ALEXANDRA SHULMAN: Why I’ll Always Be Proud To Show Off My Kinky Belly In A Bikini
As we move forward into the final days of summer, the verdict has now fallen on the pressing question of the bikini versus the swimsuit. And this year, the fantastic news is that, finally, the UK swimwear-buying public seems to have woken up to the pleasures of bikini-wearing.
A recent survey showed that this year bikini sales have outpaced swimwear sales by a staggering factor of seven to one, or 82 percent of swimwear sales. And much of that number was bought by middle-aged women who previously favored swimwear.
Since the bikini made its first appearance in 1946, women have been divided between those who are happy to show off their bodies a little more and those who cherish the security of the one-piece.
While Italians, Portuguese, Greeks and Spaniards of all shapes and sizes are happy to frolic on the beach in bikinis, we Brits have traditionally been wary of the extra exposure this choice demands. of swimsuits.
Now, yes, I have skin, literally, in this particular bikini game. In 2017, I posted an Instagram photo of me on vacation wearing a bikini I bought from Boden, a brand from central England, with a slightly frizzy belly, mosquito bites and messy hair.
A recent survey showed that this year bikini sales have outpaced swimwear sales by a staggering factor of seven to one, or 82 percent of swimwear sales. Pictured: Marilyn Monroe in 1946
In 2017, I posted this Instagram photo of me on vacation wearing a bikini I bought from Boden, a brand from central England, with a slightly frizzy belly, mosquito bites and messy hair.
I thought it was just another summer vacation snap and had no idea it would trigger any comment – but it is. Did I show my mommy body to promote body diversity? Did I have the courage, at 59, to post an unfiltered photo in a bikini? Had I lost my mind after leaving my previous 25 years as editor-in-chief of Vogue?
Of course, it was none of that. I did not find for a second that it was anything extraordinary and I considered this photo as one among many, showing the pleasures of my vacation by the sea.
I didn’t think it would raise the question of whether there’s an appropriate age to wear bikinis if you’re not lucky enough to have Liz Hurley’s body and complexion.
Because bikinis have been part of my vacation wardrobe since I was little and I watched longingly as grown women bathed in Ambre Solaire tanning oil and basked in the sun in bikinis.
I was doomed to my boring school regulation Speedo, but as soon as I had the choice, it was a bikini for me – definitely. And it stays that way.
Although I’m far from slender, the exposure of my midriff causes me no more angst than the many other pieces of me that might need some improvement, because bikini-wearing is a rather than a state of the body. You don’t have to look like Gwyneth Paltrow or Salma Hayek in a bikini any more than you do in a one-piece.
I didn’t think this would raise the question of whether there’s an appropriate age to wear bikinis if you’re not blessed with the body and complexion of Liz Hurley (pictured).
Wearing a bikini is not a competition. Yet that hasn’t stopped many women from feeling uncomfortable exposing their bellies, though logically we should be particularly proud of this part of our anatomy for its ability to procreate. Far from being ashamed that over the years we lose the size and firmness of youth, we should be ready to recognize the incredible work that our body does for us.
Those who love bikinis don’t do it because they show off our figures but because they feel so good. Age is irrelevant to the wonderful feeling of sun and water on the skin. The other day Joan Collins, 90, was photographed in a white bikini, joining a group of older women waving the flag.
And this summer’s fashion has helped the cause, offering a wider range of styles than ever before. Joining the tankini with a vest rather than a bra top are the 1950s-style big pants offering more coverage for those who want the feel of a bikini but prefer a bit more concealment.
A few years ago, I was lying on a beach outside Lisbon and watching what I thought were Portuguese grandparents with young children. The couple must have been 80 years old. He preferred tight briefs and the woman wore a colorful bikini. They looked so comfortable, unashamed of the bodies that have worn them through the decades.
It was the perfect template for holiday styling, and I plan to continue copying it for years to come.
