The Brazilian Bikini
(Sorry, guys, there'll be no bikini-clad young beauties on this
page. This is serious research (please notice tongue-firmly
planted-in-cheek) on how creative people can be with a little
bit of lycra! Oh, O.K., go take a look at Pictours of Rio! The
French may have invented the bikini - believe or not, in July
of 1946 - but the Brazilians keep recreating it each summer,
coming up with more fabulous designs and hot new styles, as
new materials become available. We will be posting more pictures
of Brazilian bikinis for the fashion-minded cyberchicks, so
keep checking back.)
On a trip to Rio - and what immediately
follows, a walk on the beach - anyone with an eye for fashion
can't help but be utterly fascinated by the teeny-weeny, colorful,
and beautifully-designed beachwear on the golden bodies of the
women from Ipanema. There is such a variety of shapes, cuts,
gorgeous prints and details, that you ask yourself: how do they
do it? How can they keep coming up with something different
all the time, when all they have to work with is a few inches
of fabric? It helps, of course, to have a source of inspiration
in some of the most magnificent scenery on the planet, year-round
warm weather and a large consumer base, considering that no
woman seems to be too old or too chunky to wear a bikini in
Rio. Middle-aged mothers, pregnant young women with swolen bellies,
even wrinkled little old ladies, walk and bathe in their small
suits right next to some lithesome goddesses, and no one seems
to notice; in fact, no one cares. The important thing is to
get a tan, exercise, and socialize with your friends and neighbors.
The Brazilian bikini has changed over
the years, of course; it has covered more (in the 70's) and
less - the tanga and the fio dental (Portuguese for "dental
floss", a good example of the wicked sense of humor of
Brazilians) in the 80's. As far as present-day sizes are concerned,
we did some scientific research - that is, we went to the mall
here in the US, armed with a Brazilian bikini and a measuring
tape - and found out that, as a rule, Brazilian bikinis are
2-3 inches smaller than their American counterparts in every
direction. In any case, even when the American bikini is small,
the top or bra will always be considerably bigger, perhaps because
American women have larger breasts. The other significant difference
is that the bottom part is cut much higher in the back in the
American bikini (Brazilian women have the same complaint about
panties in the US.)
My favorite style is what Brazilians
call a sunkini, a larger version of the bikini that was the
hottest thing a few summers ago in Rio and is still available
- thank you, thank you! - for the more conservative shopper.
So, when shopping for a bikini in Rio, you may want to look
at sunkinis first, size M or G (that's Portuguese for L). Then,
as your tan deepens, and you embrace the local beach culture,
go back and try what THEY call a bikini!
Before we forget, check out the wonderful
beach wraps called "cangas." They are incredibly colorful
and come in an infinite number of designs. Ask the girls in
the shops to teach you some ways of wrapping them around your
body. They are always eager to help! (The name comes from Africa
and was originally spelled kanga.)
Cangas for sale on the beach in Ipanema.
Tip for the fashion-minded: Two years
ago, the hottest designs featured the sidewalks of Copacabana
Beach and postcards from Rio de Janeiro. That's when Salinas
came up with the lycra miniskirts, worn down on the hips. These
remain hot, hot , hot beach coverups - if they cover anything,
that is - for 1998-1999. The string bikini is back in force.
Shocking pink is the IN color. Our favorite print this year
is the one with daisies on a black background. Absolutely lovely!
That was then...this is now: summer
is the season of embroidered bikinis. Colors are strong, shocking
pink, oranges, lime green, etc. Indian and oriental influences
all the way to the beach.
by Sheila Thomson
www.maria-brazil.org
