THE JOURNAL
The breakthrough moment for the bikini came at Piscine Molitor in Paris – that sleek, soulful, alfresco pool in the 16th arrondissement where the jazz age is still alive and well. It was there, in 1946, that the two-piece was debuted to “ooh la las”. The same moment for men came in 1968. The Swimmer, Eleanor and Frank Perry’s surreal big-screen adaptation of John Cheever’s mysterious story, catapulted men’s swimwear into the mainstream as the world and its mores changed in a spectacular explosion of liberation. The old rule book was ripped up. No more staid conventions. Burt Lancaster, its lead, called it “Death Of A Salesman in swimming trunks”. He spent most of the film wearing a pair in his bizarre quest to swim home via all the pools in a New England town.
From that point on, full-body suits were discarded. It was swimming trunks or swimming shorts. Speedos arrived around the same time. Since then, we have had swimwear that’s a little tighter or looser in line with trouser and jean trends, hem lines have risen and fallen, patterns have evolved. But with summer on the horizon, what works right now?
“I’ve always subscribed to the idea that one should look considered, regardless of setting or occasion,” says Rachel O-Williams, Personal Shopper at MR PORTER. “Pieces that move effortlessly between beach, bar or an impromptu lunch. Few brands capture this balance better than Sease. Its approach to performance wear is both technical and refined, delivering garments that feel as elegant as they are functional.”
Tailored swim shorts have changed the way we look at swimwear, allowing us to glide seamlessly between settings. But how did we get here? Swimming is sport and exercise requires a different wardrobe to a formal affair. But there’s something unique about the pool. It’s very definitely not the gym. At London Fields Lido, you see men in swim shorts working at their MacBooks. At co-working spaces in Costa Rica, chaps join calls in board shorts after a morning surf.
“A pair of tiny, but structured swimming shorts has a very of-the-moment appeal”
The rise in swim shorts corresponded with the age of leisure. Swimming is recreation as ritual, evoking cleansing, religion, rebirth, restoration and good mental health. Pools connote fun, too. The LA pool soiree, the Vegas or Ibiza pool party, the time we spend remote working in the winter sun or with friends at Croatian festivals – these have all changed the language and landscape of fashion.
“Swimming shorts that look like regular shorts are fine for all-day wear, and well into the night if you wear them with loafers and a nice linen shirt,” says Alyx Gorman, lifestyle editor at Guardian Australia and author of the book All Women Want. “I think you’d probably get funny looks in most offices, but several people I know seem to have started co-working at Wiley’s Baths in Coogee this [Australian] summer, so it really depends on your office.”
As we have vacationed and worked remotely more, casual has made inroads over formal. Dare we say it, Love Island has mainstreamed wearing swim shorts and an open short-sleeve shirt on summer dates. O Beach in Ibiza and the Vegas pool decks have popularised wearing swim shorts into the night. They can be incredibly practical, too. As an obsessive swimmer, I will often wear my swim shorts under light trousers not just for a more seamless lido trip, but also in case a wild swimming opportunity presents itself on a day out. If it heats up, you have shorts at the ready, too. Avid sun worshippers covet quick-dry shorts that can go from pool to lounger to coffee shop with ease.
“A pair of tiny, but structured swimming shorts has a very of-the-moment JFK Jr appeal,” Gorman says. “But part of the point of prep style is also that it’s timeless. They looked good before Love Story made them fashionable again. And they suit beanpoles and beefcakes alike.”
“I’m not entirely opposed to a more abbreviated silhouette,” O-Williams says. “There’s something to be said for the confidence required to pull off a classic ‘budgie smuggler’. But I tend to favour styles that offer greater versatility. When you’re travelling, the last thing you want is to be burdened by a change of clothes or an overfilled bag.”
“I think the only real mistake you can make is pulling on a pair of knee-length baggy board shorts when you’ve got no intention of surfing,” Gorman says. “If you’re just lounging under an umbrella, they’ll make you look like a self-conscious teenager. Grown men aren’t afraid to show a little leg!”
Pattern-wise, Orlebar Brown exemplifies the choices between carnival print, stripe or colour block. Navy is classic. But for my money, the peerless Love Island pink is a winning choice. With summer coming in fast, the choices are endless. Time to dive in.