Lingerie (and, by association, swimwear) can feel so serious at times. There are "official" trends. An "official" color palette. Another "official" look. I got a bit wrapped up in that, and as a result, lost sight of the the stuff that first made me interested in all this. Things like discovering new brands, sharing them here, and actually talking with people what we like right now. Since I've loosened up a bit (TLA Twitter is where most of the informal chitchat is happening nowadays), running the site is just so much more fun. Without even realizing it, I'd gotten stuck on the hamster wheel of being an "official" industry person. And then I had to learn that's just not me. I was losing my joy.
I don't know if I'd ever actually wear Lee + Lani's Kissing Flamingo Swimsuit myself, but I really like to think I would. It's just so irreverent and over-the-top and even trashy, and it fully embraces all of that. I love it. I love a brand that's completely unafraid to show what they're about. None of this "make it super boring for mass appeal" business. It's hot pink and flamingo and mesh and hi-cut and strappy backed. There's so much happening, and I'm eating it all up. Yes, let's be wild on the beach! You only live once, after all.
Cole of California 'Scandal' Suit via Vintique Vixen
What's even more interesting to me are the very clear callbacks to previous swimwear trends. There's the 80s high-cut leg, of course, which is also making a reappearance in lingerie (I would have never expected that to come back, yet here we are). But there's an even further callback to the Cole of California 'Scandal' Swimsuit, one of the best swimsuits of all time. The animal motif combined with the sheer mesh is such a throwback to that era (and a wonderful nod to people who know the style), but not so derivative that it's a blatant copy.
Lee + Lani is a luxury label, and the Flamingo One-Piece is priced appropriately at $265. The size range is XS-L, fitting a maximum size of US 8 (which, unfortunately, is common with luxury labels). If the size chart is any indication, the brand isn't recommended for cup sizes beyond a D or DD, so please take your personal preferences regarding breast support into account before making a purchase. Finally, like many swimwear purchases, all sales are final (likely for hygienc reasons).
Lee + Lani has some other interesting looks in their store (the Starfish One-Piece in white and rose gold is intriguing), but I'd love to see them develop this mirrored coverage concept a little more. Maybe with palm trees instead of animals, for example. Though, now that I think of it, I wouldn't turn down a couple of appliquéd tigers or mermaids either. Yeah...definitely mermaids.
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