Saturday Style: Aug. 27th
Summer is hot, and the temperatures in Portland have been especially high this year. That means getting to water at every opportunity. But water also means finding swimwear that makes sense, something I can feel comfortable in. As bois, the typical bathing suit – women’s or men’s – just doesn’t work.
The easy part is finding a fun pair of swim trunks. Bright colors or whimsical patterns, stretch your style comfort zone and try on a few things you normally wouldn’t. Then make your decision.
Just like other shorts, swim trunks come in many lengths. A few inches may work if you’re not as tall as the average guy, and longer lengths tend to work for those with height. But always feel free to break from the norms.
Personally I’m fine with finding a pair that is cost effective as well. Summer is the time I try different styles, so I may want a change the next season. This year I got a great pair of swim shorts from Target. I like the classic look of the big horizontal stripes, but there’s a splash of color in the red that makes them stand out. I’ll be keeping these around for next summer as well.
Then comes the tricky part – what to wear on top? There is no go-to option I’ve heard of for our community. One that plays down the chest, still shows off a good amount of skin, and looks good both in and out of the water. But there are many options to try.
I won’t go into them all. I’d be repeating a lot of what I detailed in binding options from the June 11th edition of Saturday Style (so check it out if you haven’t already). Most, if not all, of those options can be worn as swim wear by themselves and/or by throwing a tank or t-shirt over them.
Also consider rash guard swimwear, something a surfer might wear for example. These shirts do tend to cover more surface area but are made to wear in the water. They blend in well with beach clothes and come in masculine fits/shapes.
This year I decided to pair my skin-toned Underworks binder with a cut off white v-neck t-shirt. I do wish I could display a little more skin for tan line purposes. I’m not much of a sunbather – and I religiously wear sunscreen – but when I do get out I want to get little sun.
The skin-tone binder means I don’t have to wear a dark or black t-shirt to hide it. I love wearing a simple black shirt, but when I’m on the beach I want something lighter. The binder plays down my chest and can get wet no problem. And since the binder essentially covers much of the same area as my cut-off shirt, I don’t have to worry about the binder taking a little longer to dry than just a shirt.
For binders colors that fall outside the three basic, check out GC2B’s line of nude binders for a plethora of options.
What I want to hear about is what you’re wearing. So, what works for you? What are you wearing to the beach or pool that feels comfortable for you?
