“This is our life!!” e-mails Maayan Zilberman when asked if she and her design partner, Nikki Dekker, of the Lake and Stars ever wear swimsuits as bodysuits. “”We were both wearing bikini tops as bras, with the straps poking out at the tops of our tanks when we met,” says Dekker days later, in their TriBeCa studio. True to form, the Lake and Starslabel is all about intimates that can be purposefully layered to wear with outerwear. “Our lingerie lives in the world of fashion,” says Zilberman about their four-year-old line. In anticipation of their presentation today, which includes swimwear for the first time, the Lake and Stars gives T a lesson in wearing bathing suits as bodysuits.
The Basics: “Wearing a bodysuit empowers the female body. It’s not so much about sexualizing it. That means no bellybuttons; it’s not about showing skin. Nothing should be so tight that it looks uncomfortable. Consider the fabrics and how they play into your outfit; you don’t want to look like you just arrived from swim meet. An easy rule of thumb is to start the outfit with lots of layers. You can always take them off and reveal more, depending on the day, but it’s hard to cover up once you’re out of the house without a sweater.”
Make It Work For You: “Know what’s appropriate and comfortable for you — don’t wear a bra as a top, for instance, if you’re working in a corporate office. It’s more about finding the right camisole-like swimwear to layer beneath your jacket or sweater. We’re a big fan of the way Tilda Swinton dresses. She often wears sheer or slashed tops in layers. It always looks intelligent and clean.”
Economy “We like to think that our C.P.W. (cost-per-wear) is far less than the original price. Wearing swim tops as bras is a great example of this because the elastic in bikini tops tends to last longer than a bra’s.”
Suit vs. Suit: “It’s surprising that more women don’t swap their swim suits for bodysuits. Bathing suits are made to be worn in public, so they’re already opaque in the right places. The active, sporty look of many swim fabrics and trims complements some daywear looks perfectly.”
via- NYT
