Whether digging clams or chicks this summer, you'll want more than a swim suit to make the best on-the-beach appearance. Sun worshipers, surfboarders or sailors should prepare for their nautical exploits by selecting a versatile, fashionable wardrobe. This year the emphasis is on coordinated tops and trunks; mix them or match them, but choose them wisely. The old, overdesigned look is gone (remember the matching cabaña set?); in its place are beachwear items of good-looking stripes, small paisley prints, and conversation prints that are nearer to a whisper than a shout. For warmth, there's terry cloth (even terry-lined shorts); for the Continental touch, there are smart tops with the Italian collar, slash pockets and all.
On the swim-suit scene, wool knits – "out" for almost twenty-five years – are back in multicolored splendor. And, unlike their predecessors of the Thirties, they're fade-proof.
In deciding on the right length of swim trunks, remember it's not just your height that should be considered; it's the length of your legs as well; in general, the shorter the legs, the briefer the trunks – and vice versa. Suits range from the American-style bikinis to the ankle-length knits. The modified bikini seems to be gaining in acceptance, but don't don one unless you can face up to a three-way mirror. We can do without bikinis for men altogether, though we dearly love them on the ladies. And the ankle-length styles, by us, belong in a 1922 silent film comedy. Between these extremes, there's a length for you. The low-rise and square-leg models are seen in a slew of styles – from the boxer to the all-knit. Tailored boxers reflect the fastidious detail of Continental slacks, including waistband side tabs and slashed front pockets. You'll find some with a special pocket – obvious or judiciously hidden – for your car or locker key and small change. If you're tall and thin, you'll want to check out the mid-thigh-length square-leg trunks. The Jamaican length – about a fifteen-inch inseam – and the shorter Hawaiian style are winners, too. The newest is the swim-walker, demonstrating the Bermuda influence.
Deck pants (or call them clam diggers, if you prefer) are a surfside basic, too. You'll find them in three groups: beltless Continental models with Western pockets; natural versions with rope belts and half top pockets; and a batch of Alpine styles. They're available for you in an array of fabrics: duck, denim, chambray, madras, cotton and all manner of blends – in checks and plaids as well as solids. Deck pants look best when worn with a boat-neck or short cardigan shirt; these shirts, and a marvelous assortment of jackets (including some with hoods), are plentiful this season. They're made to match – or contrast nicely with – many of the swim suits and deck pants.
