Traditional Suits

An overwhelming percentage of bathing suits today are made of synthetic materials such as polyester, nylon and Lycra (spandex). They are comfortable, keep their shape, and are elastic and quick-drying, making them a great general-use fabric.

However, there are several factors that decrease the lifespan of a traditional swimsuit. Lycra is a fragile fabric, and chlorine and other chemicals are particularly harsh to it. Rough surfaces can also break the fibers, creating that “piled” look of an older suit. Hot tubs, washing machines and suntan oils will also cause damage. Swimwear that is constantly damp from either spending a long time in the water or being rolled up in a bag will also weaken the fabric as well as breed bacteria.

A bathing suit with a higher percentage of polyester is more durable to the elements, but you lose the comfort of spandex, which gives a swimsuit its sleek lines and ability to stretch.

As long as care is taken, traditional polyester, spandex and nylon blends are still a great choice, as long as care is taken while wearing and cleaning your suit.

High-Performance Fabrics

Today, advances in technology have created a whole new range of fabrics and special weaving techniques. Micro fiber was introduced in the late 1980’s, and consists of both traditional synthetic fibers and completely new fibers that are much thinner than before, yet retain all the strength, durability, and stretch of traditional fabric. How thin? Many are 100 times thinner than a human hair! These fibers are then packed together to make an incredibly strong, versatile and comfortable fabric. They can be constructed to be impervious to water, yet loose enough to allow perspiration to escape from the skin, cooling the body.

For the swimsuit industry, this has meant a huge variety of new fabrics and techniques. Athletes can now wear special fabrics that reduce drag in the water, and those worried about the sun have the option of UV-blocking materials. Sun worshippers can buy a tan through swimsuit, where the material is porous enough to let 50% of the sun’s tanning rays through and yet still be opaque to the naked eye.

Every year, new microfiber fabrics are introduced to the market. Browse online or walk through specialty swim stores, and you can see and feel the difference. There is a bathing suit out there for you. Now it’s easier to find one.

Article courtesy of www.no-tan-lines.com – Your source for tan through swimwear
The next time you go to the beach, don’t worry about tan lines! Just wear a tan through swimsuit for that perfect, even tan.

Women’s plus size starts beyond 14W. The clothing industry has produced some really exotic wear for plus size women. The categories just keep on expanding. Plus size clothing is not at all about hiding your body. It’s all about flaunting your body in a more sophisticated way.

Plus size clothing doesn’t imply baggy clothing to hide your over sized figure. Well fitted plus size clothing will make you feel more sensuous by giving you an enticing appeal. No doubt, modern plus size clothing will put you on a par with mainstream fashion. You can show your legs by wearing a fashionable knee length dress or skirt. Inside a low cut top you can wear a camisole. And all this and more, is available for you in plus sizes.

You can accentuate your clothing by accessorizing with scarves and jewelry. Plus size clothing is designed to make you feel comfortable and attractive. Items in plus sizes are also available for underwear such as bras, bikinis, panties and thongs. Plus size clothing for special occasions such as plus size evening gowns, bridal wear, jeans and T- shirts are also readily available in all good department and specialized stores.

Now you can buy sleeveless and tube tops in plus sizes. Plus size apparel is all about wearing colors, prints and styles of clothing in a manner that makes you look elegant and classy. If you are over sized and quite conscious of exposing to much flesh on your shoulders, you can drape or carry an exotic shawl around your shoulders. With the right mix and match of clothing to match your size, you can look really sassy in your plus size apparel.

Do you enjoy vacations and beach parties? Who doesn’t? If you have been avoiding them because of your size till now, you are really missing out the real fun of life.

Plus size beach and swimwear has been especially made to support the contours of your body. In plus size swim suits and bikinis, you can feel relaxed and comfortable on the beach.

Finding a beautiful wedding gown is getting easier too. With the availability of plus size bridal wear, kiss your worries goodbye. Plus size bridal wear is readily available in most department and bridal stores with a large range to chose from.

There are plenty of plus size designs and clothing available in the shops and alternatively mail order from catalogues or from the Internet. So you can now shop till you drop.

Plus size clothing for kids is storming the markets, both in the shops and online. There are pants, knickers, T-shirts, jackets all available for your children. Now you just have to choose if you want to buy that striking leather jacket or that exquisite denim jacket for your child. The options are limitless; all you have to do is choose what you want to buy – the choices are endless.

Different fabrics, shades and designs are available in plus size clothing for kids. You can choose from among the costly designer wears or the more affordable department store range. There is an amazing range of styles available so that kids can keep up with the latest fashions too. Take your children shopping and let them choose what they like.

There is nothing like great fitting clothes whatever your size so make the most of the selection available and get some great pieces today.

Olga Sen writes articles on a number of different topics. For more information on Plus Size Clothing please visit www.plus-size-clothes-online.org/plussizeclothes/ and for additional Plus Size Clothing articles please visit the following article page www.plus-size-clothes-online.org/plussizeclothes-articles/

The bikini was invented and launched by two French designers: Jacques Heim and Louis Reard. Heim was a swimsuit designer who had created a two-piece suit to be sold in his beach shop in Cannes. He marketed the swimsuit as the “atome,” (named for its small size and meant to be compared with the atom, the smallest particle of matter known). No doubt, it was an outrageously tiny swimsuit.

The same year, Reard was creating his own similar, two-piece swimsuit. He named and marketed his swimsuit as the bikini, claiming that it was “smaller than the smallest bathing suit in the world”. Reard christened his swimsuit the bikini in honor of experimental atomic bombs being detonated in the South Pacific, near the Bikini Reef.

So Reard’s name stuck, though by today’s standards, the bikinis of the 1940s and ’50s were positively modest in their coverage. Bottoms were cut above the navel, and tops fully covered the breasts.

Getting smaller by the year

The bikini went through several changes as time passed. Designers experimented with many varieties for the swimsuit, including a bikini top with attached propellers (!), a suit made entirely of red hair, and even a version made of porcupine quills.

As early as the 1950s, the bikini was already so small that it could be packed into a matchbook, but even more drastic shrinkage lay in store. In the 1970s, the sexual revolution in the United States caused designers to make the bikini even more revealing.

So we had string bikinis, which exposed the navel by fitting the bottoms on the hips. The top, too, provided only bra-style coverage. In the 1980s, the popular thong bikini arrived on the scene. Designers claimed the thong bikini originated from the clothing of Amazonian tribal groups in Brazil. As we know, the thong bikini leaves the bottom virtually uncovered and the back of the suit disappears into the buttocks.

Micro bikinis

In the 1990s and 2000s, designers have continued to revamp the bikini and innovated new styles. While the thong and string bikinis retain their popularity, the micro bikini has recently been added to the growing selection.
Essentially, micro bikinis are bikinis combining a micro bikini top and a thong bikini bottom. Needless to add, it is scantier and more revealing than traditional bikinis and hence its name.
Buying micro bikinis

· A word of warning: you need to be careful that you don’t opt for a string bikini when you mean to buy a micro bikini. There are enough illustrated examples online to show you the difference.

· Numerous sites offer essential advice like how to shave your bikini line (hairy exposures will NOT do). Make sure your pubic area in particular is well shorn.

· Choose the fabric well. Test your skin for itches and allergic rashes, particularly since you will be spending a lot of time in the sun wearing your bikini

· Have plenty of sunscreen handy. You need to use liberal doses all over your body since you obviously will not have much on in terms of protection from the sun’s rays!

Happy bathing!