Check out my new vintage bathing suit! That beautiful blue and black polka dotted one-piece is indeed my 2008 choice for swimwear. Due to our taking the Wardrobe Refashion Pledge, a homemade bikini was actually in the works instead of my usual trip to Target’s swimwear section. But like most great wardrobe choices, that blue suit was love at first sight. I haven’t worn a one-piece in years and frankly I didn’t think that a genuine vintage bathing suit would be very comfortable since a lot of them were wool. But I put those concerns aside and decided to be adventurous. I’m so glad I did because not only is this skirted one-piece cuter than any of the bikinis I have been watching, but it’s made of cotton and oh-so comfy. Even better, it was “new old stock” (commonly noted as “NOS” on eBay) so although my Lee Swimplay suit is probably from the 1950’s, I’m still the first one to wear it!

If you’re still searching for the perfect swimsuit (or one of many) and want something really unique for summer then you must see the selection of vintage bathing suits on eBay and Etsy. Unlike new suits, each vintage bathing suit is one of a kind or extremely limited edition, and the range of styles is much more creative than modern swimwear. Buying vintage online also gives us the opportunity to support all the great indie business owners out there.

Left to Right: some girls vintage, Love Spy Vintage, and Mel’s Shoppe Vintage

Here are a few of the hottest vintage swimsuits being bid on right now. It surprised me that they were all one-pieces, but those are indeed the best sellers, almost without exception. Despite the popularity of the modern bikini – and I swear it’s not hyperbole to say that nearly everyone in southern California wears one – it seems that a new retro-loving generation is discovering the one-piece. Some truly fantastic maillot swimsuits did come from seasons past; highly styled designer suits of the 40’s and 50’s, the profusely psychedelic prints of the 60s, deep V necklines and bias cuts of the 70s, and uber high cut legs and fluorescent colors of the 80s. Whether you’re a vintage fashionista or a lover of all things retro and ironic, there’s a style for you.

Below are some of the most popular vintage bathing suit auctions going on right now, but there is always more to be found on eBay.

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On the Mable’s Vintage Clothing page we list our favorite vintage eBay stores, but every now we just got to feature sellers who stand out from the rest. Enter MakiMaki Vintage: a vintage boutique specializing in one of a kind dresses and other exclusive items.

MakiMaki features vintage clothing from the 1950s, mod ’60s, hippy 70s, and radical 80s. Shae, the store owner, used to be a stylist and it shows in her fabulous photos that sets apart MakiMaki from the other vintage clothing sellers on eBay.

MakiMaki has been making waves lately in the media and has been featured in VenusZine, Dorian Magazine, as well as on MTV just to name a few. I imagine one of the reasons her store is so popular – besides her great clothing & photos – is the intuitive navigation that categorize by shoes, dresses, jackets, etc. which is a huge plus for an eBay store.

Be sure to stay up to date with their latest vintage finds by subscribing to the MakiMaki Vintage blog, or by becoming a friend on MySpace or Facebook.

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