This article aims to clarify the question a little opaque men's swimwear 1. Should you choose your swimsuit for style or comfort? What is the right material for a quality swimsuit? What shoes should I wear my swimsuit with?
We're trying to give you some ideas on how to find the piece that will stay with you all summer!
THE SHORT HISTORY OF THE SWIMSUIT
Swimming in public is not new. We all remember the thermal baths of Antiquity which were presented as beneficial for our health. Accessible to all social levels, they also allowed exchange and sharing.
Yes, but there you have it, if bathing was a way of life at that time, not swimsuits! People bathed there naked, as shown in this painting by the Dutch painter Alma-Tadema, a lover of Antiquity:
© A Favorite Custom, 1909.
A Favorite Custom, 1909.
Towards the end of the Middle Ages, baths ended. The plague is raging and they are suspected of proliferating the disease. It must be said that we did not swim in the sea but in isolated baths, therefore much less hygienic.
It was only in the 17th century that the benefits of sea water were discovered. It was recommended by certain hygienists to cure illness. The English were the first to swim there... And this time fully dressed!
Until the beginning of the 20th century, men had bathing pajamas that covered their torso, arms and upper legs. The women have the whole package: underdress, corset, pants and outer dress.
Here is an illustration of women's swimwear of the time. The advantage? No need for sunscreen.
These men's bathing suits, often striped like this, are then made of thick wool or cotton knit.
But if sea bathing can be recommended for therapeutic purposes, it remains very rare and only affects a tiny part of the population . At this time we prefer walks along the coast.
Only from 1910 did men and women begin to bathe together and more commonly. Only the outfits for women evolve and become lighter . The men keep their outfits.
Considered vulgar, tanning is related to peasants who work the land in the sun. This is why we continued to cover our bodies until Coco Chanel, in the 1920s, makes a tanned complexion attractive .
In The Great Gatsby, Robert Redford keeps the stripes but opts for a more exposed model during that famous summer of 1922.
In 1936, paid leave was born and with them, mass tourism. The beaches are taken by storm and finally swimsuits are getting shorter, for men and women and of all social classes.
Although some men are starting to wear swimming trunks, the costume generally worn remains the thin wetsuit.
Another major revolution of the time is the invention of nylon by Wallace Carothers, an American chemist who then worked for the DuPont de Nemours firm. Even today, a large majority of jerseys are made of nylon.
After the Second World War, men dropped the tank top. All that remains are the shorts, first tied with a small cord, before giving way to the famous "trunk" model in the 1950s. The latter is similar to high-waisted boxer shorts, relatively indented at the thighs.
Fashion at that time wanted this type of swimsuit to be worn with wide belts.
In the 60s, the low-waisted shortened swimsuit was close to boxers or even swimming trunks. Likewise, we begin to produce in mass and on an assembly line, the belt - too expensive - disappears in favor of the drawstring. The models of the time were colorful and adorned with psychedelic motifs, which were very fashionable at the time.
In the 80s, the swimsuit was longer this time , influenced by the widespread practice of surfing, so “ so cool” ! It's the appearance of board shorts , yes yes, you know, the one for which you are prohibited from entering the swimming pool due to hygiene.
Sundek is one of the first brands to popularize boardshorts. Quicksilver will then follow.
It will be very popular until the 2000s.
If you go to the beach in the coming days, you will notice that, from now on, all types of swimsuits can coexist on one and the same stretch of sand. Swim shorts, a sort of compromise between boxers and boardshorts , will surely be the most present but not exclusively.
© Orlebar Brown swim shorts.
Orlebar Brown swim shorts.
Another possibility: swimming trunks. It is more difficult to maintain but more hygienic. This is why it is obligatory in swimming pools. Its advantages ? Guaranteed Italian charm and an optimal tan.
Be careful, it will correspond more to the best built among you . Only opt for if you have an Apollo body and feel comfortable enough to fully reveal your body. If this is the case, make sure that it has enough coverage and that its seams naturally follow the crease of your buttocks.
It's a bit the same for boxers. Ok for the pool. For the beach, only if you have the same figure as Daniel Craig in “Casino Royale”.
Jersey which also sold for 55,000 euros at auction in 2012.
Finally, if you are going to Costa Rica for a surf session with friends, then boardshorts are a must . Be careful, bring an extra boxer-type swimsuit or double the amount of underwear if you are not very comfortable with it. wearing this piece next to the skin . But comfort being something very personal, it's up to you to see what suits you best.
It's more of a garment and doesn't have a lining or interior mesh like other shorts. The main advantage of its length is to protect the leg from wax when you wait for the wave sitting on your board.
© Easy!
Easy!
Another feature: they do not have elastic at the waist but close with a Velcro fastener ( aka scratch ) and a small drawstring. This would prevent you from losing your swim shorts under the pressure of the waves when the water seeps into the swimsuit.
2. THE QUESTION OF LENGTH
The shorter it is, the more revealing it is. A swimsuit that reveals a little more of your legs has a slightly more "sporty" connotation; you would more easily expect to find it on a young man. Conversely, the longer the jersey , the more "classic" it will be, but also "relaxed" if it is looser.
There are swim shorts ranging from a little above mid-thigh to "long Bermuda shorts", bordering on being capri pants.
As with boxers, I am convinced that in addition to the connotation, certain lengths better highlight certain physiques: if you have rather short legs, or simply quite muscular, a shorter length will be more flattering and will compact you less.
Conversely, the taller or more slender you are in your lower body, the proportions will seem more accurate if your shorts stop closer to the knee.
It's then up to you to judge what represents the best balance between your silhouette and the connotation that speaks to you the most. It's not more complicated than that.
To understand how different lengths can greatly affect the rendering on the same model, I recommend visiting the Orlebar Brown shop: this brand specialized in swimsuits offers five lengths which are iterations on the same model (Setter, Springer, Bulldog, Dane).
Example here with the Setter (left) and Dane (right) models. The Dane will be more recommended if you have a slender figure, and the Setter will be more suitable for short legs.
3. PRINTS, PATTERNS, COLORS: WHICH STYLE TO CHOOSE?
A big question that often comes up is "which swim shorts to choose to wear in town, in a formal outfit?" There, however, it is more complicated. It is better to render to Caesar what is Caesar's. A swimsuit is made to be worn at the beach or by the sea.
Of course, no one will stop you from going to get an ice cream in the city in a swimsuit, but don't look for THE model that will match your shoes, your t-shirt or even your shirt. It would be a hassle for nothing.
Don’t hesitate to go wild with the colors. It's vacation, we're freeing ourselves! 😉 Well, not too much anyway, avoid fluorescent shorts which, in addition to attracting too much attention, risk being transparent when you get out of the water.
Also be careful with colors that are too dark , they will tend to fade more quickly in the sun. Moreover, you will have noticed that dark black or midnight blue jerseys are rare, these are colors that attract the sun and will make the fabric much too hot.
Regarding prints, it's time to dare what you wouldn't allow yourself the rest of the year. Flowers, checks, gradient colors... Come on, a little fantasy never killed anyone.
If you prefer plain models, opt for cheerful colors . Otherwise, there are also models with more sober colors but with certain details that stand out: a cord, a closure or even a brightly colored band, for example.
Model from the Le Slip Français brand with patriotic detail 🙂
Villebrequin X The Rake camo shorts... For commando-pool missions.
If it's not through a strong color or a fun print that you want to differentiate yourself. Don't be afraid to look for patterns a little original in their details .
In a much more elegant register, another Vilbrequin, with this flat belt decorated with a metal clasp. With the tone-on-tone Prince of Wales pattern as a bonus, for sartorial fans, even on the beach.
These light powder blue swim shorts are inspired by running shorts. We really like the light gray edging at the waist and along the leg.
4. WHAT MATERIAL FOR A SWIMSUIT?
Overall, you will find two main materials in the swimwear market: polyester and polyamide . We can also find mixtures of one of these two materials with elastane . All three are synthetic fibers from processed petroleum products.
The addition of elastane brings flexibility and elasticity to the jersey, as with clothing.
What is the difference between polyester and polyamide? These materials are essentially the same but we would still tend to favor polyamide. Here is a table that briefly summarizes the advantages of one over the other:
It's essentially the same thing but we will still remember the comfort of polyamide where polyester is rougher.
Are there only jerseys made of synthetic fibers? No, you can find models in merino wool or blends with cotton, but this is on the one hand very rare and, on the other hand, not necessarily the most suitable.
Here, the advantage of synthetic fibers is that we can incorporate specific properties into them. They are modified from the inside to better resist the sun, sea water or even chlorine. Thus, we will find water-repellent, quick-drying, anti-UV swimsuits, etc.
On this side, be careful. Today, brands all have an argument to convince people of the added value of their products. Typically, when you look online, almost all swimsuits today have the "quick dry" feature.
We are not saying that this is false but, in fact, polyamide and polyester are two materials which already exhibit this property in their natural state. So whether it's a question of a few minutes more or less, we don't really see the point of this argument.
On the other hand, a treatment which makes the polyester water-repellent, or another which allows greater resistance of the polyamide to chlorine and the sun, will already be able to convince us more.
So to put it simply: don't worry too much about the material of your swimsuit. Just make sure that the lining is comfortable and soft and that the potential treatments bring a real plus which would not already be present initially.
SHOULD YOU REALLY INVEST IN A SWIMMINGSUIT?
You can find everything and all prices in terms of swimsuits today. Whether they are brands specializing in this area or not, how do you know if the product is good? And what interest can there be in investing in a seasonal piece that will only be used for a few weeks at most per year?
1. THE DETAILS THAT MAKE THE DIFFERENCE
The difference between an entry-level swimsuit and a high-end swimsuit will firstly come down to design. Some brands carry out real creative research to develop original prints. And it costs him.
Gili's is a great example of this. The prints on these swimsuits are both subtle and very interesting when you look at them more closely: which we particularly like.
The brand also has seersucker models. Very interesting fabric for a swimsuit since it does not stick to the skin due to its embossed texture, it is very pleasant to wear because it is airy and light, in addition to never wrinkling.
Aesthetically, it is very original and changes from what we usually see, while remaining elegant.
I highly recommend it to those looking for a little originality for this summer.
Of course, in addition to the prints developed by the brand, the manufacturing in Portugal, the quality of the materials and the solid finishes also justify a higher than average price.
I had the chance to chat with Christophe, founder of the Orlebar Brown brand: the most famous name in luxury swimwear. The brand has based its reputation on its successful cuts, its choice of elegant details +, the famous prints "from photos", and the great variety of these. However, it must be admitted that at 250 euros, even for the most basic models, the brand is clearly too expensive excluding promotions. But it is not difficult to find them on sale every year.
THE FINAL WORD
To choose your swim shorts, determine the criterion you want to prioritize: style, comfort, robustness? Not that these three criteria cannot be brought together in one piece, but rather that each will have particular specificities.
This will also help you choose what type of swimsuit you want: versatile shorts or a model suitable for swimming, etc. Additionally, how much are you willing to invest in it and why?
Summary of the criteria that could make the difference:
- Original and colorful prints
- A cord or drawstring tabs rather than an elastic band alone
- A comfortable lining instead of a mesh
- A small pocket that closes to put your keys
- A pleasant material in contact with the skin.
HOW TO CHOOSE A GOOD SWIMSUIT FOR MEN?
Today, there is a wide range of men's swimwear: from swimming trunks to board shorts, including mid-thigh shorts , there is no shortage of choice. But not all of them are suitable for the use you will make of them.
1. A SWIMSUIT SUITABLE FOR ITS PURPOSE
Of all, the most versatile model which will suit different leisure activities is the swim shorts, which reach mid-thigh. It is woven and composed in the majority of cases of polyamide .
The swim shorts can easily accompany you for a seaside vacation with your family, to go blazing in Palavas-les-Flots with friends, to travel to the ends of the world with your other half or even for a more sporty vacation. In addition, it is also suitable for all body types and all generations.