When Politics and Fashion Don't Mix

I was just about on board with the “Sexy Chest Swimsuit” from Beloved Shirts in my quest to collect odd and amusing swimwear to my collection ready for a vacation later this year. Literally, just about to buy it when I burned my eyes right out of their sockets looking at the latest additions to the site….

Now swimwear is cool, the quirkier the better and I buy probably 20 swimsuits per year – excessive I know but this now habitual behaviour ain’t shifting any time soon. Beloved Shirts is a one stop shop for crazy, beautiful, fugly swimwear, it’s become known for it’s weird and wonderful high leg swimsuits printed with just about anything you could imaging, and even custom printing available too. It’s a destination store for everything you would never, ever want on a swimsuit but just have to have. Case in point, the afore mentioned Sexy Chest Swimsuit – gloriously hideous and an absolute must have vacation item.

I wasn’t however, quite so prepared for the latest additions to hit the swimwear section and I question whether they may have missed their moment…. Trump, Clinton and Putin printed on swimsuits. *Shudder* No you crazy person, not all on the swimsuit, that would require a recovery period of at least three days. These are close crop face prints and the Trump one piece will make you vom in your mouth when you see it in all it’s grossness.

I’m not saying that I couldn’t be persuaded to get on board with a Hillary Clinton swimsuit, that’s up for debate, (make me an Obama one however and I’m sold). Politics and fashion have been crossing over for some time, now, most notably with Maria Grazia Chiuri’s Dior “We Should All Be Feminists” tee. Something that sparked a trend both on and off the runway for political statements to be seen and a new way for our voices to be heard. As with anything fashion related, trends are diluted the further down the hierarchy they move. You’re familiar with the Cerulean Blue story as told in The Devil Wears Prada right? It’s a working theory that can be applied to any trend that the high street picks up from the runway, the message was clear on the runways of Paris during the SS17 show season, however when that season rolls around, the high street has dumbed down the message in order to make it accessible and less controversial. After all, the primary objective of the high street chains is to sell, in bulk.

I digress, my point is that whilst politics and fashion can mix with a degree of success, this is not an example of it. This, Voyeurs, is gross and even I, a self appointed curator of crazy swimwear, say No to Trump emblazoned across my tits.