Alicia Two-Piece by Phax

Fashionistas rejoice! If there is a deal for a designer bikini you will find it here. The sizzling new arrival from Phax Swimwear is called the Alicia Two Piece, a sexy little bikini priced at just $77.

Back View

The Alicia Two Piece features an array of paisley and polka dot prints, where fuchsia and black collide to contrast into sexy. The top features removable pads for shape and support, and the sliding triangles on the top allow you to adjust their coverage preference. The ripple effect at the trim is present at both top and bottom as a flirty factor type of detail. The bottom, with ruffled edges and polka dot print, features an embroidered turquoise pattern at the rear. The cut in the back provides moderate coverage, meaning it is a cheeky style in between brazilian cut and full coverage. Already being voted by orchid shoppers a summer favorite, at this price, it’s a definite must-have.

Get yours here.

Close-up

Bendita Vainilla by Agua Bendita Swimwear

What does the word “bikini” mean, anyway? Does “bi” stand for “two” and “kini” stand for piece? You might think so (we certainly did!), but it’s not true at all. The word “bikini” comes from the name of a Micronesian island named Bikini Atoll. And the bikini wasn’t even invented there – it was invented in Paris by Parisian fashion designer Louis Réard, just two weeks after Bikini Atoll was the site of a nuclear test.

Réard named his revealing two-piece creation “the Bikini” for its explosive effect on anyone that viewed it. And it made quite a stir amongst everyone, including the models he asked to wear it! Most models turned it down for being too revealing, until a model named Michèle Bernadini stepped up to the challenge. Below she can be seen wearing Réard’s creation poolside for the Paris fashion press in 1946.

We don’t think the original bikini seen here is the most flattering suit for Ms. Bernadini, but we love that designer Réard took the risk and made a suit that was so ahead of its time! It took a while after that for bikinis to catch on, but boy are we glad they finally did!