 |
|
New York at the turn of the Millennium massive amalgamation of people, styles, fashion, and mores. On the city beaches toplessness, although by no means the norm, flourishes in niches. Events like the Mermaid Parade and the Gay and Lesbian Parade bring sexuality into the face of thousands. But what is explored here is not the beaches or parades or the parks--all dealt with elsewhere--but the relationship between the street and the bikini on a spring, summer, or fall day. The city is full of bikinis and bikini influences from two sources: The first of these is the media which clamour for attention in all places public: the signs of Times Square, posters in the subway, advertisement on phone booths, and the busy details of the magazine stand. Especially in spring, bikinis come out everywhere. The second source is the people themselves. Although wearing a full-fledged bikini on the sidewalk is an extremely rare spotting--more likely a fashion shoot than the adventuresome subject, the fragments of the bikini are seen everywhere. There is the bare midriff, from dancing belly-button exposures (NYA20514) to the most daring of belly-down revelations. There is the croptop, the t-back sports bra with slacks (NYA3F6) if not short shorts (NYA27S), and even the bikini string halter coupled with shorts over briefs (NYA2612). And if briefs are not the norm certainly shorts are, and short shorts at that (NYA377), even ones that tease out buttage. So there you have it: Cleavage extreme, bellage extreme, leggage, buttage, ... and that's not even going into the nightclubs, which is a whole other story! |