About One-Piece Bathing Suits
One-piece bathing suits are also known as tanks, or in the fashion industry, maillots. Tank suits get their name from an old fashioned term for pools, swimming tanks, while the term maillot (pronounced my-OH) comes from the French word for swimsuit, maillot de bain. Whether they're called tanks, maillots or simply one-piece suits, this type of bathing suit comes in a wide variety of styles and sizes. Does this Spark an idea?
Other People Are Reading
-
Types
-
The most common type of one-piece bathing suit fits like a sleeveless leotard, with straps and a scoop neck. However, there are a number of variations on this basic style. Halter suits have straps that tie or fasten around the neck and leave the back bare. Bandeau one-piece suits have a gathered area in the front of the chest and may be strapless or have spaghetti straps that go over the shoulder or around the neck. Racerback swimsuits have straps that fit snugly over the shoulders and back coverage with a cutout area. Swimdresses can be one-piece suits with a skirt built in. Surplice bathing suits have an extra piece of fabric that wraps diagonally across the front. Monokinis and plunge-front one-piece bathing suits have straps that cover little or none of the upper chest.
Features
-
In addition to having different neck and strap styles, one-piece bathing suits also have different styles of leg openings and back coverage. Most one-piece bathing suits have leg openings that cover the hip, while high-cut or French cut suits reveal the hips. In contrast, boy-cut suits have leg openings that extend over the tops of the thighs. Some one-piece bathing suits cover little of the back, while others have coverage all the way up to the upper back or neck. Some have straps that cross in back, forming in an X shape or use a racerback style.
-
Size
-
One-piece bathing suits come in many sizes, from infants and children's to women's and plus sizes. Some one-piece bathing suits are even available in maternity sizes. Many women's one-piece bathing suits come with a built in shelf or soft cup bra for coverage and support, and some have bras that are available in different cup sizes. Some one-piece suits are also available in a variety of torso lengths, such as short, average or long. Women who don't fit into most bathing suits sizes may find what they need through specialty shops and online stores.
Considerations
-
In choosing a one-piece bathing suit, women should consider the neckline, strap style, back coverage and leg cut. Some one-piece bathing suits reveal as much skin, or more, than many two-piece suits, while others are very modest. Bathing suits that stay snugly in place and allow maximum movement, such as racerback suits, work well for athletic swimming, while strapless bandeau swimsuits may be better suited to strolling or lounging on the beach. One-piece bathing suits also come in a wide variety of colors and prints.
Benefits
-
One-piece bathing suits can flatter a variety of body types and sizes and often provide more coverage than two-piece suits or bikinis. They also may stay in place better during active swimming. Some one-piece bathing suits, such as Carol Wior's Slimsuits, are specifically designed to flatter the figures of plus-size women by using carefully designed cuts and colors.
-
