The evolution of the swimsuit has been drastic over the last 50 years. While trends usually come full circle and it is apparent that some bathing suit styles have returned to the fore front from years past, the itsy bitsy bikini is going no where. Who doesn't feel the most comfortable in their underwear? Well, at home when no one is looking. But where is the line on bathing suits? As the more popular trends continue to lean towards skimpy rather than full coverage, it leaves many wondering where the line will be drawn, if at all? Many young females look forward to purchasing and wearing the hottest swimwear trends, but as with all clothing trends, popular doesn't always mean appropriate.
There are many different styles available, but it is important to find the style that fits your body best and one that doesn't expose everything. Talking about modesty in general is controversial, let alone the subject of swimwear. In Florida, ladies can practically live in a swimsuit year round! Some might wonder, if there should be a standard at the beach. Many churches and even some civic organizations believe so. Standards are set for the benefit of the group and the benefit of the individual (but in that order). It makes sense to ask young men and women, attending a group function together at the beach, to consider the fun to be had by the whole group free of distractions rather than placing priority on the individual desires which often leads to expression with no boundaries. So can a young woman "be herself" and still wear something with more coverage than the typical two piece bikini options?
If stores supplied, and celebs promoted only 1 piece swimsuits, would women go out and sew their own two piece bathing suits anyway? When wearing a swimsuit, should consideration be given to others? Should modesty apply to swimsuits, or do sand and water negate the concept? Should current trends dictate our fashion sense? If so, how far will we go allowing the fashion industry to determine our standards?
The options for adorable swimsuits are out there. Since there is so much encouragement for young women to where the super revealing swimsuits, why not balance it out with an alternative?!
Sarah Powers, our Director, grew up out on the water. Her grandparents owned and operated a water ski school for decades and she competed in water sports. It made sense to talk to her about this topic since she has such a passion to see young women dress with their own personal style while not negating their personal values. "I care more about the functionality of a swimsuit than the cuteness factor, but that is because I was always training for a competition. Wearing a bikini might result in some unintended exposure." She laughed as she described some embarrassing moments that occurred from some bad spills while throwing big tricks. "The bottom line is that our belief system should affect our choice of clothing at school, church, work, and the beach. The first thing that people notice about us is most often not what we say or do, but what we wear. If we say we want to honor God with our life, that should be reflected accordingly. As a Christian, our goal in life should not be to get attention from revealing clothes and then to post it on instagram to get more attention." The beach is the perfect opportunity to be set apart and to consider the impression we are giving off to others. I say... wear the look you want, but within reason." She went on to share how the impact of social media has fueled the growth of immodest trends as people continue to post every moment, especially "beachy" ones, with the public.
Both Rebekah, the Top Buttons's Stylist, and Sarah suggested the tankini as a reasonable choice for young women and stated that one pieces are very flattering on most all body types.
It's also interesting to note that most young females, struggle with their changing bodies. Some of the flaws that they see include, small bust line, large bust line, large hips, no curves, large thighs. According to Seventeen.com, young women who see these flaws were 87% more confident when wearing a one piece bathing suit, or one that covered their mid-section.
So with that being said, Be on the lookout for future posts that include where to find some fashionable one pieces, tankinis, and cover ups!
