Page 15 - Real Style Summer 2017

With the sun shining and tanned skin on display, bikini season appears to be in full swing. As we prepare for another short but sweet Canadian summer, it’s time to suit up for the beaches and pools. While you probably already have a stellar new pair of sunglasses and the espadrilles that you’ve been coveting all season, one can’t forget the ultimate statement piece for beach weather: the swimsuit.
Long viewed as the bane of every woman’s existence, hunting for attering swimwear ranks right up there with bikini waxes on the fun meter. Even the most svelte fashionistas can experience moments of body insecurity as they slip into a bathing suit. Fortunately, with its wide range of styles—from the 1980s-inspired high-cut maillot to the skimpy bandeau—Summer 2017 promises to be the season of anything-goes swimwear.
Like any other wardrobe item, it’s essential to keep your body type and proportions in mind when shopping for a new swimsuit. Whether you are petite and voluptuous or tall with an athletic frame, the right swimsuit can help atter your gure.
As the founder of Montreal-based swimwear label Shan, Chantal Lévesque is clearly passionate about helping women show off their best beach bodies. For Summer 2017, she says that everything from simplic- ity to graphic prints is en vogue. Solid tones and monochromatic designs ght quirky patterns for the spotlight, while the one-piece suit is also set to enjoy a renewed moment in the sun.
“There are many ways to style one-piece swimwear,” she says. “Wear a solid-coloured bathing suit with coordinated print resort wear for a more classic look.” Or, for a trendy look, wear printed swimwear with its matching printed resort wear, such as tunics and blouses. “[Shan’s] one-piece bandeau swimsuits are very trendy and our resort wear pieces can take you from the beach to the restaurant in no time,” she tells us.
California-based swimwear designer Trina Turk is also enthusiastic about the return of the one-piece. She has a few tips for wearing it in a contemporary, attering manner that enhances one’s feminine silhouette.
“Get double duty out of your one-piece suit by wearing it as a bodysuit paired with a oaty skirt or denim cutoffs. Our off-the-shoulder one piece in print or solid is a perfect candidate,” Turk says.
Whether you’re young and daring or a seasoned style expert, there’s a bathing suit that can work for just about every age group. According to Turk, your 20s are the time to experiment with fun swimsuits. “Strappy looks, ’80s inspired high-cut legs, and reimagined rash guards are great when you’re young.”
Ladies in their 30s can rock white suits, she says, whether they are escaping for the weekend or embarking on their honeymoons. Turk adds that creative cover-ups, side cut-outs, monokinis and plunging necklines are all stylish additions to your beach wardrobe.
If you’re in your 40s and 50s, asymmetrical one-shoulder suits and higher halter necklines are a solid sartorial choice. From extra coverage to a slimming effect, these swimsuits are fashionable yet also slightly more modest and age-appropriate.
Of course, comfort and con dence are both key, no matter how old you are. Vancouver-based swimwear designer Beth Richards couldn’t
Beth richarDS
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