A bikini or bathing suit may take the spotlight when it comes to women’s swimwear, but a swim cover up is something that can also be a fashion statement out of the water, when one is lounging on the beach or sipping a cocktail by the pool. It isn’t just for aesthetic purposes either. Slip on a swimsuit or bikini cover up, and you’re probably covered up enough to go into a restaurant for brunch or do some shopping at a nearby flea market.
Shopping for swim cover ups is a fun and stress-free activity for many women because of the variety of clothing styles available for all body types and sizes. They can be something as simple as a sarong, which is very popular for its versatility; it can be used as just a lower-body cover up or a full-body swim cover up. A pair of shorts is also a popular option. Then there are items of clothing that give more cover, such as caftans or mini-dresses. Several examples of these can be seen in a list compiled by the fashion website Elle: nylon shorts designed by Cynthia Rowley for Roxy, a crochet tunic from Calypso, and a crochet knit poncho designed by Lotta Stensson, to name a few¹.One retailer that has a wide selection of swim cover ups is Victoria’s Secret. The company is best known for its sexy lingerie, but its line of cover-ups and beach dresses, both short and long, is popular among many women both for its diverse designs and affordable prices².
Pants or trouser-style swimsuit cover ups are also fashionable beachwear styles. At the Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Swim event held in Miami Beach, Florida, in July 2011, various designers showcased their pants beachwear offerings that included pantsuits, slouchy pants, and leggings³. Some of the designers that exhibited pants as a swim cover up were Spain’s Dolores Font Cortes, Australia’s Lisa Burke, and New York’s Norma Kamali.
Sources:
