Where to Find Retro Swimwear

Where to Find Retro Swimwear

Pin up is known for it’s playful aura, ladies being modest teases while doing everyday tasks. The most popular and alluring of pin-up shots being sun soaked babes playing with beach balls under coconut trees.

Swimwear has come a long ways for women, from swimming almost fully clothed to wearing skimpy string bikinis. Nothing really ever comes close to the swimsuits styling of the 1940s and 1950s, where just enough midriff and cleavage are exposed so cause a thrill. Modest, classy, fun-spirited styles for women with ample curves and bright smiles. Retro swimwear today is usually created by hand through small online shops, dealing out simple collections of high quality vintage swimwear that captures the true spirit of pin-up pieces. As the popularity for vintage styles increases, more and more fashion designers are taking up the challenge of producing steamy retro swimwear for ladies.

One of the more popular styles for retro swimwear is Rockabilly, taking classic elegant bathing suits from the 1940s and 50′s, then jazzing them up with leopard spots, vibrant cherries, and adorable swallows. Rockabilly inspired swimwear are best seen with victory curls, bows, and colored bandanas used as head-bands. Websites such as SugarDoll, For Luna, Modcloth, Tokyo Motto Grrrl, The Red Dolly Swimwear, Dillinger Pin-up, and Kustenluder have top quality rockabilly retro swimwear and Pin Up Bikinis. Edgy collections, filled to the brim with eye catching prints and classic vintage styles. Every piece is screaming for a trip to the beach on the back of a smooth motorcycle.

Some ladies prefer the more timeless Hollywood image of vintage bathing suits, modeling their appearances after pin-up stars, such as Esther Williams. Esther was an Olympian swimmer and actress, starring in movies about swimming. After having children her business savvy blossomed into selling retro swimwear from her era. Who better to buy retro swimwear from than the one and only Esther Williams?

Other online boutiques that cater to the glamorous world of retro swimwear are Drama Queen, Fables by Barrie, and Dillinger Pin-up.

The world of retro swimwear is an exciting and colorful place, with so many colorful bold designs and saucy twists. Shopping around is the best way to find the best retro swimsuit.

Drama Queen Swimwear

Drama Queen Swimwear

Drama Queen Swimwear is inspired by pin up, retro, rockabilly and burlesque lovers of the modern day. Designed to bring out the bombshell in any woman, Drama Queen Swimwear offers retro styles in all sorts of colors, patterns, cuts and prices. Their swimwear and lingerie pieces are perfect whether you’re looking for something sexy to wear for a day at the beach, or a show stopping piece for a performance that will have onlookers stopping dead in their tracks. Burlesque professionals and genuine pin up lovers all find unforgettable, high quality pieces in the selection offered at Drama Queen Swimwear.

For full coverage in your retro swimsuit, the Audrey Swimsuit is a fun and flirty one-piece. Black and white contrasts and a rose print flatter any body type whether you’re petite or curvaceous.

For more of a sassy sailor look, the Dolly Bikini comes in a cobalt blue color with white ruffles and red trim accents. A halter bikini top with full support and a full bikini bottom also make this a perfect choice for women of all shapes and sizes. The Matey Swimsuit is another cute sailor-inspired choice, with red, white and blue accents on a monokini style. White buttons accent the tidy bottoms for a clean finish. The Sailor Bikini, Sailor Swimsuit and Skipper Bikini also offer variations on sailor-inspired looks with patriotic red, white and blue accents.

Looking for something much sassier than the red, white and blue classics? The Safari Bikini is perfect for you. The leopard print bikini offers full coverage on the top and bottom, with red ruffled accents for a flapper-inspired look. For more leopard print coverage, the Sheena Swimsuit is a monokini with red ruffle accents and a red bow to top it off in the middle.

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The best part about shopping for swimwear at Drama Queen Swimwear? You can mix and match pieces to customize the perfect piece for you, so if you love one top and one bottom in the many red, white and blue styles, you can make your own suit for the perfect look! Wear them to sunbathe or for a sassy burlesque look, you’ll have everyone’s head turning in your direction.

The Red Dolly Swimwear

The Red Dolly Swimwear

The Red Dolly Swimwear is an online boutique on Etsy.com. Heather, the designer, is a Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising Graduate with an obsession for vintage clothing. Her line, The Red Dolly, consists of pin up and retro style swimsuits. The suits are created with styles from the 1940s, 1950s and 1960s in mind, ranging from simple black one-piece suits to itsy bitsy polka dotted bikinis.

Vintage bathing suits typically left far more to the imagination than the suits worn by women today. Shorts covering the bum and part of the thigh, high-cut halter tops and low-cut backs are popular components of a one-piece retro style bathing suit. For a retro two-piece bathing suit, it’s common for the bottoms to cover the belly button and even part of the thigh, while the top reveals far less cleavage than a string bikini you’d find in stores today. These retro styles are some of the reasons why The Red Dolly has such popular bathing suits.

Swimsuit colors available in The Red Dolly swimwear boutique range from simple and basic to flashy and bright. Basic blacks, bold primaries, contrasting polka dots and fancy plaid are all available at The Red Dolly boutique. If you’re looking to stand out on the beach or poolside, the two-toned leopard print and black one-piece. One pieces, two pieces and even a yellow polka dot bikini are all available in what appears to be an endless variety of styles, prints and colors. If you’re extra bold and looking for something that is guaranteed to stand out from the crowd, there is a denim bikini with the sides cut out, crafted especially for the bold girl who wants to shine.

The Red Dolly takes custom orders on many suits, so if you are looking for a suit in a specific size or fabric, Heather will take the specifications and make a suit that customizes you, your body and your style perfectly. If your receive your suit in the mail and it is not as described in the product description, returns are accepted. If you’re a retro girl at heart, check out the shop and dive in to one of the hottest pin up style swimsuits on the market!

Modcloth Swimwear

Modcloth Swimwear

Modcloth was designed by two high-school sweethearts with a love and passion for everything vintage and retro. The modcloth swimwear line is no exception when it comes to their excellent quality and original items, all available in a variety of colors and sizes at affordable prices.

The swimwear line of Modcloth offers an extensive variety of swimsuit pieces, whether you’re looking to stay covered or bare as much as you can while staying within the limits of “appropriately covered.”

Some of the more common colors of Modcloth swimwear are red, white and blue, with a patriotic and nautical look used as inspiration for many pieces. Since the 1940′s, 1950′s and 1960′s were seriously patriotic times, the store keeps up with the theme to give the items a truly vintage feel. The “Beach Fireworks” collection of tops and bottoms includes high-waisted shorts, ruffles and cinched tops all in red, white and blue, for a nautical and American look. The “Merry Mariner” and “Pepperminty Fresh” suits bring stripes into the red, white and blue theme.

Polka dots are another popular style of suit available in the Modcloth swimwear selection. The “Dipping Dots” and “Beach Blanket Bingo” suits are both polka dotted styles, available in both one and two pieces as well as red, blue or black with white polka dots.

If you’re fuller figured, you may find it difficult to find a swimsuit that works with your body. Modcloth has a line of plus-sized swimwear for girls with a little extra curve. The beauty of retro, pin up and vintage styles is that they embrace women’s bodies in every aspect, whether they’re slim, athletic, curvy or bodacious. There are loads of plus-sized styles with shorts, folded down bottoms and halter tops to give you confidence in a swimsuit without worrying something will slip out. You’ll look smashing in the form-fitting styles, available in solid colors, plaids and polka dots.

Whether you’re a size 4 or a size 24, Modcloth swimwear is the one-stop shop for all your bathing beauty needs. From simple one pieces to various bikini cuts, you’ll find the perfect suit for your body, no matter how much skin you would like to reveal. Don’t forget your sunblock!

Esther Williams Swimwear

Esther Williams Swimwear

Esther Williams is one of those iconic women from the 1920′s who was simply successful at everything she did. To this day, she remains an icon and influence to women. She started off as a professional level swimmer in school, eventually moving on to star in American water musicals. Her career ended in the 1960′s, and she decided to open her Esther Williams Swimwear line to keep her legend standing.

When Esther started the swimwear line, she was no longer the lean and limber swimmer she once was, so she understood the concerns many women faced when going to buy a swimsuit. She noticed many swimwear lines targeting teens, which isolated women who had a few extra pounds or were not confident wearing a revealing small bikini. This is where her swimsuit line came into play.

The majority of her styles are inspired by the retro and pin up swimsuit styles of the 1950′s, creating a more fashionable look that reveals less. High cut bikini tops and deep leg cuts are popular amongst her suits, and thick banded halter tops are popular for the upper half, which are useful for busy and flat chested women alike. Designs and colors range from solid colors and basic black to bright colors, polka dots, and even leopard print. There is a very wide variety of styles and colors available, so women of all ages and sizes can find a suit perfect for their body and curves.

Some swimsuits in the Esther Williams line are of a very particular look. For example, the “Halter Maillot” suit is a shiny gold suit with a halter neck, designed for women who want to make a statement when at the pool or on the beach. The “Marilyn Swimdress” is an elegant white suit with a ruffle cover-up skirt attached, designed to channel the popular white dress worn by Marilyn Monroe, just shorter and more appropriate for swimming.

Classic bright colors, lace and polka dots are just some of the styles you will find on these traditional bathing suits. The suits are high quality at an affordable range, and since they’re designed by a professional swimmer, you know you will receive a gorgeous and long-lasting suit for your money.

For Luna Swimwear

For Luna Swimwear

Taking a penchant for retro lingerie and combining it with a passion for swimwear, British shop La Magia collaborated the two to create a retro, pin up and rockabilly swimwear line, For Luna Swimwear.

For Luna Swimwear was created in 2009 and is now considered to be one of the most popular online shops for vintage swimwear on the market.

Chic, feminine swimwear is the objective of For Luna Swimwear. Fans of pin up and retro styles will find the perfect bathing suit for lounging at the beach, whether they’re looking to be extra covered or extra revealing. Bright colors, funky leopard prints and a variety of comfort levels can be found in the bathing suit selection at For Luna Swimwear.

The online store carries a wide variety of bathing suits from many different retro, rockabilly and pin up style brands. Some of the more popular brands that can be found in the store include What Katie Did, Little Beach, Esther Williams, Playful Promises and Lolita Girl Clothing. Between the huge variety of brands, shoppers and pin up swimsuit enthusiasts can find halter top suits, skirt bandeaus, or low leg cuts, as well as a variety of different bikini shapes.

Since pin up and retro styles were known for being flamboyant, cheery and colorful, it’s no surprise the suits come in so many different colors as well. Leopard print, bright red, hot pink, cherry prints, zebra stripes, pin stripes, and even bold yet simple black or white bathing suits can be found in the store. Women of all different styles can find something that perfectly suits their look.

Since modern bikinis tend to leave so little to the imagination, many women who are fans of the pin up and retro styles of the 1950′s find it to be much more comfortable for them to wear a less revealing suit. It is less common to find a triangle top string bikini in For Luna Swimwear, since true pin up enthusiasts would rather leave a bit more to the imagination and relax on the beach in comfort.

For an endless variety of retro and pin up swimwear, look no further than For Luna Swimwear. You’ll find hundreds of suits from many different designers, providing options for women of all ages, shapes and sizes.