In the early months of 2020, trend forecasters looked beyond the chill of the winter and into the humidity, sunshine, and warmth that is swimsuit weather for inspiration: high-waisted designs, wrap-around cuts, and ruching fabric were among the usual suspects, with the addition of bold, tropical prints and tangerine orange tones. In other words, everything was how it should be: the flattering cut of the high-waisted bikini was still the reigning style, we had trips to look forward to, and our biggest concern was directed at the capacity of our suitcases. Even though summer trends were months away from being realized, our Pinterest boards and online shopping kept the promise of summer alive. In essence, it was the little things— the drawer of travel-sized shampoo and conditioner, the sunhat in the back of the closet, the whisper of excitement and adventure— that kept us optimistic through the stress of everyday life. It wasn’t the trends that mattered as much as the thrill of something new to be discovered.
But things changed— time passed, challenges arose, and fashion was forced to adapt. The recent months have proved disastrous for daily life: our vacations are postponed, our routines are interrupted, and the magical in-between moments that made the days bearable are now lost between the couch cushions of the new home office. So much has changed, in fact, that the warmer weather, the late evening light, and the balmy May humidity has almost passed by undetected, and the summer 2020 bathing suit trends seem entirely irrelevant; not only because of the travel restrictions and beach closures, but because of the general assumption that summer, as a season, as an opportunity for regrowth, as a time for fashion experimentation, has been cancelled altogether.
But that is not the case. In these unbelievable circumstances, it is easy to lose sight of what we still have in our control— the joy, creativity, and warmth of summer is not canceled, and even without the beaches and foreign sunshine, our bathing-suit-potential still very much belongs to us.
With that in mind, Monarch Reign is redefining the trends of the season to fit into an ideal that we can all participate in: the Sans Shore, Skip the Sea, Without the Water, Beyond the Beach celebration of the bathing suit. Just as summer is so much more than a vacation, the bathing suit is so much more than the water around it: it is a dynamic article of clothing first and foremost, and a stunning salute to the natural silhouette. History has proven that fashion is incredibly resilient, and this time period is no exception— when presented with the seemingly resolute defeat of quarantine, we must rise to the occasion and find the challenge. We have to adapt, wear our bathing suits on our own time, and rebuild the summer look from the ground up. We can even start small— a one-piece as a body suit? Sure, why not! A bikini top as a bandeau? Don’t stop there! Simply wearing a bathing suit as an entire outfit? Yes, absolutely, now you’re talking.
There is still ample opportunity for beauty and expression, and it is up to us to take advantage of it. Check back in a few weeks for the next blog post where we discuss the best ways to style a bathing suit away from the water and with the clothes we have in our closet. Until then, stay safe and stay hopeful!