Got a costume drama? Slip into an LBS*
* That’s the Little Black Swimsuit every woman should own, says designer MELISSA ODABASH
THIS summer, when you see a celebrity looking effortlessly chic in a swimsuit — Jennifer Aniston or Sharon Stone perhaps — chances are her onepiece will be black. It could also, quite possibly, be one of mine.
I’ve been designing swimwear for 22 years and will always include a black option in each of my lines. That’s because, just like the classic little black dress hanging faithfully in your wardrobe, the Little Black Swimming costume — or LBS — shouts timeless elegance, while flattering women of every age, size and body shape.
I know this, and so do my most discerning clients. A black one-piece is slimming as well as discreet — it won’t become see-through the minute you
step out of the water. And you’ll get noticed because you look nice and not because you have clad your torso in something loud.
Black goes with any skin tone or hair colour. It’s the perfect first-days-ofthe-holiday choice, because it looks as good on pale skin as on someone who’s naturally dark or has developed any depth of tan.
And, of course, even if the design you choose is up to the minute, buying it in black means that it will take far longer to date. In other words, the LBS is your new glamorous wardrobe staple — whether you’re sunbathing in the garden, swimming in the Med or lounging by your hotel pool.
It also need not be limited to holiday-wear. Many of my clients cleverly use mine as bodysuits under jeans and a smart blazer to wear around town.
And if you are sporting one on holiday, you only have to throw over a matching skirt or pareo (a type of wraparound skirt originating in Tahiti) and it will take you straight from beach to lunch.
Sarah Jessica Parker has been photographed many times over in what appears to be the same black one-piece and she looks sensational — perfectly illustrating why you shouldn’t skimp on what is undoubtedly an investment piece.
Buy one that’s well made and a good fit and it will last for years, if not decades. No one is going to judge a woman for repeatwearing something that makes her look ten years younger and an inch slimmer whenever she slips it on.
So, make this the summer of the Little Black Swimsuit. Whether you’re in your 30s, 40s, 50s, 60s or older — I promise there is a style out there that will make you feel fantastic.