Calling all bathing nymphs, mermaids and sirens! We have now entered the 2nd month of summer and we are itching to hit the beach and take a dip in the blue waves!
In Mondo Kaos, beach fashion 2019 is all about beautiful retro and vintage swimwear from iconic Esther Williams Swimwear, light and breathable beachwear and beautiful, colorful accessories!
In this blog post we tell you about:
♥ our selection of great retro swimwear
♥ how to style your beach look in retro style
♥ the woman behind swimwear brand Esther Williams and her life as a Hollywood Mermaid!
Retro Swimwear from Esther Williams
Esther Williams Swimwear is an American swimwear brand that has been creating classic 1940s/1950s style swimsuits and high-waisted bikinis for women all over the world since 1988! The beautiful swimwear is not only known for the name, but also for the very high quality. The construction and fit of the swimsuits work for all figures and body types because they are molded (see picture), because they cover what they are supposed to and because the strong material really holds your shape so you can move freely when you swim - even for busty women who don't like halternecks!
Mondo Kaos carries the iconic swimsuit in a variety of colors, including polka dots, Hawaiian print, yellow/white gingham check, pure sapphire blue and emerald green, as well as one of this summer's biggest trends: the cherry print!
Plus, we have a classic high-waisted bikini - another one of summer 2019's big beach trends!
Styling Your Retro Swimsuit - The Perfect Retro Beach Look
Because the Esther Williams swimsuit model is so classic, you can style your retro swimsuit in a myriad of ways to create your own unique retro look, no matter what era or style you're inspired by!
Here we give you a few ideas on how to style your retro beach look:
Retro hair
In the water: To avoid wet hair and water in your ears, we have the most beautiful retro rubber swim caps! It's available in three styles, but you'll have to be quick because they're already freezing on a hot summer's day!
On the beach: A popular 50s hairstyle for hot summer days is the classic 'pony scarf', which is a simple, high ponytail with a small scarf tied around it. An easy, cute summer hairstyle! A summer hairstyle
with a scarf is of course also for short hair, and you can tie your scarf around your head like a 50s bandana or 60s turban!
In the shop we have several beautiful scarves that fit the look perfectly, and we're happy to help with styling!
We have plenty of scarves for your retro look in the store - this is just a small selection.
A classic 1950s hairstyle is the high ponytail. With a scarf in the ponytail, you'll get the retro look just right!
Another way to keep your head cool on those hot summer days is the classic 60s straw hat - we have it in a dramatic big-brim version in two classic colors: black/white stripes and red/white stripes!
Retro clothing
One of the things we love about Esther Williams swimwear is that the swimsuits aren't just perfect for swimming. With a pair of shorts or a skirt over them, they're also perfect for a quick lunch with friends or
a stroll on the promenade with an ice cream cone - or your loved one - in hand!
Shorts: You can create a cute, classic 40s/pinup look with a pair of high-waisted, pleated shorts from
The House of Foxy
- a summer wardrobe must-have!
The cute shorts are pleated all the way around, making them look like a short skirt - a very cute way to wear shorts! We have the beautiful shorts in three colors that match all the gorgeous swimsuits perfectly!
Skirts: If you're not into shorts - but still want to show off your legs - you can wear a swing skirt over your swimsuit instead. A swing skirt helps create the classic hourglass silhouette that was especially popular in the 50s!
Summer dresses: Of course, you can also wear a light retro dress over your swimwear, and our classic bestselling dress from Bloomsbury is perfect for the beach! It's a wrap dress, which It's made from Bloomsbury's signature lightweight 'crepe de chine' fabric, a natural, breathable material that feels soft against the skin and dries quickly!
Other retro dresses that are perfect for a hot summer day at the beach are our new summer dresses from Emily and Fin. They're made from soft, delicious cotton and come in lovely stripes and checks!
Sunglasses and earrings: Complete your retro beach look with a pair of classic cateye sunglasses and gorgeous earrings from Rock it Rosie, which we have exclusively in store!
Come down and take a look, find your perfect retro swimsuit and complete the look with a great beach cap or straw hat and a pair of great retro hoops from Rock it Rosie!
The story of Esther Williams and Esther Williams Swimwear
Esther Williams was a former American competitive swimmer turned Hollywood actress turned business woman!
Born in 1921, Williams started her career as a swimmer in Los Angeles, where she set several records, including the butterfly - a style that at the time was only swum by men! Her
talent was so great that she was selected to participate in the 1940 Olympics in Japan, but due to World War II, the games were canceled and her swimming career was involuntarily put on hold. However, it wasn't long before she was contacted
by Billy Rose's Aquacade, a speculative synchronized swimming show looking for a new female star. Williams accepted, and her skills in the water, stunning figure and beautiful face quickly made her popular on the Aquacade show.
When the Aquacade season ended, Williams was approached by talent scouts from major movie company MGM. They wanted Williams on the big screen in the new genre of Aquamusicals, a mix of movie and water show,
featuring spectacular synchronized swimming and diving. Williams thought it was an exciting opportunity, but she wouldn't sign a contract with MGM until she had learned the skills required to act,
singing and dancing - after all, she could swim like nobody else.
MGM agreed to her demands and Williams spent the next two years training.
Esther Williams and Tom & Jerry in Dangerous When wet (1953)
In 1943, Williams made her debut in her first feature film Andy Hardy's Double Life, co-starring with Mickey Rooney. A few small roles and two years later she landed her first leading role in the aqua musical Bathing Beauty, and and from there, her acting career really took off. Her acting career peaked in 1952 with the movie The Million Dollar Mermaid, where Williams starred as Annette Kellermann, an Australian swimmer who became world-famous in the 1800s for her abilities.
1952 was also the year Williams became acquainted with design for the first time. While filming the movie Skirts Ahoy, she had discovered that the swimsuits that were part of the female naval uniform were
made of thin cotton, were shapeless and generally impractical for women. She decided to do something about this and arranged a meeting with the Navy, where she showed them a Cole swimsuit in person and explained
how the Cole swimsuit was far more practical for their female recruits - immediately after the meeting, 50,000 swimsuits were ordered for WAVES!
In the following years, Williams played several leading roles, but in 1963 she retired from acting. She had secured her retirement by investing in several different businesses, and as we know, Williams was a good businesswoman.
That's why when she was approached in 1988 to put her name to a retro-inspired swimwear line, she jumped at the chance to design them herself! Esther Williams Swimwear quickly became a popular
brand among women around the world, due to the amazing construction and fit that allows all women to feel like mermaids in the water!
Love, Team Mondo Kaos ♥
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