TresSugar

Helen Mirren Is the Queen of Grankinis

TresSugar — Thu, 26 Aug 2010 14:30:31 PDT

Helen Mirren isn't your average 65 year old. Earlier this Summer she posed naked in a bath tub for New York magazine, and she's made splashes for wearing itty bitty bathing suits into her 60s. Her fearlessness might be encouraging everyday older women to suit up in two-pieces.

The Daily Mail says one retailer has seen a rise in the sales of bikinis to women over 50, and the paper credits the trendsetting actress for the wave of "grankinis." I can do without a cutesy word, but the two-piece styles apparently preferred by these women do come with wider straps for more support, and more material for better proportions.

I have a different explanation for the "grankini" craze. The bikini was invented in 1946, so any woman 64 and under has known it her whole life. Why would she stop wearing it now?

The History of the Bikini

TresSugar — Tue, 27 Jul 2010 06:00:45 PDT

Two-piece bathing suits may date back to antiquity, but modern history's first two-piece was designed in 1913 by Carl Jantzen. The same brand that came to Sterling Cooper Draper Price Sunday night on Mad Men to make its floundering suit desirable but not too sexy.

Notice I say two-piece not bikini. It wasn't a bikini Jantzen sold; it was a two-piece. The difference was the waistline: a two-piece covered the belly button - Hollywood's Hays Code, which was in effect until 1968, limited its exposure - while the bikini revealed it.

The first bikini was designed twice in 1946. Two French designers created similar suits independently, and both named it after the atomic bomb. One called it atome, but that didn't prove to be as explosive as le bikini. Named after Bikini Island, the island in Japan where the United States began testing the atomic bomb that same year, le bikini remained scandalous for most of the next decade.

Like many things, the bikini found acceptance in the '60s. Private pools made trying them out less risque, and by 1967 Time magazine said 65 percent of young women wore them. Pinup posters of Marilyn Monroe and Raquel Welch and movies like Dr. No and Beach Party made it more acceptable, clearing the way for the first Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue in January 1964. By the end of the decade, bikinis were the norm.

America completely changed its attitude toward bikinis in just a few years, yet 50 years later bathing suits still can be scandalous.

Source: Flickr User foundphotoslj

How To Find the Best Suit For Your Body!

FabTV — Thu, 17 Jun 2010 09:19:08 PDT

Finding a swim suit that showcases your best assets can be a challenge, so we brought in Canyon Beachwear swim expert Kathleen Mudd to help us find the best bathing suit for our shape. Whether its lengthening your legs or minimizing your bust, you can use these tips to help you find the perfect summer suit!

Would You, Could You Dress Nude?

GiggleSugar — Fri, 06 Jun 2008 07:00:00 PDT

Earlier this week, we explored the hype around naked-looking duds and arrived at the collective conclusion that it's all a bunch of "eww odd crap." Little Miss Nipple Won't Quit missed (or ignored) our memo and braved the beach in her breast looking bikini. The question is: Would you, could you dress topless too?

Source

Fabworthy: Kate Hudson's Indah Heart & Soul Red Bikini

FabSugar — Thu, 15 May 2008 06:00:22 PDT

If I remember correctly, Kate Hudson squashed pregnancy rumors just a couple months ago while on a tropical vacation in Florida. The bikini that helped her do that is this Indah Heart & Soul Bikini in Red ($118 ). Whether or not you're also trying to squash baby rumors, you should most certainly get this red stunner for the summertime. The vibrant color will make you stand out and the bandeau-style top will ensure zero tan lines.

Bauer-Griffin Online

Dressed to Ill

GiggleSugar — Thu, 10 Apr 2008 12:00:00 PDT

The male thong has reached new lows! Whoever said "less is more" never encountered Rudolph the red-thonged beach bum - and his very compromising pose...

Thanks, College Humor!

View 2 Photos ›

Dressed To Thrill

GiggleSugar — Wed, 25 Jul 2007 11:30:00 PDT

I didn't know Janet Jackson released her own bikini line.

Source

Which Would You Rather Do?

FitSugar — Wed, 06 Jun 2007 09:30:00 PDT

I recently read an article in the United Press International explaining that a recent poll found that most women would prefer to visit the dentist, or even walk on hot coals (can't help but think of Pam from "The Office"), rather than prancing around in their bathing suits. Personally, I was a little shocked so I am curious which you guys would rather do...

You Asked: How Can I Lose Weight Fast?

FitSugar — Mon, 21 May 2007 08:45:00 PDT

Dear FitSugar,

I am going to Hawaii with my boyfriend and his family on June 4th and I don't have the best body. I'm 5'8, 145lbs, and a size 10. I have pretty thin limbs, but I have way too much fat on my upper thighs, upper arms, tummy, love handles, and back. I have procrastinated and procrastinated and now I am running out of time. I am not athletic at all, have little endurance, and am not very strong. Do you have any suggestions that would help me look a little better in a bathing suit by the 4th?
Thanks!!!

Thanks for the question and let me say, girl you are not alone. I have gotten so many similar questions like this in the past week alone. I wish I could give you the magic answer but the key to permanent weight loss is moderation and lifestyle change. A lot of people do things like the Master Cleanse, but I can't say I advocate this method or losing weight super fast. One thing you can do is start an exercise program asap. This means cardio for at least 30 minutes for three days a week (if you really want results try every day), and you should see results in a few weeks. Since you say you are not athletic it could be that even just ten minutes a day will help too. For those of you who are already relatively active, think about doing 30 minutes every day (or doing 45-60 minutes three times a week).

There are certain eating habits you can curb/start to eliminate bloating through, so

read more Certain eating habits could give you that bloated feeling such as:

Drinking too much alcohol
Eating too much salt, or processed foods in your diet - even a small amount of excess sodium causes bloating
Eating a lot of fatty food
Not drinking enough water
Not eating enough fiber

So you may want to start with your eating habits, for immediate but not unhealthy results. Most importantly, have fun! You're going to Hawaii with the man you love and his family. Looking back, you'll really regret it if you spend the whole time worrying about how you look in a bikini. So my advice is do what you can do until you get there and once you get there, realize you've done your best and be proud! Aloha! Source

Tyra Boxes Her Way into a Bikini

FitSugar — Fri, 18 May 2007 00:12:24 PDT

We've all seen Tyra go on her ty-rades about her body and how the media perceives her. Ever since the whole bathing suit drama, I think she's been looking pretty fabulous these days and I've been wondering what she's been up to...

Well, her trainer Martin Snow of The Trinity Boxing Club gives UsWeekly the scoop on what Ms. Tyra's been doing to get bikini ready and to really give the paparazzi something to talk about:

US: What kind of moves do you do with Tyra?
Martin Snow: I have a boxing gym so I basically do the moves with her that a fighter would do. She tends to get bored just doing conventional stuff. She has an athletic body, so I just try to bring it out. She responds very well to exercise. I do old-man Charles Atlas workouts. Stuff that old-time fighters used to do to get in shape.

US: What kind of client is Tyra? Is she really motivated?
MS: She is fantastic. She is very driven and works hard and is super nice. If someone is really enthusiastic, that charges up the trainer. I have to motivate someone, but then I get motivated again.

US: When she came to you six weeks ago, did she have a specific area that she wanted to workout?
MS: We don’t target-train people. If you train like an athlete, a byproduct of that will be looking good. She will do what it takes to get in shape.

US: What is a typical routine?
MS: I bring her over to the park. We will do some warm-ups, some running drills, a parachute run, where I put a parachute around her and she runs with it. We will do some medicine work where she will take heavy medicine balls and run and chase after them, and throw them at at different angles. We challenged these guys to handball but they punked out. A game like handball is great. And then we do kettle bells. I bring them out to the park. They are fantastic tools. For women, they are awesome. They target the core and you can do it every day. She is getting a pair for home and for work.

US:How often does she workout?
MS: She comes in around three times a week now. And each time it’s different. We will take these old tractor tires and she will swing sledgehammers. We do bags filled with sand. And of course the boxing.

US:How long do the sessions last?
MS: Around and hour to an hour and half. She is not afraid to get dirty. She is not afraid to go to the park and have people look at her like she's crazy. She is not worried about image.

US: Does she do crunches?
MS: No, I really stay away from doing anything you would find in a health club routine. We're very low frills. If you can plug it in, we probably don’t use it. And if it was invented after 1950, we don’t use it. It’s very effective. You don’t need expensive equipment or high tech stuff. Just hard work.