How To Choose A Swimsuit

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31195, 20 October 1966, Page 8

How To Choose A Swimsuit

Summer is almost here. It is outdoor time and this season it is a safe bet that everyone will be out to soak in as much sun as possible to rid their bones of last winter’s chill.

Summer brings fashion problems. The stores are packed with a bewildering variety of swim and sports wear. However, no matter what your figure type, there should be something to suit you.

Most girls are already on their spring diets—to lose weight or to put it on where it is most needed. Even with careful dieting it is not always possible to achieve the perfect figure. One swimwear manufac-

turer has printed a guide to help girls choose the most flattering swimsuit. It will pay to remember that New Zealand is not Honolulu, where bikinis are the uniform for thin and fat So if you are overweight buy a one-pice swimsuit. If you are petite all over then the bikini is yours. It looks good on the trim tiny figure as do brightly-coloured two-pieces with the mio leg. If you are a little hippy, you could try a softly draped onepiece or a hip-hugging twopiece. The girl with a small bust should choose a top with horizontal stripe to create an illusion of fullness and a solid colour for a slimmer trunk. If you have a full bust you will need support. So try a cable-knit blouson or a twopiece with a rib-tickler top and a separate inner bras-

siere. Solid colours are best. Avoid horizontal stripes. Giris with plump midrifs will need control or camouflage. Sheaths made from stretch lastex fibre are fine for control as are overblouse styles with their eased, new lines for camouflage. Try vertical stripes and keep lines simple, smooth and slim. Make a firm resolution to tone stomach muscles now.

Horizontal stripes will shorten a long torso and vertical ones will lengthen a short one. For long torsos the elasticised sheaths are right, or two pieces with rib-tickler brassieres. For short torsos choose a hip-hugger or a bikini.

Heavy hips and thighs look better in suits with little boy legs. Avoid mio or elastic legs as well as form-fitting knits.

Girls with the perfect figure can experiment this summer.

Try one-shoulder suits, bikinis and the new surf suits.

There is an art in trying on a new swim suit. Open the zipper as far as possible. Turn the top half of the suit over the bottom half. Hold the suit with the pads of your fingers so your fingernails will not damage the fabric. Step into the suit and ease it on gently. Lean forward so your bust will fall naturally into the brassiere cups. Do up the zipper and any other fastenings and straps. Make sure the suit fits correctly. Walk around, bend, sit and crouch. Check your profile as well as your back view in a three-way mirror. To keep your suit in shape, always wash it when you step out of it with cold water and soap. Squeeze—do not wring —out excess moisture and rinse the suit thoroughly, being careful not to flatten the moulded brassiere cups. Hang your suit away from sunlight on a clip hanger. It is best to let it rest at least a day between wearings as this helps the fibres to regain their shape.