NANTUCKET stripes was born out of the need for an alternative to the current swimwear offerings. I had a strong desire to be part of the solution and wanted to create swimwear that was stylish, comfortable, and versatile. The beach pajamas began to take shape.
As the thoughts poured in, I ran through our options. The bra and underwear look can be attractive, but impractical, restrictive, and not appropriate for every outing. I am not discouraging the bikini wearers, I admire their self-confidence and courage. The one-piece suits tend to feel like a one size fits all, which just ends up looking awkward on most of us.
The intention was to help myself and those around me. I then began observing how often women were holding back from all the fun. Men/dads were laughing and playing joyfully in the sun, while the women/moms tended to be on lunch duty. A few dangled their feet in the water, but it wasn't the majority.
I began asking lots of questions of everyone. Even some of my friends and family admitted to turning down events when a pool or beach was part of the invite. They had been hoping for a better solution to traditional swimwear as well.
Now, I knew that my swimwear had a tall order to fill. It had to allow women to confidently detach from their beach blankets without covering up, to swim for pleasure, sail, be dressed for theme parks and water rides, truly be able to relax at the spa without a robe, provide adequate sun protection, and deliver a "yes" response to all warm weather activities without hesitation. I am pretty sure that we did it!
It was interesting that during my focused questioning, I realized that men weren't any more comfortable in their swimwear- netting, no netting, a liner? They weren't sure what was going on, but they just didn't complain about it.
I also learned about what was needed for the second collection for NANTUCKET stripes. The swim skirt will be designed for women who prefer that style. Men will be part of the second stage of growth. I embraced and appreciated the rich discussions and feedback.
My main goal is that we can all relax and enjoy our limited free time just being ourselves.