The grassy lawn by the Sunset Canyon Recreation Center pool is a prime location for students to flaunt their new swimsuit styles while soaking up the sun.
Students opted for simple bikinis that are easy to tan in but also feature trending prints and colors.
Although the classic triangle top with cheeky bottoms are hardly a new trend, they endure because of both their practicality when it comes to suntanning and timelessness in pop culture, said Jaclyn Perry, a fourth-year neuroscience student and the Fashion and Student Trends club model director.
“When you think of a girl in a swimsuit, you automatically imagine the triangle bikini because it … has become an icon of attractive swimwear in our culture,” Perry said.
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Triangle bikini tops with low-rise bottoms are a major poolside trend as many people who frequent Sunset Recreation are going to suntan, said Alayna Armendariz, a third-year political science student. Because classic triangle tops and low-rise bottoms are simple, they do not leave awkward tan lines.
“I do not buy swimsuits that often, but when I do, I buy seven at a time,” Armendariz said. “It is easy to buy the same, simple cut all at once to avoid different types of tanlines.”
However, because Armendariz prefers simple cuts for her swimsuit, she opts for colorful patterns to add distinguishable flair to the simple two-pieces, she said. She wore a hot pink triangle top paired with neon, paint splattered bottoms.
“In the summer I get really tan, so I wear solid neons and match them with patterns like geometric shapes, stripes or floral to add some style to my look,” Armendariz said.
Although one-pieces and more elaborate ruffled, fringe and strappy bikinis are surging in popularity, the classic bikini top still remains a popular swimwear staple, Perry said.
Wearing patterned two pieces or pairing solid colors with elaborate designs is fairly common at Sunset Recreation, said Emma Stanfield, a first-year environmental science student. However, recently the pattern of mixing and matching different prints has become more popular, compared to the more classic, color-coordinated or matching print bikinis that have reigned supreme in previous years, Perry said.
Some students still stick to intended pairings, including Stanfield, who sported a yellow and green, pineapple-printed bikini. Stanfield said colorful swimsuits and whimsical prints are trendy during the summer because bright colors pair well with the season’s sunshine.
Stanfield bought her own pineapple-themed swimsuit online at zaful.com, an online store, to wear during spring break. Although the shipment did not come in time, Stanfield has been regularly wearing the two-piece during her weekly trips down to the Sunset Recreation poolside.
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Emma Cole, a first-year biology student, also donned a patterned two-piece, but with black, white and blue geometric shapes instead of yellow pineapples. Cole’s printed swimsuit is both functional and fashionable, she said. It has a tight fit and an adjustable waistband, so it’s also useful for doing laps across the Sunset Recreation pool.
“I did swim in high school, so it is nice to come down here to take a few laps in the morning,” Cole said. “This piece is nice because it is tight and practical to swim in, unlike a lot of two-pieces.”
Ramon Esquivel, a fourth-year anthropology student and lifeguard at Sunset Recreation Center, noticed different trends based on what the students come to the pool for. While people who swim laps tend to wear speedos or one-pieces, more casual pool-goers wear board trunks and bikinis, Esquivel said.
“Although I am not an expert, I tend to see a lot of floral patterns on both men and women here because it is bright and colorful, which goes with the vibe of Sunset (Recreation Center),” Esquivel said.
Sunset Recreation Center is an ideal location to relax, sunbathe and wear cute swimsuits, Armendariz said.
“I come to the pool to tan almost once a week because it is nice to wear out cute swimsuits during the summer season and relax in the sun,” Armendariz said.