Looking for a new swimming costume ahead of your summer holiday? If you're gifted with some needle and thread and a bit of fabric, you should still have time to fashion yourself something, with a little bit of help from the new book Vintage Swimwear Patterns by Jill Salen.
The 1970s was undoubtedly a decade of indulgent luxury, with the birth of the disco era and the popularity of decadent holidays in the Riviera sunshine. With that comes a striking fashion aesthetic that's captured well in this Stripe Bustier Bikini from Urban Outfitters.
The two piece manages to capture a contrasting hyper-femininity at the same time as creating a structural silhouette, capturing that later seventies love of daring shapes. The mix of stripe directions highlights the seaming structure, while the lines are kept clean and simple enough to carry the design.
It's available now from Urban Outfitters UK for £35.
Dresses and skirts with fifties inspiration might be a must for the wardrobes of pinup enthusiasts, but the style truly comes into its own with sultry swimwear. Channeling the later pinup styles of the 1950s, this Cherry Pinup Bikini from Pinup Couture is a piece that's guaranteed to knock 'em dead.
The halter top, with tie detailing at the bust, accentuates the curves to help create that killer hourglass silhouette. With an option of full briefs or a retro high waisted short as bottoms, there's an option for most body types to finish the look. Made ina black cherry printed fabric, there's no mistaking the vintage appeal of this number.
It's available online from Pinup Girl Boutique for a total of $108, each piece sold separately.
Australian swimwear label Jemma Jube is inspired by superheroes and super vixens; tough talking ladies who flaunt their curves but can more than hold their own in a man's world.
The Bonnie Bikini takes a classic retro shape and cuts it to flatter – accentuating the bust with an underwired balconette bustier and slimming the stomach and hips with super-high-waisted shorts. It's a sexy look that keeps you covered and combines the style of vintage swimwear with modern fabrics that work to conceal and enhance your figure in all the right places.
As always the Spring/Summer collections of high street retailers has reached us before the sunshine in Britain, with plenty of inspiring choices for that holiday you're considering. This Blue Halterneck Bikini from George at Asda is a great retro choice for the coming months, at the brand's usual bargain prices.
The shape of the two-piece takes obvious inspiration from fifties pinup styles, with a halterneck and twist at the bustline. The full briefs tie the ensemble together, finished in a blue bright enough to stand out among the most tropical of backdrops.
Get it from George at Asda now for just £10, sold as separates.
It might seem strange to be looking at Summer fashion fodder already, but the big names are already bringing us swimwear and summer looks in their droves. Thankfully this gives us a bit of a preview of the retro influences to come, with pieces likes this Bandeau and High-Waisted Bikini by Chloé.
The combination of a risque top and full retro bottom gives this piece an interesting retro look, offering something different from the many pin-up styled swimwear options we've recently seen. The effortless glamour of the set, achieved by a chic cut and subtle detailing, speaks of a truly seventies decadence that's hard to resist.
It's available online in the UK from Net-a-Porter for £235.
