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Rigid & Organic Ideas Bikinis made out of rigid things present their own set of complications and ideas (TM0514). On one had, metal is not a normal body costume, especially for swimming, but it has certainly been shaped into the silhouette of the bikini and that relation contains some pearls of wisdom. Aside from metal, rigid materials often come from the sea and are thus associated with the aquatic act: for example, starfish, clams (indeed shells of all kinds and sizes), and even pearls (a substance that is not marine life but formed by it, e.g., OA1410). Metals and marine life can all be formed into garments; all are also formed into jewelry, including necklaces and collars, bracelets, anklets, belly chains (related to waistbands), and navel pasties (GL5910-20). Jewelry can also involve piercings, including the ears, nose (TS8720BS), lips, navel (MP9568, MP9572, MP9608, MP96A1), nipples (jewelry for the topless beach), and private parts. Nipple shields--pasties that are held on with piercings are a sophisticated combination; navel rings become ubiquitous after 2000. Metals can be easy to work (copper, tin), forged by fire (bronze, iron, steel), or heavy and precious (silver, gold). A solid gold bikini can contain a few ounces of gold. Metal Bikinis 1900-2000 "Bikinis" made out of rigid substances, including shells and metals are often novelty or performance items more so than they are swimsuits. Metal dance costumes evolve in the belle epoch years of the 20th century (MH191010). As fashion lines go, this early silhouette is certainly a pre-bikini bikini; and their anticipation of the bikini silhouette suggests that the bikini was actually not invented in 1946. One must look beyond the pure silhouette and remember that a bikini is going mainstream is a post-atomic bomb social revolution; not just something for a French postcard. As a pinup costume in the early 1900s the metal bra and nombril is often cast in the shadow of belly dancer Little Egypt, the Arabesque (TM0512, MH190810, MH19XX10), the Roman, the allegorical (BW0710), the religious, and the hard-to-define (TM0510). Hanging cups are the costume of the vamp (TB1510). For the warrior, the metal armors the breasts and the pelvis (HC1010). The metal provides extra protection, especially when coupled with aggressive defensive mechanism like spikes; these costumes by Rene J. Cigler's strike a balances between the aggressive warriors and defenseless exhibitionist (RC9502-11). Throughout the 20th century, rigid bikinis have remained the province of the glamour girl (GM4810), the dancer (GL5910-20), the harem fashion idol (L196910), movie star (SS7710), statement artist (again, RC9502-11), and pinup girl (JE8907A). Although draping--the characteristic of fabric to hang and fold--is not a possibility with metal, this does not mean that breastage and nippage cannot be brought into play. The rigid bikini titillates by squeezing in (JE8907A) as well as falling away freely from the body. Mesh mail can be see-through and loose fitting (AB9305) or see-through and rigid (MP94, MP96F2-F4). Cleavage is simply managed differently. A rigid bikini top can be matched to a hard bottom, or that the bottom can be very flexible, if only to counterbalance the rigidity of the top. Note too that most pasties are rigid. As suggest, many marine forms leave behind solid forms that may be adopted for costume. These include halters made of shells, sanddollars, starfish (MPA259), and even pearls, and pasties made of similar materials (MPA2T2). Conch shells can be used to make g-strings (MP9524). Shells come in all sizes and shapes and which reinforce the nautical theme (GM4810). Small shells and pearls make excellent necklaces, belly chains, and decoration. Today, shells are often cast in plastic, and are a rigid as their natural companions (PZ8610, KP88I2, JD89FB, JE8907A). Caption Rigid sealife and metals are a special construction theme. |
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