In the 60s beach babes rocked the “Itsy bitsy teenie weenie yellow polka dot bikini.” But back then they weren’t sitting on their asses at a computer all day or drinking high fructose corn syrup by the gallon. Nowadays body types are as varied as personalities, and as a result, waterside fashions run the gamut from buttfloss to full-body unitards, depending on what part of the body is best prepared for the world’s scrutiny.
In honor of Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Miami Swim, the good people at Lycra came up with “Reality Beach.” And it just might be what you need to coax you out of your fully-clothed shell -- a friggin makeover. Tuesday, while the sun was at its hottest, dozens of real women were inside a cool tent perusing rack after rack of Lycra-based swimsuits. The point was to see what works best for you, but a couple of lucky women were chosen to strut their bikini stuff – or stuffed bikini – tonight at the runway show being held at the Raleigh Hotel at 9:30 p.m. For all you model-chasers, this show will feature some “real women”; if you’re coming for the Barbie-type, you just might get the teller from your bank or your kids’ Sunday school teacher. --Raina McLeod