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Adjustable Description The adjustable is a culotte with slide casings at the waistline in the front and/or back, so that the width of the suit may be adjusted to be wide or narrow (NR8512). A slide casing is a tube made by folding the edge of a garment over before forming a seam, so that a cord or drawstring may pass through it. Slide casings, introduced into the bottom of halter cups allow the width of the cub to be adjusted; they are also occasionally employed at the side of the halter, to adjust the height, in the slide-side species. With the adjustable the slide casing is introduced to the top waistband of the culotte, so as to adjust its width in the front and/or the back. The effect in the front is to expose/cover the inguinal line dividing the pelvis and leg, and apply lateral pressure on the pubic hair; the effect on the back is similar--to expose/cover the buttocks and apply sideways pressure on not only the cheeks, but the round of the buttocks as well. Adjustable Evolution It is somewhat ironic that the adjustable does not evolve in the late 1970s, the moment of the string silhouette, with its slide-triangle string halter and side-tie string briefs. The historical minimization of the string halter top from the 1940s through the 1970s reduce it from a bulky halter to two tiny triangles supported by three cords. At the extreme the bottom of the two triangles has slide casings that ride on a single cord around the chest, allowing the width of the triangles to be further adjusted. But slide casings on the top of the briefs do not evolve until after the miniaturized v-kini in the late 1980s catalyzes the narrow front and the rising legline (VB8423). The slide casings allow the wearer independent control to adjust the width of the V in the front (G198511) as well as the back (SF8501). One should observe, that as with most evolution, that the integration of the adjustable into the v-kini silhouette is not the only exploration; the slide casing is also introduced into straighter and higher waistlines culottes, such as this one custom-made for a photographer's model (EP8459). Like the rolldown, the adjustable belongs to a class of swimwear in which the bikiniite can control her own degree of exposure, and in this regard is a very 1980s freedom-of-choice concept. In the front the bikiniite is free to adjust the width of the string bottom from a maximum of several inches (LV9007) to a minimum width of one or two inches (YM8504), a progression often documented by tan lines (NYC8501, Vero8701, CI9106C). Narrowing the adjustable demands depilation (LR86K, NH8603) or hairage, the exposure of pubic hair. On the backside an adjustable enables the bikiniite cover herself fully (SF8501), slide her v-kini into a halfback (LV8704, Vero9106-07), or gentle her halfback into tanga.(YM8504, SF8501, NH8603, SM8854, CB9154). As with hairage in the front, buttage is the major exposure in play from behind. This flexability of the adjustable is instrumental at helping establish tanga in the early 1990s. And at the extreme the adjustable allows tanga to become a g-string (N8602, G8881, C8909), a special case in which the back of the brief is very narrow to begin with and can slide into rugae. Adjustable Parameters It has already been observed that in a formal sense slide casings may be deployed in the front (G198511) or back (LV8704) of the waist, or to both (YM8504, SF8501, NH8603). The most typical adjustable pattern incorporates a narrow isosceles triangle with a slide casing so the width of the triangle may be adjusted for width (FL87GA, Vero8701). In other situations a fixed width rectangle is wrapped through the crotch between the legs. One variation suspends the front (NYC8502B). A different approach in the design utilizes tubular slides at the sides of the culotte to gather the fabric together (C8977, CB9117, ZX3K90BS). Side-ties may also enrich the design (RS8502). The rudest of these extremes is modeled by pin-ups who rudely pull the adjustables in-between their sex lips (LR86K, JB8705, RD8734). Adjustable Silhouettes Once established, the adjustable pairs quickly with many topside combinations. The most popular initial mate is the bandeau, which couples well with wider waistband designs worn very high on the hip (G198511, FL8624, LV8704, NYC8501), as well as with narrowed microkini silhouettes (CI9106C). After 1990s the adjustable acquires bulk and mates with more constructed bandeau (Vero9106-07). More fundamentally, the adjustable revitalizes what might be called its natural mate, the string slide-triangle halter, essentially matriculating the slide-string bikini in complete form. Now both tops and bottoms have casings and string and may be adjusted. This silhouette appears with both the slide-triangle string halter (DB8701) as well as the slide-side variation (NYC8501, Vero8701). Even string halters which don't slide continue to be popular combinations (FL8623, FL8716). It is suddenly discovered that the low-waisted 1970s string nombril can be adjustable, imbibing it with new life as well (G1994804). Finally, the Bikini Scientist notes for the record that adjustable technology can also be applied to the maillot (SE199320). |
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