10 Retro Bikinis to Celebrate 65 Years of the Two Piece Inside Fashion Online

10 Retro Bikinis to Celebrate 65 Years of the Two Piece

July 5th, 2011 Makayla Gwendolen Leave a comment Go to comments

Happy birthday, Bikini!Whether you’re a fan of the two-piece bathing suit or not, today we should all toast to the bikini – she turns 65 today. Hooray! It was on July 5 in 1946 when daring French fashion designer Louis Reard paid Parisian exotic dancer Micheline Bernardini to wear his outrageous new bathing suit to a popular swimming pool in Paris, and the rest is history. The bikini quickly took off and became totally in vogue after WWII. Our summers at the beach haven’t been the same since.

I salute Reard’s invention. A tan stomach and ease using the bathroom during a beach or pool visit are priceless summertime commodities. So to honor the bikini on her 65th birthday, I’ve rounded up ten retro bikini looks that hearken back to the good old days when “beach blanket” movies ruled and surf culture was a viable way of life. Take a look!

Splendid Ruffle Bikini, $120Blue and white polka dots and a little ruffle? Totally retro-chic. Love it with bangles, too.

Nanette Lepore Coquette Bikini, $156Bold floral prints and full coverage will keep you looking both vintage and modern.

Tori Praver Hula Ruffled Bikini, $154I really like dark, fall colors for swimwear.

Tori Praver Betty Bikini (call store for price)Doesn’t get more high-waisted than this. The clean lines and ’60s silhouette will flatter most body types.