Janine Robin creates an amazing selection of timeless swimsuits for every body. For 63 years, Janine Robin, France’s number one selling swimwear brand, has specialized in full sized high-end swimwear and lingerie. The one pieces are simple and classic, the bikini tops boast strong straps and underwire ranging in size from A-F. Janine Robin suits are a great choice for girls who want more support from their swimwear! You can find Janine Robin Suits, as well as the company’s other collection Laura Beach in our Popina Swimwear Portland Boutiques along with over 25 other swimwear brands!

Retro Swimwear by Popina Swim has lots of new Vintage Inspired Swimsuit styles for 2011.  Owner Designer Pamela Levenson grew up in the Pacific Northwest and currently lives in Portland, Oregon the home of Jantzen Swimwear.  Pamela understands the Vintage, Retro look and how to make it beautiful.  Today lets look at the great Vintage Swimwear style the Grace.

Jantzen Swimwear as seen on Mad Men is still in business and available for sale.  Popina Swimwear offers a wide variety if Jantzen Vamp styles - see below:

We also offer many styles of Vintage Swimwear or Retro SwimwearBikini Styles.  Similar to Jantzen Bikinis featured in Mad Men, check out these great bottoms:

Retro Tankini Swimwear - The Gina is the first in a series of new Popina 2010 Swimwear Styles that will be unveiled on the Retro Swimwear Blog over the next few weeks.

Popina is very excited to introduce its newest style the “Gina” Tankini.  Named after Popina’s legendary former manager, the Gina is the first 2010 Swimsuit style that has been introduced in on line.

The Gina, a great tanning top, features front princess seaming, a built in shelf bra and a wide retro styled neck strap.  The Gina pictured is made from the Turquoise Emilio fabric – new for 2010!  Swing by our shop in Portland Swimwear Shop or visit us on line where we are never closed to see our new styles and fabrics!

Retro Ruffle Tankini by Popina Swim is a darling Halter Tankini Swimwear style.  The Ruffle Tankini  is a two piece halter style Tankini Bathing Suit top that has a fun flowing front ruffle.  The Ruffle Tankini top features a tie around the neck for sizing adjustment. Tankinis are the perfect suit for the woman who loves two piece suits but likes the idea of a little more coverage and is not quite ready for a one piece.  The Ruffle Tankini suit has three front panels with a ruffle on the plunging neck line.  The Retro Tankini comes with removable soft cups. Below are a couple examples in the Ropes and Valentine print. 

For 2010 look out for one of many of our new prints Pop Art Daisy is below

Retro Swimwear is hot again for 2010 and Popina’s designer and owner Pamela Levenson keeps rolling out fresh new styles.  One of the many new styles for 2010 include the Grace Swimsuit.

The Grace is flattering and fun inspired by 1940’s Swimwear and 1950’s Swimwear Styles.  Key design points include the front “privacy” skirt, wide tie around the neck straps and the simple but cute front bow.

You can get a Grace for yourself on line at Popina or at our Portland Swimwear Store.

Outside Magazine’s July issue featured the Popina Skirted Boy Short on Ultramarathoner Jenn Shelton who lives in Ashland, Oregon.  This is pretty exciting for us it is our first national magazine exposure!  Check out Outside Magazine while it is still on the shelves for the month of July!  You can check out the Skirted Boy Short and Portland’s largest selection of Women’s Swimwear at Popina’s Portland Swiwmear Boutique or shop on line for some of our great Retro Swimwear styles.

Pamela Levenson designer of the Popina Swimwear brand offers five tips for Swimsuit shopping.  Pamela is based in Portland, Oregon, she sells her bathing suits on line, Wholesale at approximately 50 retailers in twelve states and from her brick and mortar Portland Swimwear boutique.

Tip #1 - Pick colors and prints that suit your skin and hair colors and then - “Just Try it On”!

Said so well by the housekeeper in the Movie Spanglish, it is surprising how many women come into my Swimwear Boutique with pre-conceived ideas of what is the best Bathing Suit for them.  There is no substitute for your own opinion and comfort level, try on a few things you think would never suit you, break all the conventional rules, you might just be surprised.  I always encourage the customers in my store to try on as much Swimwear as they have time for if they are not sure.  It is not uncommon that my customers will spend 1-2 hours trying on Swimwear, but why not, it should be fun!

#2 Go Retro

Personally I love Retro Swimwear styles, before the march to make Swimsuits smaller and smaller, there was a time that mystery and modesty had value.  1940’s-1950’s Bathing Suits are my favorite era, these Vintage Swimsuits did a great job of covering up the right stuff and still having a great sense of style.  Interestingly Retro Swimsuitsare now fashion forward, if you want to have a fun, unique look from the crowd, retro is a great way to set yourself apart and have a great fun look!

# 3 Care for your Suit

Chlorine and Spandex have a very tenuous relationship.  It makes me very optimistic that there has been a trend toward converting skin drying, swimsuit destroying chlorine pools into saline which is way less harmful to swimwear.  If you are using your suit in a pool, be sure to wash it out with a mild detergent and hang it to d.  I have heard stories that if the chlorine is strong enough (like you can smell it - yuck!) and a suit has been left in a ball un-rinsed, a suit will literally disintegrate in days.

#4 Try a Tankini rather than a One Piece

Our most popular Swimwear style is the Tankini.  My Tankini styles are designed with “Meet and Greet” Sizing which means for an averaged woman’s body, the bottom of the Tankini meets the top of the Swimwear Bottoms so that it has the look of a One Piece Bathing Suit.  There are many advantages to a Tankini from a One Piece Bathing Suit first off the convenience of…….well let’s just say it, going to the bathroom.  With a One Piece Swimsuit you basically need to undress, a Tankini is much more bathroom friendly.  Second, with Tankinis you can mix and match tops and Swimwear Bottoms.  A great way to stretch a budget is to buy one top and two bottoms or two bottoms and one top that coordinate.  One extra piece gives you a whole new outfit!  Finally, for those with longer torsos who have difficulty finding a One Piece Swimsuit that fits right, a Tankini will provide most of the coverage of a One Piece Swimsuit.

#5 Try to have fun

Swimwear buying for many women is an experience of dread.  My Portland Swimwear Store is located next door to a Dentist, if I polled some of my shoppers I think some would rather have their teeth drilled than to try on Swimwear; in fact my very first store customer cried when she tried on a swimsuit.  Many women are way too hard on themselves.  I am sensitive to these feelings and that is a big part of why I created my line and when designing my Portland Swimwear Store I took great lengths to try to make it a fun and comfortable place to try on Swimsuits.  I strive to create swimwear that allows women to feel good about themselves and create an environment that makes the process fun.  But lets face it some of us do not have perfect bodies, in fact probably 5% of women have the to die for bod, and believe it or not, the women with the perfect bodies can often be the hardest on themselves!  So remember, you are buying Swimwear because you love to have fun and when you put on your suit you will be in the water.  Life is too short lets swim!

Vinideus Wine Bar in NE Portland will be hosting Popina to preview our 2009 swimwear line on Thursday, 10/09/08 at 7pm.  This will kick off a three four day celebration to welcome the start to Cruise Season!

Day One Thursday, 10/09/08 at 7pm will feature a bathing suit fashion show at Vinideaus Wine Bar.  Vinideus is one of the best kept secrets in Portland, nestled in the Beaumont Village of Northeast Portland next door to the Alameda Brew Pub.  There will be five professional models from Murphy Talent Group who will be doing two “looks” a piece.  Vinideus is owned by Dominique, a native of the South of France (Aix-en-Provence).  Dominique has done amazing job of creating the casual, warm and quaint of the South of France.  Below are some preview pictures of designer Pamela Levenson’s 2009 Popina Line.

The address of Vinideus is 4759 NE Fremont, web address is www.vinideus.net.

Day Two, Friday, 10/10/08, kicks off the Huge Cruise Season Kickoff Sale at Popina.  All swimwear will be 15-75% off.  Purchases over $125 will receive a free pair of A.J. Morgan Sunglasses.  Saturday night will be open late, from 5-7pm come in to meet designer Pamela Levenson who will be offering Tropical drinks to get you in the mood!

Popina’s Portland Swimwear Shop is located at 4831 NE 42nd Avenue.

Wholesale Swimwear pricing is available to select merchants for Popina Swim Bathing Suit Styles.  Popina Swim is for the woman who believes you don’t have to “show it all” to be sexy and you don’t want to be afraid of falling out of your Bathing Suit when you reach over to pick up a sea shell!  Popina has a classic Pin Up Bathing Suit Style, inspired by fashions of the 1940’s and 1950’s, modernized with swimsuit construction and fabrics of today.

Popina is currently available in at 40 specialty shops, spas, boutiques, hot springs and sports clubs in 10 states including Hawaii and the U.S. Virgin Islands.  Would you like to carry Popina in your store?  Do you have a suggestion for a store near you that might like Popina?  Contact Popina Swim at info@popinaswim.com!