Swim Chronicles 2: Reviews on Cia Maritima and Luli Fama

For our next installment of All Wet Beachwear's Swim Chronicles, it is Morgan's turn. She is the voice behind many of these blog posts and recently made a trip to Singapore and Malaysia. On her trip, she had the chance to test out new swimwear from Cia Maritima and Luli Fama.

From Morgan:
I have always been crazy for swimwear. Even in high school, I would scan the magazines including the Sport's Illustrated Swimsuit issue and if I saw something unique I would find it and buy it and this was before the days of online shopping! A Brazilian friend once called me a bikini collector, when a Brazilian calls you out on your bikini obsession, you know it is bad.

Because of my bikini addiction, I have tried a lot of different brands and two of my favorites are Cia Maritima and Luli Fama. I had an opportunity to escape the city and travel to hot and humid Singapore and Malaysia and I brought swimwear from those brands on my trip.

Review of Cia Maritima Leopard Triangle Top and Bottom

I am a petite person and if there is one thing I hate it is putting on a bulky bikini and having it obscure the little shape that I do have. Cia Maritima's string bikinis have become my go-to-swimsuit. They do not look bulky on a small figure yet they aren't so overly teeny that I am afraid to disrobe either! The designs and prints are tasteful and fashion-forward. I know if I get a Cia bikini I can wear it for seasons to come. This particular swimsuit features a beautiful pattern that is an update on the traditional leopard print. I love the special details like the gold accent in between the cups and the soft fabric. In my report card, the only points I deducted were on staying power and functionality because I probably wouldn't try to surf it! But few bikinis actually stay put while surfing. Overall I loved it! It was so flattering and sexy yet not too revealing to wear poolside in Malaysia.

Review of Luli Fama Luxe Lace Triangle Top Bikini

Everyone needs at least 1 Luli Fama bikini and this was my first. I absolutely loved the runway photo of this style on the website and had to have it. I have tried on wavy side/scrunch back bottoms from other brands in the past but I can honestly say this brand fits the best and was the most flattering for my body type. However, the cut of the back is so skimpy that when first wearing this in public, I did have the feeling that my entire bottom was hanging out! But I got used to it quickly and having a tan bum was worth the initial shock. This bikini works best for poolside lounging. I have taken it in the ocean waves and had a mini-panic attack coming out of the water. A bonus is that this top does have light padding, it stays put and doesn't bunch and adds a nice little bust boost.

Introducing the Swim Chronicles where we share our honest personal reviews and experiences

All Wet Beachwear founder Racquel Black has loved swimwear from a very young age. She amassed a huge personal collection of swimwear before founding AWB in 2007.  And since then she has purchased thousands for www.allwetbeachwear.com. Because of the sheer numbers and variety of different bikinis she has shopped and purchased over the years, she has learned not only about the intricacies of the swimwear but also what makes for a great overall swimsuit. To share this insider point of view on swimwear, we’re introducing a new category to our Blog, the Swim Chronicles.

  

The AWB team will share honest reviews of the swimsuits we own or want to purchase and rate them on our Swim Chronicle scale. The five major categories within our rating system are: Sexiness, Staying Power, Functionality, Value, and Quality & Construction.

First up to share her reviews is one of AWB's newest employees Tarsi!  She went on a cruise last week and was able to road test some of our newest styles. Here is what Tarsi had to say:

If you've been following this season's trends, then you already know Spring's hottest looks were all about neon brights and fabulous fringe. Well, the Luli Fama Aquanile Bikini and Audrey Citrus Foxy Tab Bikini are my top picks for the season and my sister and I got to take them out for a test run on our recent cruise to Key West and Mexico. Our suits by far stood out on the cruise, which was packed with Spring Breakers enjoying the absolutely perfect sunny weather. 

Review of the LSpace Audrey Citrus Fringe Halter + Foxy Tab Bikini:

I know firsthand how popularity of the LSpace Fringe Suits are right now so I was shocked to see that my sister was the only one wearing a fringe bikini on the entire cruise, which gave her points for unique style! I gave her the LSpace Audrey Citrus Foxy Tab Bikini as a birthday present knowing it was going to be her new obsession and it proved to be perfect for her style personality, which is trendy, fun and sporty. The moderate coverage of the bottoms and the surprisingly great support the unpadded, unwired halter top allows for all the activity you want. That added with the vibrant color and fringe detail make it trendy and versatile. She paired it with an adorable cream crocheted coverup that the bathing suit popped under. 

Review of the Luli Fama Aguanile Bikini:

I, on the other hand, tend to choose a sexier style swimsuit with teeny tiny coverage in the back so I get a great tan, which made the Luli Fama Aguanile Bikini the one for me. Its vibrant color and "scrunch butt" cut gives it an unbelievably sexy fit and a high quality look, but is definitely a suit for show not play as the bottoms tend to get even tinier with more moving about. 

Add a comment below and tell us what you think of our new Swim Chronicles feature!

Fab Flats to match our New Swim Styles

It is surprisingly tricky to find the perfect flat sandal. Beach flats have to be easy to slip on, comfortable and cute. They also have to be constructed with quality materials that are durable enough to withstand the wet and sanding conditions. We scoped out a few hot new pairs that would be the perfect accent to some of our new swim styles.

Our Luli Fama Comparsita Crystallized Bikini + a pink and yellow thong sandal from TKEES

The LSpace Dolly White Fringe Bandeau + Mystique Turquoise Beaded Sandal

 

Caffe Rivera Bead-Embellished Bikini + Tory Burch White Flat Sandal

Luli Fama Aquanile Bikini + Stewart Weitzman Color Block Sandal

Poko Pano Bunny Bandeau White Bikini + Alexander Wang Annette Sandals

Get more styling tips for your beach look... email us at style@allwetbeachwear.com

New Arrivals from Luli Fama!

Luli Fama makes the skimpiest, sexiest swimsuits out there. The ruched back and wavy side styles hug the body in all the right ways, accentuating natural curves. Luli Fama's colors and prints, inspired by South Beach and Latin America, always feature bold colors, blinged out details and tropical flare. We have added some beautiful new pieces from Luli Fama to All Wet Beachwear, here are a few of our favorites:

The Comparista Wavy Tri and Brazilian bottom features pretty floral print with mini rose, pink, white and yellow flowers and crystal accent on the cups.

The Aguanile Wavy Tri Top and Ruched Bottom is done in a tribal kaleidoscope print in lime green, pink and orange. Neon is a hot trend this season and this bikini give you neon without feeling the least bit 80s.

La Gozadera is another beautiful kaleidoscopic print bikini. The bigger, bolder shapes almost look like large photographic flowers from afar.

Finally, a season is never complete without a sexy animal print. The Dale Guapa is a modern take on the traditional leopard print done in a mint shade with metallic gold accents. The Dale Guape also has a matching Cover-Up, a drop waist dress with ruching to hug the hips.

Love Luli Fama? See more here.

Our Faves from the 2012 Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue

The 2012 Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue hit the news stands last week. We have had some time to scan its pages and pick out our favorite shots from this years issue.

Newbie Kirby Griffin made a splash in this Agua Bendita bikini. We love this shot of her. Her eyes are spectacular and her bright, embellished bikini really pops.

Cover Girl Kate Upton knows how to rock a Beach Bunny Bikini. Nautical bikinis were a big trend in this issue and this number in navy and blue stripes fit right in. 

We are jealous of model Anne V for more reasons than one. She dates sexy Maroon 5 frontman Adam Levine and she is a natural beauty in a bikini. We love this Vix Ruffle Tri on her especially in such vibrant hues.

The Sport's Illustrated Swimsuit Issue wouldn't be complete without a sexy Luli Fama bikini. Another Rookie model Ariel Meredith shows us that she has the perfect figure for wearing a Luli Wavey side bikini.

We are thrilled that one of our newest brand's Caffe made the 2012 issue. SI Swim veteran Cintia Dicker wears a colorful python print bikini from Caffe.

 And last but not least is Anne V again in the LSpace Audrey Citrus Fringe top, one of our all time favorite styles. We carry it in a range of colors and also in a bandeau style. Check them out and fall in love like we have. 

To see more SI swim coverage click here and shop top SI Swim brands on www.allwetbeachwear.com.

Friends and Fans Take 15% OFF until November 23!

You found us and now we want to reward you for your support! Now until Wednesday, November 23, 2011 take 15% OFF your purchase. When shopping online enter the code: Friends2011 at check out. In-store just whisper the code to our sales team.

Take 15% OFF brand new 2012 swimwear from LSpace, Luli Fama, Despi, Agua Bendita, PilyQ, Ondademar and more! We like to start off the new season with a bang :-)

XOXO
AWB

New Beach Sexy Swimwear from Luli Fama 2012

The new collection from Luli Fama for 2012 is titled "La Vida es un Carnaval." Inspired by the fun-filled street carnivals in Havana, the styles are sultry, playful yet sweet. Vibrant colors and high impact embellishments including crystals and gold hardware are eye-popping. The silhouettes featuring wavy stitched triangles, sold molded bandeaus and Luli Fama’s signature ruched back bottom are back for another season to help you look extra sexy on the beach.


Highlights of the collection include:

The strappy Luli Fama Muy Calliente V-Ring Bandeau bikini this sexy style has captures the bondage trend that is so hot right now in lingerie and sportswear.

The Pachanga V-Ring Bandeau is a beautiful bandeau and a bright popping neon print with a fashion-forward deep-V detail at the cups.

The Munequita Del Mar Bandeua Bikini a rich green and metallic gold striped bikini with sea star hardware.

The Luxe Lace Triangle Top and the Tobaco Y Ron Crystalized Bikini feature cool, fashion-foward graphic prints done in warm sexy shades like coral and hot orange.

Watch the Luli Fama 2012 Fashion Show from Mercedes Benz Swim Fashion Week on our homepage. Browse the full range of Luli Fama Swimwear on All Wet Beachwear. Feel free to email us at info@allwetbeachwear.com with comments and questions.

Celeb Swim Style

Mom-to-be Beyonce isn’t shy about her baby bump. She sunned her tummy in Croatia in a white ruffled two piece. We could also see her in this more colorful floral number the Bendita Munich from Agua Bendita.

 

Rhianna likes edgy swimsuits and is often seen in animal prints, neon and neutral tones. She was spotted this August in this strappy number. An even sexier, strappy two-piece would be the Muy Caliente V Bring Bandeau from Luli Fama. 

No one looked hotter on the red carpet at the Emmy's this past Sunday than Sofia Vergara. She looks best on Modern Family in rich jewel tones and curve hugging silhouettes. A tube style bikini top with adjustable cups like the Despi Copacabana in this rich purple shade would be a stunner on her figure.

Kim Kardashian lives in swimwear or at least that is what one would gather from the tabloid coverage of her. This week she is on the cover of US Weekly in an Aqua Vix Bia Tube Bikini. This tube style Classic Black Bikini from Caffe has luxurious turquoise hardware and would look great paired with her cover-up.  

 

 

Katie Holmes has become a bit of a fashion icon since becoming Mrs. Tom Cruise but she still retains her girl next door style which helped her earn stardom. She would want a classic cut and often wears stripes. For her, we like the new Luli Fama Isla Bonita Bikini.

Check out our Facebook album to see what brands, colors and styles celebs are wearing on the beach right now!  

Our Favorite Looks from Runways of 2012 Mercedes Benz Swim Fashion Week

This weekend the Raleigh Hotel in South Beach became the epicenter of swim fashion for the 7th season of Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Swim. Over 30 of the hottest swimwear designers showcased their collections for editors, celebs, stylists and buyers. All Wet Beachwear attended all the best shows and scanned the runways for new styles to offer our clients for 2012. Here are a few of our favorites:

Poko Pano

Beach Bunny 

LSpace

Cia Maritima 

Browse all of our runway photos from Swim Fashion Week 2012 on our Facebook page. Video of the shows is up on our homepage now and will be updating with a new show each month.

At the shows, we sorted through 1000s of styles and selected the top pieces for next season. We found some real jewels and are so excited to show you all of the beautiful beachwear coming to AWB! You will love the new items coming to our website for 2012. We load items immediately, so you can reassured that you will find it on All Wet Beachwear first!