New swimwear to flatter average bodies
By Jennifer Johnson
Staff Reporter
At this time of year, swimwear
can be a four-letter word for some
and an excuse to show off a great
body for others.
If the swimwear industry can
help it, shopping for swim wear will
become less intimidating and more
enjoyable in the ’90s.
The focus now in the swimwear
industry is accepting the fact that
there are several different body
types, many of which do not re
semble a fashion model’s.
Dillard’s Department Store is
taking part in this new marketing
strategy by offering the service of
“Swimwear Specialists.' ’
Three women from the Gate
way Dillard’s Department Store
recently attended a one-day semi
nar in Kansas City, Mo., to receive
information from swimwear ven
dors around the country.
They learned how to display
swimwear, what body types should
wear what styles, and how to en
courage customers to experiment
when trying on swimwear.
Dillard’s sales associate Diane
Plummer said vendors encourage
sales people to try on every bathing
suit in their department to get a
Butch Iretand/Daily Nebraskan
French-cut, wet-suit bikini by Ocean Pacific.
better understanding of how the
suits fit so they can help the cus
tomer from experience, not just
speculation.
“I try on an average of two
racks of suits every night, and it
has really helped me to help cus
tomers because every suit fits a
little bit differently,” Plummer said.
Plummer also said hangtags on
the swimsuits that show what the
suit looks like when worn have
been a big help.
“Seeing the suit on another body
first is often a greater incentive to
try it on than just seeing the suit on
a hanger. Many suits look awful on
the hanger but really cute on,”
Plummer said.
The styles this year are varied,
reflecting manufacturers’ efforts to
meet many consumer needs. Some
companies have dropped leg lengths
because of complaints, while oth
ers have introduced even higher
cut legs.
Both Dillard’s and Younkcrs
Department Stores at Gateway
Shopping Center carry about a 50
percent split between one- and two
piece bathing suits. Salespeople at
both stores said that most women
try on an equal number of one- and
two-piece suits.
A popular style for bikinis this
year is bandeau tops with high
waisted bottoms. The high-cut
bottoms that come to the belly button
or true waist have been a big suc
cess, several sales associates said.
The fuller bottoms allow people
with figures not quite fit for low
hip bikini bottoms to wear a two
piece suit.
“Sturdier” lops also are in.
About 50 percent of the two-piece
suits at Younkcrs have tank-style
tops this year. This style is good for
large-busted women and those who
prefer more support for swimming.
One-piece suits arc available in
many varieties. The “old standard”
is the solid-colored tank suit, or
tank suit with a nautical crest. High
neck, maximum coverage suits
made of sheer nylon as well as
skimpy suits of luxury lame-like
fabrics also are available; it’s all a
matter of taste.
Designers such as Bill Blass and
Adrienne Vittadini offer matching
coordinates to go with their
swimwear such as coverups that
mock the suit design and matching
sarongs or skirts.
“Many people don’t go for the
whole set though, because by the
time they’ve put out $65 for a swim
suit, they won’t pay another $65
for a designer coverup,’’ Plummer
said.
In the junior departments at
Younkcrs and Dillard’s, neon col
ors are big this year. Many of the
suits arc black with neon colors.
Suits for this age group often
haveamain bodily focal point such
as the stomach, thighs or hips to
accentuate firm, lit bodies.
High fashion suits this season
arc styles reminiscent of the '40s
and ’50s. Halter-top suits arc in, as
well as suit tops that show “the
return of the wired bra.”
The Post & Nickel currently is
carrying Gottcx swimsuits in black
and white solids in the underwire
style. Also, Nouvellc Eve in
Omaha’s Old Market is carrying a
line of black suits by Li/.a Bruce
that express the “40s look.”
Younkcrs and Dillard’s do not
have any of these styles yet, but
their slock is only in the “cruise”
phase, with more suits coming in
later this season.
The J. Crew catalog offers a
wide selection of swimwear which
includes these ’50s look and under
wire suits. While it is a disadvan
tage to not try a suit on before
purchase, J. Crew docs allow swim
suit returns.
Most department stores don’t
allow swimsuit returns, so catalog
ordering may be a good alternative
for those who would like to try on
suits in the privacy of their own
bedrooms.
As often happens in men’s fash
ions, there aren’t as many men s
styles to chose from in swimwear.
The look this year in swim trunks
has gone back to the mid-thigh
•ength. „ „
Leggoons at Gateway, a surfer
store all the way, has even short
ened their popular knee-length
brightly colored swimsuits to mid
thigh length.
“A lot of people have stopped
in looking for the longer knee
length suits and were disappointed
when they didn’t find them,” Kim
Peak, assistant manager, said.
Leggoons will be receiving some
longer length suits within the next
few weeks to meet the needs of
their customers.
The biggest fabric used in
swimtrunks right now is Supplcx
Nylon. Supplcx has a reputation
for being as ‘‘strong as steel,” has
a cottony-soft feel and is very 1 ight
weight.It’salsoavailablcinanum
ber of bright, neon colors that were
not around last year.
‘‘Last year the basic neon col
ors were available in swim trunks,
but this year the color line has
expanded -- including neon pink,
purple, yellow, orange and blue,”
Post & Nickel salesperson Chad
Tolly said.
Younkers is carrying a variety
of men’s styles this year. They also
are carrying bright, neon colors
and report that vertical stripes arc
big.
Younkers carries the standard
brands — Spccdo, I/.od, Gant, Polo
— and “OP is making a comeback
again,” sales associate Jim Chapck
said.
While less often is more in
women’s swimsuits, the opposite
is true for men’s high-fashion styles.
One-piece lank suits and thick knit
trunks with very short legs arc in
on the men’s high-fashion front.
It usually takes a very fit man
to look good in these styles. Younk
ers Department Store has some of
the short, thick-knit trunks coming
in later this season.
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Career fashions allow room for
more color; bolder accessories
By Jennifer O’Cilka
Staff Reporter
College students preparing for job inter
views should consider not only the traditional
dark blue interview suit, but also newer, more
colorful styles.
Deb Schrcibcr, sales supervisor at Carcn
Charles, Gateway Shopping Center, said she
thinks the myth of the navy-blue interview suit
is dead.
Schreiber said more people want color in
their suits.
Color portrays an image of confidence,
boldness and a darc-to-bc different altitude,
Schreiber said. These bright “confidence col
ors” include bright purple, green, yellow and
autumn-like rust and mustard. Also, she said
people who arc even more daring may choose
chartreuse.
Schreiber said autumn colors arc popular in
any season, but pastels limit the outfit to spring
and summer.
Color works best for people interviewing in
creative fields, Schrcibcr said. Students inter
viewing for conservative professions, espe
cially those in business, usually stick with
traditional suits, she said.
Schreiber, who is a senior at the University
of Nebraska-Lincoln, said students sometimes
are too conservative when choosing interview
suits.
Also, Schrcibcr said, students need to com
plete their outfit with scarves and jewelry.
Students usually don’t make the mistake of
overdoing accessories, she said.
Many students buy suits of cricket linen, she
said. Cricket linen is a rayon and flax mix, and
is a linen-look material without the wrinkles
and other hassles of linen.
Also, she said, rayon and polyester blends
arc popular because of their easy care and nice
look.
Caren Charles sells mix and match sepa
rates. Schreibcr said jackets range from $68
$115 and skirls from $30-$60. A complete
outfit, including a skirt, jacket, blouse and
accessories, runs about $175, she said
Sources from other stores say they still see
the traditional approach as popular.
Mary Spcthman, manager of the Tailored
Woman, 220 N. 66th St., said her store deals
with man-tailored suits in basic navy and char
coal. She said she has seen conservative styles
more than trendy ones.
Spcthman said skin styles vary from pleats
to straight skirls, but tailored men’s style jack
ets remain popular.
Spcthman said students must consider qual
ity when buying an interview suit. They are
expected to dress as well as the interviewer, she
said.
Spcthman said suits at her store range from
$245-5485 with free alteration*.
