posted by admin on Jul 15
Cut-away, tankini, two-piece, mankini, thong, high-cut, string, burqini, halter – the options for a bikini are endless. Even if some of them are plain bizarre. The mankini, for example, despite Alexander McQueen putting it on the catwalk in 2008, and Emporio Armani in Milan again this year, just looks a bit odd. Suspenders attached to a thong don’t look great, no matter how many designer tags you lather onto it.
Ursula Andress transformed the way we look at bikinis. The bikini definitely belongs to women, who have been doing it justice since 5600 BC. Some believe the bikini made its first appearance in 1947 when a French woman shocked beach-goers in a modern two-piece, which was invented by engineer Louis Réard. However, a goddess in Anatolia was depicted wearing something closely resembling a bikini, and Greek urns in 1400 BC show women in bikinis too. Artwork in Sicillian villas, which dates back many centuries, show women in slick two-pieces. The bikini’s been around for a while and will be around for a lot longer. All you need to do is find the right one for you.
Today, the bikini is being reinvented. In Avatar, the mankini and a Lady Gaga creation are on show. As long as you have three triangles of cloth, you can really let your imagination go wild - aptly demonstrated on the beaches of Miami and Florida. Beaches overflow with men and women looking like they’ve just stepped off the pages of the latest magazines. With the sun shining all year round - there’s a reason why Florida is called the ‘sunshine state’ - American beaches are what movies are made of. Hollywood-esque sunsets, dream waves for surfers, miles of endless sandy coastline and, for the moments when you need a break, golf courses, amusement parks and night clubs.
If you’re tired of the bikini but a one-piece has never been your thing, or if you’re just looking for a walk on the wild side, America is home to some of the world’s best nude beaches. Little Beach in Maui, Hawaii, is nothing short of a paradise. San Onofre State Beach in Orange County, California, is drenched in sun with two miles of clothing-optional sand. Haulover and Apollo Beach in Florida are regular features on best beach lists.
If you’re after an all-over tan on this year’s vacation Canada has some beautiful beaches. Hanlan’s Point Beach became a nude beach after forward-thinking sunseekers finally convinced local authorities to let it all hang out. And Wreck Beach was Canada’s first and largest nude beach - it has a stunning view to boot. Located at the confluence of the Frasier River with the Straits of Georgia and English Bay, it’s markedly different from Florida’s tropical coastline. Canada vacations offer more than just snow.
So, put the potato salad on hold and whip out the Stairmaster. Get your bikini body in gear and head for the sunny shores of the USA. Who knows what adventure awaits you in the great blue ocean?
