Over the centuries, men's swimwear has gone from non-existent to a must-have for any vacationer, adopting increasingly elaborate and technical styles. It all started over 100 years ago. It was originally used to cover up and preserve modesty and dignity in public. Men's swimwear has followed many trends. Society eventually evolved to allow men to swim topless. Swim trucks have become the centerpiece of the seaside vacationer's style. We explain its evolution here. In the 1880s, men's swimwear was rather crude, but gradually the designs became more thoughtful and the garment improved. The first swimsuits were made of knitted wool, whose stretchy properties absorbed less water than cotton. Understandably, the first models made swimming rather difficult: an early swimsuit weighed 4 kilos when wet! Soon after, synthetic materials appeared on the market, first rubber, then nylon a few decades later.
Designer swim trunks, the trend of the 80s-90s
In the 1980s, the influence of surfing favored the use of long swim trunks among men, which supplanted the use of the classic speedos. The surfer shorts trend, or men's board shorts, of the 1990s inspired the men's long swim trunks of the 2000s. The materials used are more technical and the designs adopt more details and colors. The most used materials are synthetic ones, such as polyester and polyamide. These synthetic fibers are appreciated for their resistance to external elements such as UV and sea salt. However, natural fibers such as cotton or merino wool are still appreciated in this type of clothing. Recently, recycled materials have made their appearance in the men's “beachwear” sector, thanks to the evolution of the general mentality on the impact of the textile industry. Check out all of SVD's selection of designer swim trunks with brands like Nike, Carhartt WIP, Polo Ralph Lauren, Jordan, Patagonia, adidas Y-3 and MCQ.
Men's swim shorts, all about comfort at the beach and outdoors
Men’s swim shorts and boxer shorts have their pockets equipped with an eyelet on the lower outer corner, for water drainage. Swim shorts have an inner net in the form of briefs, for the wearer's comfort. Swim short compositions differ radically. Swimsuits are made of nylon or elastane, synthetic materials.
