bikini of the day: the bold bandeau

IMG_4642This is the suit I was wearing in the bandeau/pencil skirt post. This design is by the Finnish brand Marimekko via Anthropologie (thrifted). I am often drawn to bold, rustic stripes in varied widths like the pattern featured here. I find them somehow more approachable than a bold, bright solid, more eye-catching, too; a pattern that invites attentiveness, gives you something to look at. Leave it to the Scandinavians. Also really like brown mixed with pastels. This is reminding me how I want some of those beautiful little Scandinavian-inspired bowls in Anthropologie – the size and style of a small Japanese rice bowl (and in fact made in Japan, evidently. I don’t know why but – usefulness entirely aside, though I do find them useful – I just love dainty porcelain bowls like this), with many different patterns to mix and match. I feel an urge to acquire a random selection that is not unlike what I experienced with the eggcups

This was another instant, effortless, yes-this-is-the-one kind of acquisition, I think largely because of this brilliant color combination + ratio of light tones to dark tones situation.

Doesn’t it seem like one might wear a turban with this suit?

[More on turbans soon…I got some fabric.]

I like hiphugger style bottoms, too. The silhouette they give seems pleasantly sleek and sporty to me, like you ought to be playing beach volleyball (which is probably true), or wearing them with a tank top in one of those Olympic runner get-ups. Sleek is a prominent keyword in my style, I would say. Or, at least, I want it to be.

Hm. I want to go swimming.

bikini of the day: neon striped bandeau

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Another little bandeau number from Victoria’s Secret, a few seasons ago now. I prefer this twist front bandeau to the ruched front that is so widely available and not quite so flattering to my eye. Tied bottoms are cute but also flexible given slight fluctuations in weight. Victoria’s Secret provides a basically ridiculous number of options, which I suspect is key to their swimwear success.

Bandeaus with halter straps like this, when you wear the halter, create this great trapezoid within the square (of your shoulders) figure that I like a lot. Not so young now, in the world of bikini-wearing anyway, I am aware of the challenge of making choices that are playful without being too childish, or too teenagerish. Or outright tacky (No jewels! Power to you if you like a bit of encrustation with your swimwear, but I can’t do it). This is such a fine line, I think, and one that shifts around from one person to another, from one age to another, and that shifts around on me all the time based on mysterious changes in my various inner microclimates. This example is well in my comfort zone but close enough to the line to make me aware of the line. Sometimes I don’t think a piece is quite as adult as I aspire to at least seem to be, but I just like it too much. What then?

Well, I will try it on. I can’t just ignore flat out liking something. It warrants reflection, at least.

This bikini, I admit, is just the kind of thing I would have picked out as a teenager… but I still like most of the things I liked as a teenager. I am really very consistent.