Time to Break Out the Swimsuits and Shades

Summer is officially here and it’s time to dust off our swimsuits, grab our Hawaiian Tropic, and head outside! Swimwear in the 80’s was the best! We all looked great in those bright colors, high cut swimsuits, and of course, the accessories and nail colors to match. It’s not hard to believe that some of the 80’s style swimsuits are either still popular today or are making a comeback. Let’s look back at some of the more popular swimwear and accessories of the 80’s.

Scoop Neck – This suit was first launched by J. Crew in the 80’s. It was the suit of choice back then and continues to be a great look today.  The suit came in the famous red color as seen on Baywatch or several other colors of choice. Who else had the neon green one? 

Body Glove – This swimwear was the original California brand for surfing and all things water sports related. The brand was well-known for its beach and active wear because it fit your body like a glove. The brand’s bikinis, one-piece suits with a zipper, and wet suits were usually a bright neon with black contrast and sometimes displayed their famous logo across the front. These hip revealing suits were incredibly popular.  To take this look over the top we matched our nail color to our suits. We were so bright we needed sunglasses just to be able to look at each other! 

The “Thong”- This bathing suit also made its debut in the 80’s when swimwear designers began to take fashion tips from the exotic Brazilian culture. Only the brave donned this revealing suit and it definitely got heads turning on the beach.  Designers often incorporated animal print into their swimwear lines to make these suits even more spicy. Put on your multi-colored sunglasses that clashed with your swimsuit for the ultimate beach look.

Speedo – This swimwear and its nylon fabric was the number one choice in the 80’s and remains the number one choice in fabric today for women’s swimwear. This brand was made to look athletic in style and is used by many Olympians and swim teams still today. The high-rise bikini bottoms and scoop necks with built-in bra provided maximum support for movement and speed on the beach or in the pool. If you were playing beach volleyball you definitely needed your Speedo suit! Speedo also made a men’s style swimsuit called Hi-Tech as well as board shorts. Through the years the Speedo brand for men may have added more fabric but will always be known for their skimpy men’s bathing suits.

Bright Colored Board Shorts – These shorts became very popular for men to wear on the beach in the 80’s. Ocean Pacific (OP) was famous for their bright neon board shorts that made all the California surfers feel totally outrageous. Slap on some awesome sunglasses and you had the perfect look for the beach or pool.

Yes, 80’s beachwear was colorful and full of style and it is still inspiring fashion designers today. Heading to the beach, pool, or lake in the 80’s was a breeze. You’d just grab your stuff and head out to meet your friends. No, there weren’t a million text messages back and forth to your friends to decide whether you were going swimming, you just went. So, throw on your bathing suit and head to the beach, lake, or pool without a care in the world, after all, it’s summer! Ultimate throwback experience: ditch your phone and unplug 80’s style!