Welcome back to the Gentleman's Gazette! Today's video is all about men's swimwear.
We discuss how you can find a model that suits your body type and your style, we
talk about DO's and DON'Ts, and everything else you want to know about
swimwear so you look your best no matter if you're at the beach, the pool,
or the lake. When it's really hot outside, very few things feel as good as diving into
cold water, however, it can be a challenge to find swimwear that suits your body, the
local culture, as well as your own comfort level. Now, in the US, trunks seem
to be the number one kind of swimwear men wear but if you go to Europe or
South America, shorter or tight-fitting swimwear, also known as speedos or briefs,
are much more popular. So before we explore your swimwear options today,
let's take a brief look at the history to better understand how a swimwear
evolved and how it got to the point where it is today. Prior to the 1870s, it
was really simple for men, it was simply nothing. Yes, you heard right!
You just went and swam naked. The first modern record we have of swimwear is in a
form of a painting from Frederic Bazille. Even though it's 150 years old, it looks
remarkably similar to what we wear today. Of course, fashion was not even important
back then and so the swimwear styles changed throughout the decades. In the
19-teens, men wore actual tank suits often in
solid dark colors and sometimes, they even feature the skirt. Yes, you heard
right! Eventually, the shirt portion of the
swimsuit fell away as having a tan became more desirable because it
represented that you could pursue leisurely activities as a gentleman.
Interestingly, prior to the 1930s, a tan was often associated with lower class
workers who had to work outside whereas the gentry would remain pale and white.
Sometimes, people would even resort to taking arsenic pills to remain pale. In
the 1940s, fabric shortages across the board led to swimmer becoming even
shorter and tighter in order to save cloth. However, variety crept back into men's
swimwear in 1950s when the middle-class American man demanded
more options. This was a time of the miracle fibers such as lycra or nylon
that were all new and became the rage in swimwear. In the 1960s was the start of the
introduction of speedos in Australia. In the 70s, went even further with bolder
colors and different cloths such as terry cloth or baby corduroy. Can you believe
that? If you look at the ads from the 90s, you can see board shorts were the big trend
no matter if it was Calvin Klein or a Hilfiger, they were all long, oversized, and
oftentimes, styled with surfers. Now enough history, what are the swimwear
options you have today as a man who's interested in classic style? Well, first
of all, you can wear a barrett swimsuit! No, just kidding, that's terrible and
you could never wear it! One of your options are briefs. You may know
them from the underwear drawer and for a swimwear,
they're the tightest fitting option out there for men. Usually, there's just a one
or two inch inseam or sometimes none at all.
Just think of Daniel Craig in Casino Royale, that's exactly what I'm talking
about. Now, if you take the brief and you cut it even more open so more of your thigh
becomes visible, we have the classic speedo or European swimsuit shape. My
dad's from Brazil and he lives in Germany and he loves to wear this kind
of swimwear. Personally, I'm not the biggest fan of it. A much better and at the same
time classic option are swim trunks. They usually reach the mid thigh or
have about about five to six inch inseam, have some room in the thigh, are not too
tight but not too wide, and often close with either a button or some elastics or
a velcro. Sometimes, you can also tie it but overall, those are the
styles you will encounter. The third option are board shorts. They're
typically longer, cut fuller, sometimes have cargo pockets and are
typically more youthful. So what style of swimsuit, what pattern, and what colors
are right for you? Well, let's start with two factors: your height and your built.
Why are those two so important? Well, they help balance your natural proportions. So if
you're a tall man, you should probably opt for board shorts or trunks that are
rather long and just hit the top of your knee or maybe even mid knee.
Typically that means you have an inseam of eight to ten inches, maybe even longer
if you're really tall. While this is too long for most men,
if you're tall, it helps you look very proportional and not like you just got a
swimsuit from your younger brother. Also, if you're tall,
avoid vertical stripes because they visually stretch you and make you look
even taller. On the flip side, if you're already skinny, a pair of horizontally striped
shorts can help you look more muscular. As a tall man, you always want to skip a
type of speedo or brief because they make you look boyish. Now, if you're a man
of a regular height, lucky you! You can basically choose any type of swimwear
that suits your style. For a classic look, go with trunks and maybe have a 5 to 6
inch inseam, you could also go with board shorts that are longer, or with briefs or
speedos that are really short. On the other hand, shorter men should always avoid
shorts that are too long. Why? Because it will just emphasize your lack of height
and make you look goofy. Always stick with an inseam that is shorter than six
inches or maybe even 5 inches because you want to create a visual illusion of
a long leg line. If you're thin, in general, avoid the vertical stripes, they make you
look even thinner, go with horizontal stripes and avoid speedos, very short
briefs because you just accentuate your thinness. Now, if you're a gentleman with a
bigger built, I suggest to go with swim trunks in darker colors or smaller micro
patterns. Alternatively, vertical stripes because they help you slim you down. When
in doubt, size up your swim trunks so nothing cuts into your stomach that
makes you look even bigger. Also, avoid cargo pockets or putting stuff in your
pockets because that will just make you look wider. Basically, just like in many
other areas of classic menswear, it pays to stay in the middle and avoid the
extremes. So what type of colors are great for classic men's swimwear?
Personally, I find that blue, that includes navy or lighter blues, as well
as redsand greens are great. While yellow is a summery color, it may show
through what's underneath and it will also become dirty more quickly. I've also
found that pastel tones of maybe a light turquoise or maybe a light green can
work quite well. Of course, the color is just one element. A nice stripe, and I'm
not talking about a pinstripe but more like a candy stripe is
very advantageous. Likewise, you can have maybe a checked pattern which is very
classic in menswear, you could think about a herringbone pattern maybe, or a
micropattern just like the ones you know from your ties. A more preppy take
on swimwear includes the kind of go to hell pants theme which is usually an
embroidery of some kind or a print that could be something
nautical related such as anchors or maybe a crab. Of course,
solid swim shorts always work especially in darker colors. In recent years, bold
artistic prints or sometimes over-the-top color schemes have come out
and personally, I'd rather stay away from them because they really get you
attention which is maybe not what you want and it's just too extreme for a
classic elegant swimsuit. With that being said, what are some swimwear do's and
don'ts that you should always keep in mind? One, don't take swimming trends too seriously.
They rarely flatter most men and at the end of the day, they're just
fashion-forward. Instead, rather choose something that works for you, your body
type, and your comfort level. Two, don't hide behind overly baggy and full cut
swimwear. You may be a little embarrassed that you may not have that six-pack but
at the end of the day, wearing those super baggy shorts make you just look
more sloppy. I also think it will accentuate your flaws more and not bring out the
best in you. Three, do be kind to yourself. I know that we probably all see our own
flaws more clearly than other people do.
Yes, I know you look at the supermodels,
they always look great with their six-pack but reality is most men don't
have the time to achieve that. However, that doesn't mean that you still can't
find a swimsuit that flatters you. Keep in mind, the whole
point of choosing the right swimwear is that no matter what shape you're in, you will
always choose what most flatters you. Does this model with a six-pack in
their swimwear look better than I do? Absolutely! But that's not the
point! It's all about who am I today and how I
can look my best. Four, don't buy a swimsuit with a huge logo on it or even
a brand name. It just shows that you're a bit insecure and
you want to show off that you can spend money on your swimwear. Rather than
investing in big logos, put your money into something that flatters your
physique. Five, do stock up in swimwear if you find a model that you really really
like. You can get different colors, maybe different patterns but swimwear often
goes in and out of style and a few years down the line when you need a pair, it
may not be available anymore. That being said, keep in mind that you will
likely wear your swim trunks a whole lot less than you do to your other
clothes and because of that, they should last a lot longer. Six, don't buy
light-colored swimsuits, White, ivory, off white, or tan, or just
terrible colors because they will show what's underneath, they will get dirty,
and just look old and worn out very quickly.
There are also swimsuit's out there with really bright bold neon colors, I'd stay
clear of them because it just makes you look like a billboard rather than a
tastefully dressed man. Seven, do check the material tag before you buy. Most
swimwear these days is made out of polyester which is very inexpensive but
it also ages quickly. Nylon is usually a better option because it lasts longer.
Personally, I also like blends of cotton and nylon because cotton by itself
is not suited for swimwear because it just soaks up too much water but in
combination with nylon, it has a nice hand, it feels good on your skin, and it
dries quickly. Typically, board shorts or swim trunks always have a liner on the
inside. I found that no matter what brand you choose, they're always made out of
100% polyester, there's nothing you can do about that. Eight, do rinse out your
swimsuit after every wear. No matter if you're at the pool or the ocean because
the salt and the chlorine will just wear out your fabrics and if you rinse them,
they will last a lot longer. Last but not least, do try on your swimsuit. I have
swimsuits in medium, large, extra-large, or 34 and 36 and even though it says 34,
it may be a 37 or it may be a 32. So do yourself a favor, try things on and don't
compare sizes especially between brands because it can be hugely different.
So what swimwear do I wear? Personally, I'm a little over 6 foot tall or about 184
centimeters because of that, I wear swim trunks.
Usually, I try to go with the inseam of 5 to 6 inches. Some of my favorites include
a striped pair from Ralph Lauren in blue white green and red. I also have checked
shorts, as well as go to hell swim trunks. Also, I have some tie inspired micro
pattern swimsuits and I like to change it up every once in a while in my
classic colors and classic patterns. So that being said, where can you buy
classically styled men's swimwear? Frankly, most of my swimsuits come from Ralph
Lauren because they have a really nice range of classic patterns and colors that
just suit my style. On top of that, it seems like a lot of their cuts are
inspired by vintage garments, little cool details sometimes that I
just like. High-end brands like Orlebar Brown or Vilebrequin will have
swimsuits that set you back quite a bit of money,
they're often fashion-forward, and they can suit your style but I've found that
they're usually cut very slim and with my big thighs, they simply don't work for
me. Of course, that being said, if you have slimmer thighs, those brands will have a broader
range of patterns and colors which can be interesting if you want to be
more unique. If you're all about function and less about style, check out Patagonia
which really focus on the tech but to me, they look more dated and I don't like
them. If you followed us for a bit, you know that we like smaller brands as well
because often times, they're really passionate and they put a lot of thought
into their products. Brands I look into include Castaway which have these kind
of preppy go-to-hell style inspired swim trunks,
there is also Coast Society or other small Italian brands.
In today's video I am wearing a white polo shirt and a pair of Ralph
Lauren swim trunks one of my favorites it's ironically made of 100% polyester
but it's a thicker fabric has a very nice hand and it has stood up quite well
over time it's probably over eight years old it has a 5 inch inseam is cut semi
full and I think it suits my body quite well the waistband has a bit of elastic
and you can tie it down to fit your belly the shoes match the color scheme
of the stripes and my shirt they are Sperry top-siders
and kind of an orange red of course If I am at a pool or the beach
I wear flip-flops as well or I could wear canvas shoes whatever floats your boat
if you know of any cool classically inspired swimwear brands please share
them in the comments below