That makes sense. The swimsuit issue is about scantily clad women. It follows that skimpier is better. Ergo, bikinis are better that one-pieces. QED.The bikini is the vast majority of suits featured in any recent issue. The 1997 issue was exclusively dedicated to bikinis (an honor that will never be bestowed on one-piecers). There may even be a mild twinge of disappointment when you turn the page and see a girl in a one-piece. “What,” you might ask, “is this fully dressed woman doing in my swimsuit issue?”
But hold on a second.
The one-piece has a charm to it, and not just as a throwback to a more innocent time. More fabric means more surface area, creating a sheath over the model’s body. It’s fun to allow your eyes to caress that landscape—often more coverage means more emphasis on the girl’s angles and curves.
When I hear the word “swimsuit,” a one-piece is what springs to mind. It’s a curvaceous, form-fitting word. And let’s not forget that Elle Macpherson, my favorite model of all time, wore a one-piece on all three of her consecutive covers from 1986-1988.
Betty Grable. Farrah Fawcett. Bo Derek. Our own Cheryl Tiegs. A who’s-who of iconic one-piece swimsuit imagery.
So in the interest of promoting this much-maligned article of clothing, this also-ran of the swimsuit issue, I hereby introduce One-Piece Wednesday.
On Wednesdays (Every Wednesday? One Wednesday a month? Who knows?) I will celebrate beautiful SI models in one-piece swimsuits. Let’s keep the one-piece from being second fiddle.
(And no, a topless bikini does not count as a one-piece.)
