Admit it, more fashion faux pas are committed on the beach than a high school prom in the ‘80s. Some women come decked out in suits with all the bells and whistles (or ruffles) in the hopes that excess embellishment will hide all flaws, while some look like they’re rehearsing for the role of extra in Pretty Woman 2: Who Let The Hookers Out, all kitted up in dental floss bikinis smaller than a fetus’ G-string. (Luckily, Donna Cuna Pita has some suggestions on choosing swimsuits for your body type on page J-1.)
“Not everything sexy has to be obscene,” says Hindy Tantoco, the designer of U Swim, the in-house line of Rustan’s known for its fashionable and affordable swimwear. The latest collection, which ranges in theme from Harajuku to Hollywood “it” girl, has some serious stunners that easily make it a poolside fixture come those blisteringly hot summer days.
“I wanted a more sophisticated, more grown-up look,” says Hindy, who splits her time between designing the massively successful and superchic Culte Femme and her made-to-order apparel business.
Consumers will be happy to see the range of the label has provided. “It was a conscious decision to give women more options,” Hindy relates. There’s a string bikini in pastel shades with a matching mini to cover up with so you can hit the bar straight from the beach. Those waxing nostalgic about the pin-up days, when Marilyn and her ilk reigned supreme, will find much to like in this collection, from halter suits that flatter lanky and buxom body types in equal measure to body suits that seem engineered to bring out your hourglass figure.
Hindy, while channeling Old Hollywood, seems to have hit the mark with these pieces made for the glamour girl. When designing the line, she thought about what a girl would wear to the Beverly Hills Hotel poolside. That girl apparently has a hankering for vibrant prints and retro cuts. “We worked with a sentimental feeling — more like nostalgic,” says Hindy, which resulted in “classic styles with a modern twist.”
Other labels in Rustan’s, like Tigerlily and Le Tarte, offer sexy altenatives to the usual beach-garb fare in the latest trends.
With suits like these, everyone’s summer wardrobe shopping should go swimmingly.