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March 25, 2005/Adar II 14 5765, Volume 57, No. 30
Dive in
2005 swimwear breaks the mold
JENNIFER GOLDBERG
Special Sections Coordinator
Swimwear season starts early in Arizona, and there's no better time than the present to choose your suit for a summer of fun in the sun.
So what's "in" in 2005?
"The hottest color right now is going to be orange, from your burnt orange to fiery orange - all over the gamut. It's similar to what pink was last year," says Gary Abeyta, publisher of The Swim Journal, a Phoenix-published national trade publication for the swimwear industry. "You'll also see a lot of blues, of course. You're always going to be safe with black - black is slimming, it's sophisticated, it's sexy." He also cites pink and brown as a hot color combination for 2005.
In prints, "animals are back again," says Cynthia Gross, director of retail for the Fairmont Scottsdale Princess Resort. The Princess has three stores - Prickly Pair Clotherie, Lifestyle Clotherie and the Willow Stream Spa Boutique - that sell upper-end swimwear.
Gross says animal prints like python and zebra will be big in 2005, as well as "pinks and blues, and interesting combinations like pink paired with brown."
The Princess stores carry high-quality labels like Gottex, Pilpel, Gideon Oberson and the Platinum Collection, a new line from Speedo.
Gross chooses the suits that fill the stores according to "quality, fit and prints. I'm very particular about prints. We look for the uniqueness of the product. And then I try to envision how a guest will look in it, whether they're a size six or a size 16. I try to select some suits that will appeal to all bodies."
Against the tide
Abeyta says a lot of the traditional rules about swimwear are currently being broken. Colors like orange and yellow, which swimwear designers usually stay away from, are increasing in popularity. "A lot of what we were born and raised with, the traditions of what's hot and what's not, what colors go together," are now being subverted, he says. "'Polka dots and stripes don't go together' - well, now they do. 'You never wear horizontal stripes' - well, now you do."
The right fit
It is a truth universally acknowledged that many women hate to try on swimwear. From unflattering fluorescent lighting to the frustration of trying to find a suit that looks great, swimwear shopping can be less than a day at the beach.
Everything But Water swimwear fit expert Brooke Winston says that above all, "it's important to keep an open mind" when shopping for swimwear. Everything But Water employees go through special training to learn which suits flatter which bodies and how to help each customer select something that will look wonderful.
"Swimwear fit can be tricky," says Winston. "When trying on swimwear, start one size bigger than your dress or pant size. Pay close attention to how the suit fits your rear and bust."
And don't make the mistake of buying experience. If low price is your top priority, or if you prefer to shop on your own, many department stores have frequent swimwear sales throughout the season and usually have a hands-off customer service approach.
Gross says that while the bulk of her clientele are guests of the resort, she also gets lots of business from spa and tennis customers, local residents who live in the area and shoppers looking for a unique suit.
Abeyta advocates shopping at a swimwear boutique or specialty shop. "At a boutique, the employee is trained. When a customer walks in with a specific body type, she knows what type of suit would best fit that customer, depending on the person's body, her flaws and her enhancements. At a department store, you don't have that type of service, in most cases. You might pay a little bit more for the suit (at a boutique), but it's normally well worth it."
For more information, call the Fairmont Scottsdale Princess, 480-585-4848, and visit Everything but Water at www.everythingbutwater.com.
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