The best moments of 2012

It has been an very, very exciting year at All Wet Beachwear. For my final blog post of 2012, I wanted to shine a light on the best moments of the year and giving kudos where it is due. Here we go!

Shooting SI from @darciabaum

This year the editors behind the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue did a fantastic job using social media to give us a peek into all that goes into creating the issue and what happens behind the scenes at each shoot. We fell in love with the editors @mjday and @darciebaum on twitter. Thanks for letting us live vicariously though your twitter accounts! Same goes for the SI models. @ChrissyTeigan's twitter feed is so hilarious and delicious it makes us jealous of John Legend, not the other way around.

AWB's L*Fringe Photo by Goldfishkiss

Can we say fringe frenzy! Lspace hit-it-out-of-the-park with their fabulous fringe bandeaus and halter this year. The cut, the colors everything about it was just right making it the must-have item of the year. We still have them on AWB so if you want to pick up more to mix and match with you can find them here. The trend has been picked up by every other brand so for 2013 there are endless fringe options!

Kate Upton's Italian Vogue Cover

This year the swimwear industry launched the career of breakout model Kate Upton. She went from being the face to Beach Bunny Swimwear, to Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue cover girl to the coveted cover of Italian Vogue, a huge feat for someone who doesn't hit all the traditional fashion model marks and we are guessing doesn't fit a sample size. She has a very bright future and wish her many more campaigns, cover and movie roles. We are happy to have her in the industry as a role model given that her extreme measurements are the healthy kind ;-).  

A look from the 2013 Poko Pano show see more here

The Swim Show and Mercedes Benz Swim Fashion Week 2013 were 7 sizzling Miami days of non-stop swimwear! Each season there is always a lot of anticipation: What's new? What prints will we see? What trends emerge? Each show is like a dream come true! You see it all float down the runway one by one on a model. We captured our favorite moments from the shows and shared them on instagram as it happened. You can see those photos from the shows here. The Swim Show is a tradeshow that happens simultaneously where we meet with the designers and get an up close look at everything we've seen in the runway show. When you are seeing countless new beachwear items from 9am until 10 pm every night it is hard to even think clearly! But in the weeks that follow trends emerge and the swimsuits that you might not have noticed stand out in your mind. It is an incredible experience, kind of like bikini boot camp. That is why everyone at All Wet Beachwear knows so much about the fit, fabrics and materials that go into every swimsuit. They have seen it all first hand with input from designers themselves.

A twitpic from the Jewel Dunns River Hotel - @allwetbeachwear

The SPF party in August was a crazy, crazy time. All Wet Beachwear participated in the annual fete in Jamaica, a long weekend of memorable parties. The hotel we stayed at, The Jewel Dunn's River, is definitely a place we will be visiting again!

At the end of the year I would also like give thanks to....

The talented swimwear designers out there dream up new looks each season and then with their teams accomplish the huge task of putting it into production and creating such quality products for us all to enjoy!

Risk-takers like Racquel Black who founded All Wet Beachwear out of pure passion and continues to keep it going with tireless 24/7 hard work building the company.

Instagram! It keeps us in touch with the designers we love and gives us a peek into the personality of the brands. We hope you like our instagram photos. leave us a comment and let us know what you would like to see more of.

A final thanks to our pal Pinterest for giving me hours of endless visual pleasure while creating my virtual dream closet and cataloging all my likes and inspiration. Follow AWB on Pinterest so see what we love.

Can't wait to see what 2013 will bring!

Color Story: What is your favorite?

We will be the first to admit that choosing a swimsuit can be difficult. A great place to start is color. Which color are you drawn to? Which color have you been told you look amazing in? Browse the options within that range. We created the image above to help out. White, black, silver, warm pinks and cool blues are always fashionable, look beautiful in the sun and are universally flattering. See the full spectrum of options on www.allwetbeachwear.com.

FREE BEACH HAT with DESPI Purchase

While supplies last, from Dec 1 - 8 receive a free DESPI Beach Hat with your DESPI purchase. This is an amazing value and available for a limited time so get one before they are gone!

Browse DESPI 2013 styles here!

Our Black Friday Sale begins Friday 12am. Enjoy big discounts all weekend long

Make AWB to your first stop on Black Friday. Shop online and enjoy big discounts starting at 12 am early Friday morning. Plus this year we are extending the sale all weekend long and through Cyber Monday but shop early because quantities are limited.

Elle Brazil October 2012

More Iza! Izabel Goulart, the model featured in the current Cia.Maritima campaign that we shared last week, has a vibrant editorial in the current issue of Elle Brazil. Two standout pieces in the editorial include a strappy yellow and leopard monokini from Cia.Maritima 2013 collection and a futuristic crop top with fringe lined arms by Brazilian designer Triya. We were equally pleased to see the addition of so many toned male models lol. What is not to like? 

5 Beauty Products to try on your next Beach Getaway

If you have already booked a vacation or will very soon, you may want to try these beach beauty tricks. These products will have you glowing and gorgeous on your cruise or at the resort. Here are the 5 beauty products you shouldn't leave home without. 

1. Cream Highlighter

Beach beauty is all about glow. A cream luminizer in a light champagne or pale gold color will emphasize the natural shimmering highlights of glowing skin.

How to use: Tap the cream with your finger and blend into the brow bone, inner eye corner, cheek bone and cupid's bow.

Extra tip: Swiping the highlighting cream along the collar bones and down the center of the legs will give your body some gleam as well.

2. Body Oil

How to use: Body Oil is great to apply if you will be photographing yourself on the beach. It will give your body that sultry, sexy look that we are accustomed to seeing in swimwear photography.

How to use: Be sure to use a body oil with SPF to prevent sun damage.

Extra tip: Post-beach, oiling your legs is a great way to show them off. Just be careful when wearing silks or other delicate fabrics because the oil could stain.

3. Salt Spray

Salt sprays have been a big trend in hair stylist for several years now. They give your locks that tossled, surfer girl look that is perfectly disshelved.

How to use: Apply to clean or dirty hair spritz through the strands and style with the fingers. It is a super easy way to get sexy style with minimal effort.

Extra tip: You can also use salt spray for volume. Apply the spray at the crown, dry and then back comb. The salt spray will give your root the texture to hold the lift from the teasing. 

4. Hair Oil

Luscious shine makes hair look healthy and polished.

How to use: Apply to wet or dry hair. Drop a dime sized amount of hair oil in the palm, rub hands together then comb lightly through the hair starting at the ends and working towards the crown.

Extra tip: Hair oil actually provides a barrier between your hair and UV rays so it can protect it from the sun!
 

5. Salt Scrub

After a long day at the beach, refresh your skin and spirits with a salt scrub.

How to use: Gently rub into the skin in the shower. Take a deep breath and enjoy the beautiful perfumes in the blend.

Extra tip: The oils in the scrub will help replace the moisture depleted by the sun and swimming for a silky supple feel.

Inspiration: The Cia Maritima 2013 Campaign

Cia Maritima released the images for their 2013 campaign featuring former VS angel Izabel Goulart. Cia always presents itself as a very fashion-forward swimwear brand this campaign is no exception. Model Iza Goulart is a toned, bronzed, and statuesque against several exotic backdrops filled with blue waters and other natural elements. This is one of the best campaigns we have seen for 2013 and has us ready to book a trip somewhere lush and sunny with a bag of Cia Maritima beachwear in tow. We hope you are inspired too!

 

 

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DESPI Swimwear 2013 hits all trends and it is hawt!

The new 2013 DESPI Swimwear Collection is now on http://www.allwetbeachwear.com for pre-order. This collection of fashionable bikinis and cover-ups incorporates key swimwear and fashion trends: including fringe, colorful animal prints and skull jewelry accents.

DESPI Swimwear is known for being playful and sexy, while exuding nothing less than sheer sophistication. Despi will be doing an XL Top this season which is very exciting news for our DD customers!

DESPI's fringe offerings for 2013 are plentiful. Fringe accents DESPI triangle tops, bandeau tops, halter tops, one-shoulder tops and even one bikini bottom. A new swimwear silhouette that we didn't see last season is the asymmetrical cut fringe on the DESPI fringe diagonal top and bottom. 

The standout prints in the 2013 collection are colorful animal prints: cheetah and python print done in rich red, purple, blue and brown. To keep it modern, the animal print pieces are mixed and matched with solid and fringe tops. 

Creative swimwear details borrowed from popular jewelry styles including skull beads and gradient crystal covered baubles. The jewelry style details make a statement on bikinis and one pieces.This gorgeous collection is a must-see and is already getting a lot of attention on the All Wet Beachwear Facebook page. 

DESPI Swimwear is created by Brazilian designer Despina Filios and made in her hometown of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. The DESPI look is feminine and gorgeous, classic and refined. The fabrics and textures are always sensually soft, and the designs are carefully constructed to achieve that perfect fit.

Swimwear from the Ready-to-wear Runways

As fashion month finishes up in Paris this week, we took a look back at the swimwear that went down the runways in New York, Milan and Paris at the Spring/Summer Ready to Wear shows. It is always interesting to reflect on what these designers, who focus primarily on RTW, envision for swim. 

The Herve Leger brand has taken their signature knit bodycon bandage construction into swim but the elaborate mallots are more for posing poolside because unfortunately they aren't meant for water! This season the one pieces featured intricate embroidery and basket woven straps.

NYC designers Cushnie et Ochs had 2 brave white bikinis in their SS2013 collection. The style was a novel contrast of Gothic scalloping done in a white modern fabric.

Micheal Kors gave us a mod nautical one piece. Stripes were a big part of his show, Kors said his inspiration was "geometric glamour."

At Dsqaured2 in Milan the look was super 90's! The styling included biker hats, lots of gold chain and pearls channeling vintage Chanel. This look is not for the sheepish!

In Paris, Lanvin's designer Alber Elbaz always sets the bar for feminine, chic fashion. The lone swimsuit in his collection had an asymmetrical leg line with one very high cut leg and the other more moderate. The effect was very cool!

This season Missoni's swimwear options include a double layer suit with a lycra underlayer and the trademark Missoni knit layer above, a much better option for swimmers given that knitwear tends to get heavy and saggy when wet.