Retro Swimwear for Women

Looking for ideas for retro swimwear or bikinis for women? Look below and check out some interesting ideas.

The ideas below are a mix of styles from the 1950s, 1960s and 1970s - with a dash of modern versions of the classics thrown into the mix.

Enjoy!

Sarongs for the Summer

Best ways to wear a sarong this summer

There are many clever and attractive ways to wear a sarong, and this versatility is one of the reasons that these garments are the season's best purchase for consumers to make. These airy and gauzy products go from the office to the beach, the club to the grocery store. With so many unique ways to wrap and tie a sarong, these will become virtually whatever the wearer wants them to.

Nobody wants to have their sarong come untied or constantly struggle with keeping it secure, however. Many vendors and retailers that sell quality sarongs also carry some must-have gadgets that cost very little: sarong ties. These ingenious little fasteners allow wearers to secure their sarong through the holes of the clip, keeping it safely and consistently in place. This brings a bit of comfort and peace of mind to those wearing sarongs as dresses, halters or shifts, when it might be embarrassing or worrisome to risk a wardrobe malfunction!

These ties are actually small discs with perfectly-sized holes and many feature a bit of a concave shape that rests nicely on a hip or shoulder. The colors and styles are vast, and there is something for anyone looking for an attractive way to accent their sarong while also increasing the potential for wearing it. Some ties found online feature iridescent facades, while others feature whimsical shapes in bright colors. Whatever the buyer's personal preference, it is really the best investment to purchase these simple fixtures- often found below five dollars- to augment their existing sarongs, as well as any exciting new sarongs that they may be buying later on.

These clips are an excellent gift too. While wearing these ties with a sarong is pragmatic, these can also be used with a shawl, scarf, or tie to create a unique look. It is definitely worthwhile to have at least one great sarong tie in a jewelry box or closet to pull out and secure apparel, accessories, and sarongs to construct and create the perfect look for any and all occasions. Buy a couple extra to share with friends or coworkers. These are an excellent solution to a "secret santa" or a gift swap that often has a spending limit set for the participants. While it might be challenging to find a gift that others will truly like, anyone who has ever tried to tie and experiment with a sarong will love the new options and potential that these clever ties provide.

10 Fashionable Heart Rate Monitors for Exercising and Swimming

Heart Rate Monitors Change Lifestyles

Anyone who wants to learn more about heart rate monitors will find out that these heart rate monitors are the best thing for people who are working out and trying their hardest to lose weight and make better life choices. While many people have a hard time getting started, wearing a heart rate monitor as a watch or on the wrist is a great reminder of how the user should get back to the things that they need to do in order to make sure that they are losing the weight they want to lose and being as active as they possibly can. This means that people have to make changes to their lifestyle, but these items often make it very easy for people to learn how to change their lifestyle and keep that change because the reminder is always on their wrist.

Most often, these heart rate monitors are going to be used by people who need help tracking their fitness goals and understanding what their body will respond to. The person who is not sure how effective their workouts are is going to have to find something that is going to tell them what these workouts are doing and which ones are going to work the best. The best way for this to happen is to use a heart rate monitor or activity tracker that tells the user all of the things that they did that day, how many calories they burned and what that will entail against the diet that they had that day. Many of these trackers even allow people to keep their diets logged in the watch or monitor so that the activity for the entire diet and exercise regimen is cataloged. This makes it much easier to lose weight. However, this also brings everything into one place so that the user will not have to organize a lot of paperwork or numbers.

When the heart rate monitor or activity tracker does most of the work for the user, there is no reason for the user to do anything other than work out and use the information the heart rate monitor gives them to make decisions about how much they should be working out and what exercises they should be doing to make the most of their time at the gym or running. These heart rate monitors make life easy for everybody who wants to reach their fitness goals.

Black Swimsuits for Women

I found these particular swimsuit designs to be of particular interest to me. My focus here was more on one-piece swimsuits and I chose black only because I was more interested in the SHAPE and DESIGN of the swimsuits rather than the colour or pattern of the swimsuits.

Male Swimsuits and why some men just can't go swimming...

Swimwear for men comes in two varieties.

#1. Skintight speedo-type swimwear which are made for men who are super hot and hunky. Like the one in the photo here, which is Hugo Boss swim shorts.

Or

#2. Really baggy ugly things called "swim trunks" designed to cover them up because many men are overweight / too skinny and feel self-conscious about other people staring at their junk.

It really comes down to whether the man falls into one of two categories...

Either they are buff and confident.

Or they overweight / too skinny and lack the confidence to strut their stuff with other people watching because their butt is too fat / too skinny and they are worried about how other people will look at them.

Women do the exact same thing. Every woman wants to wear a sexy bikini - but most American women can't do that because the average American is overweight or obese. It is not such a big deal in Canada, Europe, Asia or Africa - where people exercise and eat more healthily - but in the USA, most women buy a one-piece swimsuit in order to cover up her extra flab.

However with men its a bit bizarre... because even the skinny men still buy swim trunks in order to cover up. It is really only the buff / muscular men who feel confident enough to wear something which is skintight.

I think it comes down to the fact that our beauty standards are such that skinny women is desirable (with the exception of anorexics), but skinny men is not desirable.

And to prove this we just have to look at the fitness industry - where even buff women with lots of muscles still wear bikinis and wouldn't dream of wearing an one-piece swimsuit.

Back to swim trunks, I should point out that in advertising the swim trunks are still displayed on buff male models... because it would not encourage the men to buy them if they were shown on anorexic or overweight men, despite the fact that its mostly overweight and skinny men who buy swim trunks. And the more overweight or skinny the person is, the bigger and baggier the swim trunks will be. They're almost like parachute pants.

And while we are at it... when was the last time you saw a man wearing an one-piece swimsuit? Probably it was either a man who was REALLY OVERWEIGHT or it was pre-1950s...

A scuba gear wetsuit doesn't count.

Skyrim and Star Wars Bikinis

I decided to post these more for general amusement. Skyrim and Star Wars cosplay enthusiasts, eat your heart out.

How to Make Your Breasts Look Bigger

Say what...

No seriously. You can make your breasts look bigger - without surgery and without stuffing your bra or bikini.

Call it one of those things that women like to do when they know they want to look "really good". Like when you have a super hot date and you want to look your absolute best.

And there is nothing wrong with wanting to look your best for special occasions.


How to Make Your Breasts Look Bigger

#1. Do Push Ups, Bench Presses and similar Bust Firming Exercises - Exercise will make your breasts look more perky and bigger.

Note: I cannot emphasis this one enough. Bust Firming Exercises really work and women have been doing them for decades. Even Marilyn Monroe did Bust Firming Exercises. They help you keep the shape of your breasts as you get older too, so even though you are 40 or 50 you could have the breasts of a 25 year old.

#2. Wear Two Bras - Extra Support = More Cleavage.

#3. Pin the back straps of your bra(s) together with a safety pin. Note, doing this will hurt because it will be really tight and squeeze your breasts together, so you don't want to be doing this very often.

#4. Using your hands, lift your breasts a bit and position them upwards so they look bigger.

#5. Makeup - Tanner, Lotion, Bronzers... extra colour in the area above the breasts makes them look bigger because there is more depth perception. Glitter and shimmer also work to add details and show off more shape.

#6. Contour Makeup - Using makeup, you can add contours to make your cleavage and breasts look bigger.

#7. Push Up Bras and Corsets Rock.

These tips are designed to accentuate and take full advantage of what you already have at your disposal.

DO NOT USE TAPE - Yes, it will give you more lift, but what happen when one tape becomes loose and your one breast looks bigger than the other... which looks all droopy in comparison. Plus that won't work if you are wearing a bikini because everyone will see the tape.

DO NOT STUFF YOUR BRA WITH SOCKS OR KLEENEX - That just looks really fake. Plus you can't do that with a bikini anyway.

DO NOT GET SURGERY - Because then everyone will know they're fake - And the health risks and botched boob jobs just aren't worth it. Plus the surgery leaves a distinctive scar which can often be seen when you are wearing a bikini.

Seriously, if you can get awesome results with exercise, fashion and makeup why would you bother with anything else?

Retro Swimwear

There are lots of retro swimsuits and bikinis available now. Below are some of my favourites. I may post more in the future if people like them and leave comments asking for more.

Knitted Bikinis

I know it isn't summer yet, but I can't wait to try out my new knitted bikini.

I think knitted bikinis are beyond fabulous. Yes, you could buy a store bought bikini like everyone else... but if you have a beautiful figure and want to REALLY stand out... then knitted bikinis are by far the kewlest.

You can find lots of really nice knitted bikinis on Etsy. Or you can make your own...

HOW TO MAKE YOUR OWN KNITTED BIKINI

Instructions for bra top are written for A-cup size. Any changes for B- and C-cup sizes are written in brackets. If there is only one figure it applies to all sizes. Bottoms are one-size. Standard abbreviations are used. Recommended for knitters and crocheters with some experience.

You need:
1 hank Butterfly Super 10 (125 g) pure cotton yarn, No. 3401 Orange
One pair of 4.5 mm needles OR whichever needles you require to produce the tension given below
One 4.25 mm crochet hook
Stitch markers
Tapestry needle
Clear elastic knitting thread
12.5 cm (5 ins) square of swimsuit lining in desired colour (optional)
Matching thread (optional)

TENSION

20 sts and 26 rows = 10 cm (4 ins) in stocking stitch. Work to exact tension with specified yarn to obtain satisfactory results. TO SAVE TIME, TAKE TIME TO CHECK TENSION.

BRA CUP (make 2):
With knitting needles, cast on 29(33,37) sts.
Row 1 (right side): Knit.
Row 2: Purl.
*Row 3: K1, sl1, k1, psso, knit to last 3 sts, k2tog, k1. 27(31,35) sts now on needle.
Row 4: Purl.
Row 5: Knit.
Row 6: Purl.
Rep from * 4(6,8) times more, ending with right side facing for next row. 19 sts now on needle.
**Next row: K1, sl1, k1, psso, [yo, k2tog] to last 2 sts, k2tog. 17 sts now on needle.
Next row: Purl.
Rep from ** 6 times more, ending with right side facing for next row. 5 sts now on needle.
Next row: Purl.
Next row: K1, sl1, k2tog, psso, k1. 3 sts now on needle.
Next: P3tog (top point of cup), sl rem st onto crochet hook and, with right side facing, ch 3, work 20(24,28) hdc evenly down first side edge, ch 3 at corner, work 21(25,29) hdc evenly across bottom edge, ch 3 at corner, work 20(24,28) hdc evenly up second side edge, then sl st to 2nd ch of first ch 3, fasten off.

HOW TO MAKE THE BRA TOP

With right side facing, sl st to ch 3 sp at bottom right-hand corner of first cup, then [ch 3, hcd] in same sp, hdc in each st along bottom edge to left-hand corner, ch 5, hdc in ch 3 sp at bottom right-hand corner of second cup, then hdc in each st along bottom edge of second cup to last st, 2 hdc in ch 3 sp at bottom left-hand corner of second cup, ch 3, turn.

Row 2: 2 hdc in first ch 3 sp, hdc in each st to last st, 2 hdc in last ch 3 sp, ch 3, turn.

Row 3: 2 hdc in first ch 3 sp, hdc in each st to last st, 2 hdc in last ch 3 sp, then work chain st to create strap 52 cm (20-1/2 ins) long, fasten off.

Sl st to first st on outside corner of rem cup, then work same-length strap in same manner.

HOW TO MAKE THE BOTTOMS

Cast on 41 sts (front top edge).
*Row 1 (right side): K1, sl1, k1, psso, [yo, k2tog] to last 2 sts, k2tog. 39 sts now on needle.
Row 2: Purl.
Rep from * 4 times more. 31 sts now on needle.
Work St st, dec 1 st at each end of needle on every alt row 8 times, place marker. 15 sts now on needle.

Work even in St st until crotch from marker measures 12.5 cm (5 ins) or desired length, ending with right side facing for next row.

Work St st, inc 1 st at each end of needle on every row 23 times, place marker. 61 sts now on needle. (Note: If desired, widen and lengthen back by inc number of sts in rows, taking into consideration that crocheted edging will add 1 cm/3/8 in at each edge.)

Work even in St st until back from marker measures 19.5 cm (7-1/2 ins), cast off to last st, sl rem st onto crochet hook and, with right side facing, ch 3, work 62 hdc evenly along first side edge, ch 3 at corner, work 31 hdc evenly across top front edge, ch 3 at corner, work 62 hdc evenly along second side edge, ch 3 at corner, work 40 hdc evenly across top back edge, sl st to 2nd ch of first ch 3, then work chain st to create strap 39.5 cm (15-1/2 ins) long, fasten off.

One at a time, sl st to each rem corner on front and back, then work same-length strap in same manner.

HOW TO FINISH

Using elastic, hand-sew line of running sts just inside each side edge of cups and bottoms. If desired, cut lining (having greatest stretch from front to back) piece about 6 mm (1/4 in) larger than crotch around edge, press under 1 cm (3/8 in) around edge; with matching thread, slipstitch in place to wrong side.

NOTE: THIS IS JUST ONE DESIGN. YOU CAN BROWSE AROUND ONLINE AND FIND LOTS OF OTHER DESIGNS.