Calling all bath nymphs, mermaids and sirens! We have now entered the 2nd summer month and it is tingling in us to get a walk on the beach and take a dip in the wave blue!
I Mondo Kaos beach fashion 2019 stands for beautiful retro and vintage swimwear from iconic Esther Williams Swimwear, light and breathable beachwear and beautiful, colorful accessories!
In this blog post we talk about:
♥ our selection of beautiful retro swimwear
♥ how to style your beach look in retro style
♥ the woman behind the swimwear brand Esther Williams and her life as a Hollywood Mermaid!
Retro Swimwear by Esther Williams
Esther Williams Swimwear is an American swimwear brand that since 1988 has been creating swimsuits and high-waisted bikinis in classic 1940s / 1950s style, for women worldwide! The beautiful swimwear is not only known for the name, but also for the very high quality. The construction and fit of the swimsuits works for all shapes and body types, because they are molded (see picture), because they cover what they need, and because the strong material really holds your shapes, so you can move freely when you swim - this also applies to the big-breasted women who are otherwise not into halterneck!
Mondo Kaos carries the iconic swimsuit in several different 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!
In addition, we have a classic, high-waisted bikini - another of the summer 2019's big beach trends!
Styling Your Retro Swimsuit - The Perfect Retro Beach Look
Because Esther Williams swimsuit model is so classic, you can style your retro swimsuit in a myriad of ways, creating your own unique retro look, no matter what time or style you are inspired by!
Here we give you a few tips on how to style your retro beach look:
Retro hair
In the water: To avoid wet hair and water in the ears, we have the most beautiful retro bathing caps in soft rubber! It is available in three models, but you have to be quick, because they already go like ice cream on a hot summer 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. A light, cute summer hairstyle! A summer hairstyle with a scarf is of course also for the short-haired, and you can, for example, 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 would like to help with styling!
We have lots 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 get the perfect retro look!
Another way to keep your head cool, on hot summer days, is the classic 60s straw hat - we have it in a dramatic version with a large screen in two classic colors: black / white striped and red / white striped!
Retro clothing
One of the things we love about Esther Williams swimwear is that the swimsuits are not only perfect for the swim. With a pair of shorts or a skirt over, they are also perfect for a quick lunch with your girlfriends or a stroll on the promenade with an ice cream waffle - or the one you hold dear - in your 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 must-have in the summer wardrobe!
The cute shorts are pleated all the way around, which makes 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 beautiful swimsuits perfectly!
Skirts: If you are not into shorts - but still want to show off your legs - you can instead wear a swing skirt over your swimsuit. A swing skirt helps to create the classic hourglass silhouette, which was especially popular in the 50s!
Summer dresses: Of course, you can also wear a light retro dress over your swimwear, and here our classic bestselling dress from Bloomsbury is perfect for the beach trip! It is a wrap-around dress that makes it easy to take both on and off, and then it is made of Bloomsbury's light signature fabric 'crepe de chine', 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 are made of soft, delicious cotton and in beautiful stripes and the mattress!
Sunglasses and earrings: You can complete your retro beach look with a pair of classic cateye sunglasses and beautiful earrings from Rock it Rosie, which we have exclusively in the store!
Come down and have a look, find your perfect retro swimsuit and complete the look with a beautiful bathing cap or straw hat and a pair of beautiful 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!
Williams was born in 1921 and started her career as a swimmer in Los Angeles, where she set several records, including swimming butterfly - a style that at that time was otherwise only swum by men! Her talent was so great that she was selected to participate in the Olympics in Japan in 1940, but due to World War II, the games were canceled and her swimming career was involuntarily put on pause. However, it was not long before she was approached by Billy Rose's Aquacade, a speculative synchronous swimming show looking for a new female star. Williams said yes, and her water skills, resounding figure and beautiful face quickly made her popular in the Aquacade show.
When the Aquacade season ended, Williams was approached by talent scouts from the major film company MGM. They wanted Williams on the big screen in the new film genre Aquamusicals, which was a mix of film and water show, consisting of spectacular synchronous swimming and diving. Williams thought it was an exciting opportunity, but she did not want to sign a contract with MGM until she had learned the skills it required, ie to play acting, sing and dance - she could swim like no other.
MGM accepted her demands, and the following two years Williams spent training.
Esther Williams and Tom & Jerry in Dangerous When wet (1953)
In 1943, Williams debuted in her first feature film Andy Hardy's Double Life, starring alongside Mickey Rooney. A few small roles and two years later she got her first lead role in the Aquamusical Bathing Beauty, and from there her career as an actress really took off. Her acting career peaked in 1952 with the film The Million Dollar Mermaid, starring Williams as Annette Kellermann, an Australian swimmer who became world famous in the 1800th century for her abilities.
1952 was also the year Williams became acquainted with design for the first time. During the filming of the movie Skirts Ahoy, she had discovered that the swimsuits that were part of the female navy uniform were made of thin cotton, were informal and generally impractical for women. She decided to do something about it, and arranged a meeting with the navy, where she presented a Cole swimsuit on her own body and explained how the Cole swimsuit was far more practical for their female recruits - immediately after the meeting, 50.000 were ordered swimsuits for WAVES!
The following years, Williams played several lead roles, but in 1963 she retired as an actress. She had secured her old age, by investing in several different businesses, and as we know, Williams was a good businesswoman. Therefore, she also struck out when in 1988 she was proposed to name a retro-inspired swimwear line, on the condition that she helped design them herself! Esther Williams Swimwear quickly became a popular brand among women worldwide, due to the amazing design and fit that makes it possible for all women to feel like mermaids in the water!
Kind regards, Team Mondo Kaos ♥
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