimsuit, characterized by two separate parts &mdash one covering the Breasts (optionally in the case of
- Stringbodys, halter-necks, maillots and plunge fronts. Halterneck is a style of women's Clothing with a single Strap around the back of the neck The maillot is the fashion designer's name for a woman's One-piece swimsuit.
Swimsuit for Muslim women
These are an updated version of full-body swimwear, which has been available for centuries, but complies with Islam's traditional emphasis on modest dress. Sea bathing is swimming in the sea or in sea water Unlike bathing in a swimming pool which is generally done for pleasure or exercise purposes sea bathing was once thought For other meanings including people named 'Islam' see Islam (disambiguation. They are also increasingly stylish, such as incorporating intricate sequin designs with miniskirts that go over long pants. Sequins are disk-shaped Beads used for decorative purposes They are available in a wide variety of colors and geometrical shapes The miniskirt (often hyphenated as mini-skirt) is a Skirt with Trousers are an item of Clothing worn on the lower part of the body from the waist to the ankles covering both legs separately (rather than with cloth stretching across Indonesia based ZEHBA is one of the key players in the Muslim identity apparel industry while they are increasingly popular in Turkey, Malaysia, US, Australasia and Europe. Identity is an Umbrella term used throughout the Social sciences to describe an individual's comprehension of him or herself as a discrete separate entity The Textile industry (also known in the United Kingdom and Australia as the Rag Trade) is a term used for industries primarily concerned with the design
- Burqini: Designed by Lebanese Australian Aheda Zanetti for Muslim women, the suit covers the whole body except the face, the hands and the feet (enough to preserve Muslim modesty), but is light enough to enable swimming. A burqini (or burkini) swimsuit is a type of Swimsuit for women designed by Lebanese Australian Aheda Zanetti under the company name Ahiida Lebanese Australian refers to citizens or residents of Australia of Lebanese origin For other meanings including people named 'Islam' see Islam (disambiguation. The name "burqini" is a portmanteau of burqa and bikini. A burqa (also Transliterated burkha, burka or burqua) is an enveloping outer garment worn by women in some Islamic traditions for the A bikini or two-piece is a type of women's Swimsuit, characterized by two separate parts &mdash one covering the Breasts (optionally in the case of
In Egypt, the term "Sharia swimsuit" is used to describe full-body swimwear. This article is about the country of Egypt For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Egypt topics. Sharia ( Arabic: ar شريعة) is the body of Islamic Religious law. [1]
Men's swimsuits or swimming trunks
- Briefs: The style varies from a speedo to thongs or g-string. For other uses of Brief(s see Brief Briefs are a type of short tight Y-shaped Underwear and Swimwear, as opposed Origin G-string or thong is probably the earliest form of Clothing known to mankind having originated in the warmer climates of Sub-Saharan Africa where clothing
- Thong (clothing): Style varies with pouch design, materials, colors and back (including Y-back, V-back and T-back variations). The thong is an Undergarment and Swimwear, worn by both sexes mostly women in a style characterized by a thin strip of material along the center of the garment’s
- G-string: Minimum coverage front and back. Origin G-string or thong is probably the earliest form of Clothing known to mankind having originated in the warmer climates of Sub-Saharan Africa where clothing
- Boardshorts: The length goes down to the knees. Boardshorts are a style of men's and recently women's Swimwear that have long been associated with such aquatic sports as Surfing and Wakeboarding Most French swimming pools forbid these for sanitary reasons.
- Jammers: a type of men's swimwear worn primarily by competitive athletes to obtain speed advantages. A swimsuit, bathing suit or swimming costume is an item of Clothing designed to be worn for Swimming. They are made of nylon and lycra/spandex material and have a form fitting design to reduce water resistance. They provide moderate coverage from the mid-waist to the area above the knee, somewhat resembling compression shorts worn by many athletes. They provide greater leg coverage than speedos or competitive briefs, although they also have slightly more water resistance.
Competitive swimwear
Unlike regular swimsuits, which are designed mainly for the physical appearances, competitive swimwear is manufactured for the purpose of aiding athletes in swim competitions. They reduce friction and drag in the water, increasing the efficiency of the swimmer's forward motion. The tight fits allow for easy movement and are said to reduce muscle vibration,[2] thus reducing drag.
Relation to science
Engineers are greatly involved in the development of competitive swimsuits. It is as of late (in the year 2000 approximately) that in effort to improve the effectiveness of the swimsuits, engineers have taken to designing them to replicate the skin of sea based animals, sharks in particular. [3]
These swim suits are created in order to make water resistance as minimal as possible and thus allowing a swimmer to move more efficiently in water. The company Speedo, for example, came out with a swimsuit called “Fastskin”. Speedo is a manufacturer of swimwear and accessories The company was started by Alexander MacRae under the name of MacRae Hosiery Manufacturers in Bondi Beach It was discovered by scientists studying sharkskin that human skin is inadequate at “slicing” the water because of its porous design. [4] Sharkskin is made of scales spaced very closely together called dermal denticles. It is the grooves in between the scales that produce drag resistant skin. [5] The ridges allow water to pass around the shark more efficiently.
History
In Classical antiquity swimming and bathing was most often done nude. Classical antiquity (also the classical era or classical period) is a broad term for a long period of cultural History centered on the Mediterranean In some settings coverings were used. Murals at Pompeii show women wearing two-piece suits covering the areas around their breasts and hips in a fashion remarkably similar to a bikini of ca. Pompeii is a ruined and partially buried Roman town-city near modern Naples and Caserta in the Italian region of Campania, in 1960. After this, the notion of special water apparel seems to have been lost for centuries.
In various cultural traditions one swims, if not in the nude, in a version in suitable material of a garment or undergarment commonly worn on land, e. g. a loincloth such as the Japanese man's fundoshi. A loincloth is a one-piece male garment sometimes kept in place by a belt, which covers the is the traditional Japanese Underwear for adult males made from a length of cotton
In the 18th century women wore "bathing gowns" in the water; these were long dresses of fabrics that would not become transparent when wet, with weights sewn into the hems so that they would not rise up in the water. The 18th century lasted from 1701 to 1800 in the Gregorian calendar, in accordance with the Anno Domini / Common Era numbering system The men's swim suit, a rather form-fitting wool garment with long sleeves and legs similar to long underwear, was developed and would change little for a century. Undergarments are clothes worn under other clothes often next to the skin
In the 19th century, the woman's two piece suit became common—the two pieces being a gown from shoulder to knees plus a set of trousers with leggings going down to the ankles. The 19th century of the Common Era began on January 1, 1801 and ended on December 31, 1900, according to the Gregorian calendar
In the Victorian era, popular beach resorts were commonly equipped with bathing machines designed to avoid the exposure of people in swimsuits, especially to people of the opposite sex. The bathing machine was a device popular in the 19th century to allow people to wade in the Ocean at Beaches without violating Victorian notions of Culture The Victorian fascination with novelty resulted in a deep interest in the relationship between modernity and cultural continuities The bathing machine was a device popular in the 19th century to allow people to wade in the Ocean at Beaches without violating Victorian notions of
In 1907 the swimmer Annette Kellerman from Australia visited the United States as an "underwater ballerina", a version of synchronized swimming involving diving into glass tanks. Year 1907 ( MCMVII) was a Common year starting on Tuesday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common year Annette Marie Sarah Kellermann (6 July 1887 Sydney, New South Wales &ndash 5 November 1975 Southport, Queensland, Australia For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Australia topics. She was arrested for indecent exposure because her swimsuit showed arms, legs and the neck. See also Public indecency, Exhibitionism Indecent exposure is the deliberate exposure by a person of a portion or portions of his or her own body under Kellerman changed the suit to have long arms and legs and a collar, still keeping the close fit that revealed the shapes underneath. She later starred in several movies, including one about her life.
After this event, bathing wear started to shrink, first uncovering the arms and then the legs up to mid-thigh. The 1920s is sometimes referred to as the " Jazz Age " or the " Roaring Twenties " when speaking about the United States and Canada The United States of America —commonly referred to as the Collars receded from around the neck down to around the top of the bosom. The development of new fabrics allowed for new varieties of more comfortable and practical swim wear.
Due to the figure-hugging nature of these garments, glamour photography since the 1940s and 1950s has often featured people wearing swimsuits. A model is a person who is posed or displayed for the purpose of Art, Fashion, or other products and Advertising. Speedo is a manufacturer of swimwear and accessories The company was started by Alexander MacRae under the name of MacRae Hosiery Manufacturers in Bondi Beach Glamour photography is the photographing of a model with the emphasis on the subject The 1940s decade ran from 1940 to 1949 Events and trends The 1940s was a period between the radical 1930s and the conservative 1950s which also leads the period to be The 1950s Decade refers to the years of 1950 to 1959 inclusive This subset of glamour photography eventually evolved into swimsuit photography exemplified by the Sports Illustrated annual swimsuit issues. Sports Illustrated is an American Sports Magazine owned by media conglomerate Time Warner.
The first bikinis were introduced just after World War II. A bikini or two-piece is a type of women's Swimsuit, characterized by two separate parts &mdash one covering the Breasts (optionally in the case of World War II, or the Second World War, (often abbreviated WWII) was a global military conflict which involved a majority of the world's nations, including Early examples were not very different from the women's two pieces common since the 1920s, except that they had a gap below the breast line allowing for a section of bare midriff. They were named after Bikini Atoll, the site of several nuclear weapons tests, for their supposed explosive effect on the viewer. Bikini Atoll (also known as Pikinni Atoll) is an Atoll in one of the Micronesian Islands in the Pacific Ocean, part of Republic of the Marshall
Through the 1950s, it was thought proper for the lower part of the bikini to come up high enough to cover the navel. The navel (also called an umbilicus or colloquially belly button) is a Scar on the Abdomen, caused when the Umbilical cord is removed From the 1960s on, the bikini shrank in all directions until it sometimes covered little more than the nipples and genitalia, although less revealing models giving more support to the breasts remained popular. The 1960s decade refers to the years from the beginning of 1960 to the end of 1969 At the same time, Fashion designer Rudi Gernreich introduced the monokini, a topless suit for women consisting of a modest bottom supported by two thin straps. Fashion design is the Applied art dedicated to Clothing and lifestyle Accessories created within the cultural and social influences of a specific time Rudi Gernreich ( August 8, 1922 &ndash April 21, 1985) was a Fashion designer and gay activist. A bikini or two-piece is a type of women's Swimsuit, characterized by two separate parts &mdash one covering the Breasts (optionally in the case of Although not a commercial success, the suit opened eyes to new design possibilities. In the 1980s the thong or "tanga" came out of Brazil, said to have been inspired by traditional garments of native tribes in the Amazon. The 1980s was the decade spanning from January 1 1980 to December 31 1989. Origin G-string or thong is probably the earliest form of Clothing known to mankind having originated in the warmer climates of Sub-Saharan Africa where clothing |utc_offset = -2 to -4 |time_zone_DST = BRST |utc_offset_DST = -2 to -5 |cctld However, the one-piece suit continued to be popular for its more modest approach.
Men's swimsuits developed roughly in parallel to women's during this period, with the shorts covering progressively less. Eventually racing-style "speedo" suits became popular—and not just for their speed advantages. Thongs, G-strings, and bikini style suits are also worn, typically these are more popular in more tropical regions such as the coastline of the West, South, Southeast United States, the Caribbean islands, western Europe and the Mediterranean; however, they may also be worn at public swimming pools and inland lakes. Origin G-string or thong is probably the earliest form of Clothing known to mankind having originated in the warmer climates of Sub-Saharan Africa where clothing A bikini or two-piece is a type of women's Swimsuit, characterized by two separate parts &mdash one covering the Breasts (optionally in the case of The Tropics are centered on the Equator and limited in Latitude by the Tropic of Cancer in the northern hemisphere at approximately 23°26' (23 The coast is defined as the part of the land adjoining or near the Ocean. The United States of America —commonly referred to as the The Caribbean (ˌkærəˡbiən kæ'rəbiən Cariben|Caraïben or Caraïben; Caraïbe or more commonly Antilles; Caribe is a Region consisting A swimming pool, swimming bath, wading pool, or simply a pool, is an artificially enclosed Body of water intended for Swimming or But in the 1990s, longer and baggier shorts became popular, with the hems often reaching to the knees. The 1990s collectively refers to the years between and including 1990 and 1999 These were often worn lower on the hips than regular shorts.
References
- ^ Warm welcome for 'Sharia swimsuit'
- ^ The Speedo Fastskin fsii Swimsuit Story
- ^ Swimsuit styles: Competition swimsuits
- ^ Athletes wired for high-tech Olympics
- ^ Biology of the White Shark: Skin of the Teeth
See also
External links
- History of Fashional Bathing Suits on Victoriana.com starting in late 1700s; awkward JavaScript navigation
- National Geographic look at swimsuits of the 1900 - 2000 era
- Sample of images of some historical swimsuits, 1880s to 1990s
- Bikiniology An extensive study of types and styles of female swimwear. Beachwear refers to clothing suitable for wearing on a Beach or Urban beach. Competitive swimwear generally refers to the apparel equipment and accessories used in the aquatic sports of Swimming A dry suit or drysuit provides Thermal insulation or passive thermal protection to the wearer while immersed in water and is worn by divers, A wetsuit is a protective garment used for watersports such as Scuba diving, Surfing, Windsurfing, Kitesurfing, and Triathlon This is a list of manufacturers and designers of Swimsuits Specialist swimwear manufacturers ABBL Swimwear AgonSwim
- Blog on Swimwear and Fashions for Muslim Women
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