Games were always popular on the internet and now more and more games are online and free for the people to use. Most of these free gaming sites are very popular and new are coming up all the time. So the question arises. Why a webmaster will build such a site. As always the answer is simple. Money. Because these websites become quite popular very fast especially with some kind of advertising promotion their repeating visitors user base is growing fast. The result is thousands and thousands of hits every time and this easily converts to clicks and money for the webmaster.

On the other side building such a website is not very easy except if you buy a commercial package with thousands of free games. But doing this you are competing with a thousand other websites that are using this software as well. This is not good in the eyes of the search engine bots because of duplicate content and other issues.

Talking about return of investment for such websites to my knowledge is very low or in some cases very late. With all this competitions this kind of websites cannot depend on search engine traffic and must rely on paid advertisement. Until the user base will grow large enough the return of investment is poor. An example of such a website you can find to the following link. Free games online.

By taking a look in his alexa stats we can easily see that this site is new and search engines just started to index it.

Let’s wish it good luck!

“Bee pollen” is actually pollen from flowers that is collected from bees as they enter the hive or is harvested by other means. Pollen granules stick to the bees’ legs and other body parts as they help themselves to nectar (the precursor of honey) inside the flowers.

Pollen grains contain the male germ cells (elements) that are produced by all plants, blossoms or blossoms. This is essential in order to ensure that plant life throughout the world continues by a process involving fertilization and plant embryo formation.

One teaspoonful of pollen comprises approximately 1,200 pellets or 2.5 billion grains, each of which has the capacity to provide those factors that are necessary in order to fertilize and reproduce the particular species that it represents (such as a fruit, grain or tree). Pollen is composed of myriads of microspores that are produced in the anthers of flowers and in the cones of conifers. Each grain measures approximately .002 inches in diameter (although the representative diameter is somewhere near one-half millimeter), and each bee-collected pellet comprises approximately two million grains of pollen.

Honey, Bee flower pollen, bees wax and pretty much any other bee made product is a by product of pollinating fruit crops. Even if bees did not make honey they would still breed them for pollination because that’s the only way they can pollinate the highly bred modern fruit trees enough to make them produce.

I believe that they take the pollen off of their legs before entering the hive. Not certain how they do it though. I used to live with a beehive on the property, and often sat right next to it to watch the bees. Never saw one land with pollen on its legs, then kick/bite/scrape it off. They all seemed to not have any pollen on their legs at the moment of landing. I never saw any pollen around the entrance either. Possible it’s all inside the beehive, thrown onto the floor of the hive box. But, from what I’ve read, the bees don’t want it and discard it.

Bee flower pollen is not found in the everyday diet. It is found in nutritional supplements and Chinese herbal medicine products. Bee pollen is also taken to prevent hay fever. Some people believe that ingesting pollens will help to build resistance to them, although it is possible to have a severe allergic reaction to these pollens.

Bee Pollen supplements are available at your local or internet wellness food store in capsule, tablet, and bulk granular forms. Always look for name brands like Premier One and Montana Big Sky to ensure excellent and purity of the product you purchase and consume.

*Statements contained herein have not been evaluated by the FDA. Bee Pollen is not intended to diagnose, treat and cure or prevent disease. Always consult with your professional health care provider before changing any medicine or adding Vitamins to medications.

Introduction

A Barn Conversion is exactly what it says it is, ie a barn which is no longer used for its original purpose and has been converted to a different use such as a commercial or residential dwelling. Barns were usually close to the farmhouse and would have been used for storing grain or fodder for animals; housing animals such as cows and horses; or places for food production or storage. Often the stables and barns were the buildings where the business of the farms and manor houses took place so they were built to last and keep out the weather. They were often much better built than the cottages which housed the workers and farm labourers. So it doesn’t take much leap of imagination to see that once no longer needed for the intended purpose their use could be changed to provide much needed homes. These days a barn conversion is considered one of the ultimate homes.

History of the Barn Conversion

About thirty or forty years ago there was a sudden spate of new dwellings known as barn conversions. I am not saying barns had never been converted into houses before but suddenly they were all the rage. The barns attached to farms that were no longer being used for their intended purpose became a source of capital for struggling farmers. The change in farm practices such as combine harvester’s, meant that some of the barns previously used as threshing barns were no longer needed for that purpose. What had once been a low value farm buildings could be capitalized on as building land and there was a spate of a new type of dwelling that quickly earned the nickname ‘Dez Rez’ for desirable residences.

The fact that barn conversions were original old buildings yet could be renovated to a high standard while at the same time retaining their original features such as exposed beams or hay stalls, made them different from the average box type house available on the market at the time.

After the war there was an urgent need for housing and lots of homes were put up very quickly and as cheaply as possible to house the many families left destitute after the bombing. As the standard of living improved many people wanted their own home and builders ever willing to supply to demand, built thousands of three bedroom homes to a standard design. Suddenly our country was filling up with lots of little box type housing with no individuality.

Now when large manor type houses are too expensive to run, they are sold off to developers who then convert the main building into flats and apartments, the barns into individual houses and building more houses on the land around the original manor house. My daughter bought her first house in one such development and her house was the original stable building with a large opening for the carriage which was converted into a large arch shaped window. It was certainly different and had lots of character with very high ceilings and lovely open plan spaces.

Any potential barn conversions buildings with listed status is going to be more expensive to convert that one that is not listed.

Types of Barns

There are a wonderful variety of barns around the country and that is why they are so attractive. The original farmers used local materials that were readily available for their barns so they vary greatly depending on the area in which they were constructed.

For instance Lincolnshire has barns made with flint stones where the walls look like cement with the stones imbedded in it making an interesting pattern. These can also be found in Sussex. In the Cotswolds there are wonderful stone barns and in East Anglia clay lump. In Surrey you will find timber and weatherboarding barns.

Barns that were originally designed for use as a threshing barn would have a large door opening for the cart to deliver the grain. There would be a raised threshing floor where the wheat was separated from the chaff and ventilation openings opposite the door to create a through draft for winnowing.

Near the farmhouse barns were built to be used as milking sheds and dairies, then there were storage barns for fodder and food as well as stables for the horses. Further away there were barns built in fields for sheltering livestock. Often the outbuildings on a farm were much more extensive than the farmhouse itself.

Finding a Barn

Finding and converting a barn is no easy task. With the new regulations in place barns available for conversion are diminishing rapidly. Opposite to my own house there were two quite large brick built barns which the farmer sold to a developer. Being built of brick they were in a bad state of repair, but instead of converting them the builder pulled them down and built two large modern houses on the site. He used the old bricks and created interesting features on the houses to indicate where the barns had been but they were too far gone to be able to be useful for residential dwellings.

Listed buildings

Many old barns are now considered by National Heritage to be buildings of historic or architectural interest and as such are listed either on a Statutory or local list. This means that listed building consent is required for alteration, extension or demolition of any statutory listed building. Where other barns are deemed worthy of protection they are placed on a borough’s local list and will be available from the local borough council. It is then up to the local council to regulate any changes to the building.

A barn that is listed either as a grade I or grade II building will have an additional set of issues for conversion. It will need to be sympathetically repaired, protected and restored with original materials and workmanship involving extra costs of labour and materials. Sometimes the high cost for restoring listed buildings makes the renovation financially impracticable.

Conservationists believe that preserving the original structure is the main criteria and non residential purpose is likely to avoid major alteration to the building.

You will no doubt pay more for a professional barn conversion for sale by the developer but if you are planning on staying put once you have moved in then it will be worth it.

Construction and Planning

Since the indiscriminate conversion of barns in the 70’s and 80’s to housing units, there has been a change of policy by the local planning authorities. Now there is a ruling in some areas which states that a barn must be declared redundant for farm purposes. Then the new use should preferably be agricultural or light commercial, or even craft shops and community resources before being accepted for residential conversion.

Each local borough council will have their own regulations regarding their policies on conversion of rural buildings into residential dwellings. So if you fall in love with a crumbling ruin or anyone involved with converting a barn or outbuilding would be wise to find out the regulations in the area the barn is situated before you buy. Some policies will be universal throughout the country such as listed buildings or of historic or architectural interest. Generally the outside of the barn is required to retain its original appearance without the addition of extra windows and doors.

The process of getting planning permission can be very long winded. There have to be surveys for various habitation such as bats and barn owls. In damp areas one such problem can be the blue crested newt where only specially trained people can handle them and their presence can delay the process of building for a year or more. There might have to be contamination reports or archaeological report. Each time a survey is done there is a significant cost involved and a delay to the planning permission process.

On top of that there are the infrastructure issues. They may be some services connected such as electricity and water but consideration may also need to be given to sewage and gas and what the costs are of bringing such services to the building.

Old timbers found in barns are often so badly damaged that repairing in the traditional way may not be possible. Although it may be possible to use more modern resin bonding techniques.

Although the original barn building would have been constructed before our current building regulations, they are still required to comply with the strict standards now in existence. The heat loss standards are a challenge particularly with large open spaces and fire regulations and structural stability can also be tricky to comply with.

When barns were originally constructed there was little concern for protection against damp as they were designed for agricultural use. They were built without a damp course and salt contamination is often a problem. One of the major tasks when converting a barn is to resolve the issues of damp. As barns were typically made from a wide range of materials, there is no one specific solution to all damp problems.

Not for the feint hearted barn renovations are almost guaranteed to throw up unexpected challenges, and you need to be ready to cope with them, they are generally expensive!

Building Regulations and Costs

The special ambience and character that a converted barn has is what makes them very desirable. Prospective owners will have a feeling for the building, saying things like “When we first saw the building we just fell in love with it” Often that just means that they projected their desires and dreams onto the building imagining the life style they want will be achieved by living in that particular building.Those kinds of life decisions can often be the most expensive ones!

This means that the heart is ruling the head and sometimes means that no matter what it costs they have to have it. That is fine if you have an unlimited source of revenue to lay out, but it can be dangerous to allow spending to get out of hand so that you end up bankrupting yourself for a passion.

So let us look at the reality of converting a barn.They were built to keep the rain out and let the air in, so they will be very draughty. They were often put up by labourers with no real building and structural knowledge, so that there might be severe structural difficulties. The beams and walls were built to only take the stresses of the necessary inner divisions at the time but modern regulations may require extra structural supports and strengthening to take the load of the new services required.

Barns were never heated because they were work places, but once you convert a barn into a dwelling it will be heated usually with central heating which will dry out the structure causing it to shrink and develop cracks that could let in water. Further services such as gas and sewage will no doubt have to be installed and improved.

A damp proof system and maybe other damp solutions will need to be included in the renovation. The restrictions on inserting windows and doors may create design problems that make the interior uncomfortably dark. Heat loss prevention is now part of the building regulations requirement and barns may not be suitable for such procedures, so further work may be necessary to comply with modern standards.

Once you have found your barn and had it surveyed and if you still want to go ahead with your barn conversion then a good architect, surveyor and builders are essential for the success of the project.Planning the detail of the work down to the last power point will help prevent costs spiralling out of control.

Conclusion

The idea of a barn conversion may be appealing because of its ambience and character and space that it offers. However, although zero rated for VAT purposes, barn conversions are generally much more expensive than building a new house.

Converting a barn is a much more complex process than it seems because when they were originally constructed they were outside of any building regulations and so to comply with modern day standards they almost always need major structural alterations.

The bias against residential conversion is because too many early renovations just became glorified houses and lost the original barn effect by adding extra doors and windows. Now the strict planning regulations are aimed at deterring conversions into residential use, the preference being to retain the agricultural use of a barn or to change the use to some kind of commercial application.Craft shops of site offices are ideal commercial applications for barns today.

Notwithstanding that, the completed barn conversion, in the correct setting, is a satisfying and beautiful sight, affording the owner and builder a sense of satisfaction and achievement.

The key indicator of success is that the barn still looks like a barn after the conversion, although it is your home inside and offers you all of the luxuries and amenities of a modern executive home.

Do you like cooking? Ever dream of becoming a chef? If you do, do you know how what kind of chefs are available? Find out here information on chef career. Ever wonder when do puppies teeth? What are the symptoms of teething for puppy? Find out here information on puppy teething. What do you know about Langkawi in Malaysia? Have you been to Langkawi before? It is one of the top rated islands in the world for vacation famous for its pristine and white sandy beaches. Read more about the subjects in the following paragraphs.

For everything you need to know about puppy teething such as symptoms, period, signs and ways to relieve the pain, you can visit Puppy Teething for resources on teething specifically on the duration and period of teething. For people who are looking for information on puppy teething, the webpage has tones of articles which talk about not only on puppy teething but also on baby teething. You can find out more on what to do when your puppy starts to teeth. Some of the things you can do when your puppy starts teething are to keep your puppy in a safe and clean area. The teething signs of puppy are excessive chewing and drooling during teething period. Besides your puppy might be having difficulty to sleep at night and might make noises which might irritate you. If this happens, please do not beat or scold your puppy as it is part of the process your puppy has to go through. Instead, show more care and love for your puppy and take good care of it.

Before pursuing career in chef, you are encouraged to find out more resources about being a chef. The things that you need to know about chef are wages, career path, responsibility, work, qualification, requirements and so on. A website called chef career help has tones of information on chef career especially on chef wages. Chefs now make substantial amount of money compared to in the old days. Celebrity chefs as what we call them are in fact millionaires and their earnings are on par with companies CEO and directors. In terms of monetary rewards, chefs get paid in the average of 30k to more than 100K annually. There are also perks such as stock options, insurance and bonuses. Therefore, chef career are a good career to venture in. Chefs nowadays need not only involved in cooking and food preparation but also in business management as well as human resources management. Being a chef is challenging and yet rewarding in terms of job satisfaction and learning experience.

Langkawi is located in the northern region of Malaysia and is considered a pristine tourist spot in Malaysia. It is well known not only to locals but also to foreign tourists. Langakwi consists of 99 islands off the coast of Kedah and the biggest island is named Langkawi. Some attractions of Langkawi are its crystal clear water and white sandy beaches as well as its mysterious myth of being a legendary island. Langkawi is in fact a heaven for nature lovers and most of the rainforests on this island are still intact. Therefore, the island is not only ideal place for adventure seekers but also for people who enjoy a calm and quiet environment along the coastal areas. Some popular adventures here are jungle trekking, hiking and wildlife exploration. Other activities along the beaches are swimming, snorkeling, diving, water skiing and so on.

Disclaimer: the ideas suggested for puppy teething here are only for information purpose. You should consult a doctor for treatment or other matters related to teething.

Sailing is a wonderful hobby. Those who have ever been sailing know that getting from point A to point B can be a challenge. There are many things to be considered.

Wind speed and wind direction are two of the main concerns. One can begin sailing from point A toward point B and have everything well under control based upon the current wind speed and wind direction. But wind speed and wind direction are not constants…they sometimes change. When that happens, the course must be corrected so that the boat will arrive at the desired destination. 

What does this have to do with eliminating credit card debt?

The same thing is true about debt management and financial planning. The financial equivalent of getting from point A to point B isn’t based on wind speed and wind direction. It is based upon income generated in and income generated out. When either of those two factors changes a course, a correction must be effected so that the destination can be reached.  If you veer too far off course, you may need to eliminate credit card debt. 

If you are already sailing the financial sea with a plan (think budget), course adjustments will be much easier. If you have a budget, then you are in control of your financial boat and can see pretty easily what course adjustments need to be made and how to eliminate credit card debt when unusual circumstances arise and there is some kind of change in either income or out-go. If you know how to budget wisely, then you already have a built-in back-up system that will get you through the rough patch.

If you’ve been sailing the financial waters without a plan, then you will more likely be in deep trouble when there is a change in either income in flow or out flow. You will probably have to get some help from outside factors to control your financial boat. But once you do get control, you will definitely learn some important lessons and you will be better able to weather the next financial storm.

For those who are actually suffering from hemorrhoids, simple home remedies are possible which will reduce the pain and discomfort associated with this. Mild cases of hemorrhoids will promptly respond to home remedies but acute cases must be treated with proper medication. Almost 95% of cases of hemorrhoids can be treated with H Miracle. Some natural hemorrhoid remedies are as follows:

1. Patients can sit on warm water or Sitz baths for 15 minutes three or four times a day. These will give lot of comfort to them. If Epsom salt can be added to water it will provide a very nice soothing effect and it will also help to reduce the swellings.

2. Plenty of fresh fruits, leafy vegetables and fibrous foods must be incorporated in regular diet. Regular exercising is must. Lot of water and fluid intake is imperative. Spicy foods, alcoholic drinks should be totally avoided.

3. The anal area should be cleansed with mild warm water. Unscented and mild soaps and uncolored tissue papers should always be used. Gently cleaning the area with a wet cleansing tissue is highly recommended.

4. Haste and excessive pressure should be avoided during bowel movements.

5. Sitting for a long time in the same posture is not recommended at all. This may cause unwarranted strain and pressure on the pelvic area and thus may increase the symptoms. So periodic movements of the body is needed. Short walks or stretching can help.

6. If natural home remedies are not having effect on hemorrhoids even after 1-2 weeks then the physician must be contacted. Proper medication should always be followed. Indulgence in over-the-counter drugs without physician’s prescription is a strict no-no.

Thus we can see that very simple natural home remedies for hemorrhoids are available. Another natural remedy is H Miracle. This is an online product which describes systems to fight hemorrhoid pain through 100% natural ways. Nearly 85-90% of cases do get solved by using the ways described in H Miracle System. H Miracle is a much better solution than repeated use of lotions and creams or OTC drugs.

Disclaimer: This article is for information purpose and should not be taken as medical advice. A registered practitioner must be consulted before any kind of medication.

Along with the enormous Wall Street bailout passed by Congress and signed by President Bush came a handful of tax breaks to “middle America”, including energy tax rebate or credits for certain activities that display a disposition toward energy efficiency.

Tax credits for home improvements that substantially enhance the energy efficiency of a house, i.e. windows, doors, roofs, insulation, HVAC, non-solar water heaters, etc. were created. In part, the hope is that responsible homeowners that may be putting off decisions to make improvements because of economic hardship, would consider making improvements that could provide costs savings in the long haul, by offering a tax incentive now.

Like many issues under the tax laws, however, timing is everything. These credits will be available for expenditures made in 2009, but not in 2008. If you made similar improvements in 2007, but failed to take the credit that was then available – the law permits you to amend your return and take them now.

Tax credits for solar energy systems and fuel cells were extended under the new law through 2016. Also, new tax credits were created for wind energy systems and plug-in hybrid electric vehicles. Builders of new energy efficient homes will now qualify for a credit and the deduction granted to owners and designers of energy efficient commercial buildings were also extended in the legislation.

The United States Department of Energy and the Environmental Protection Agency each have developed and provide charts and other information for homeowners, taxpayers and preparers that show all of the tax rebates that may be available for you in 2008 and beyond.

If you have recently made an energy efficient purchase or improvement you may find the tools at TurboTax Online helpful in determining the credit you may be eligible for. TurboTax offers free tax calculators and software to help you maximize your tax return.

Our Co-op Station

After weeks or months of working five days a week, I get to the point where I’d really like to find some warm weather by a pool or the beach and just park myself.  In this economy, most of us are being a lot more careful about how we spend our money. It seems likely that we’ll need to put off the expensive trips for the time being.  If you do have a little money for a sunny vacation, here are some ideas about affordable destinations where you can find some warm weather.

California is one place to consider, and if you’re looking for warmer weather you should think SoCal.  You will find mile after mile of beautiful beaches, and places to stay not far from the water.  The SoCal Vacation Guru website is one place where you can learn about the beaches and find links to great resources related to the area.  I think you’ll find many tips and good advice that you won’t find at other sources.

If you’d like to go further south, you might want to look to Mexico.  Specifically, you can find many nice Cancun Travel deals online, and this resort city on the Yucatan Peninsula has a lot to offer summer travel visitors.  Look into staying in the Hotel Zone, along a peninsula where resorts offer beautiful beaches.  The weather can actually be too hot in the middle of summer.

There are travel deals to be found for warm-weather destinations throughout the
Caribbean.  There are quite a number of options in vacation destinations in that part of the world.  Take a look at other places such as Anguilla and Antigua.  But research carefully your intended destination, not only to ensure a safe and trouble-free trip but also to learn about the area (culture, history, interesting attractions, etc.) to make the trip more fun.  Fortunately you can accomplish a lot of study in a short period of time with a good internet connection.

Want to save some money? Ever wonder if you could do a car stereo installation yourself? Yes, you can do it yourself! Go ahead, spend that money on your hardware! Don’t spend it on labor. Besides, doing a car stereo installation yourself can be a very rewarding experience, not to mention you can learn a lot from it too. Nothing beats the feeling of seeing your “creation” in action, running smoothly and perfectly.

But be very careful, you really won’t want to damage your expensive hardware. Well, most car audio hardware are no-brainers to install, you’d find that most of the time the parts have specially shaped sockets and slots etc. and would only fit where it’s supposed to be installed. Still, it’s best to proceed methodically.

In a car stereo installation, you have to determine what kind of rig you’re going to put into your vehicle. If you’re a beginner, it’s best you do a car stereo installation if it’s just a simple system. You may want to leave the complicated stuff to the professionals, like installing delicate equipment like LCD panels, motorized parts etc. especially if it requires the creation of custom panels and such.

Head units are one of the easiest to do in a car stereo installation. Fortunately, most units follow the same size standards (DIN). In many cars, once the factory radio is removed the aftermarket radio will fit in the hole. In many other cars, a kit is needed if the factory hole is too big, or not deep enough. In some cases the dash has to be cut. Any car stereo store should have kits required for installation.

There are two types of mounting in a car stereo installation. ISO mounting is when the radio can be screwed to existing factory radio brackets, such as in most Japanese cars. Ring mounting is when an aftermarket radio comes with a metal ring that gets mounted to the factory radio hole or aftermarket kit via bendable tabs. In many cars, dash and trim rings have to be filed to enlarge the radio hole. Once the ring is installed, the radio slides in and is held by snaps. In most cases, special tools are required to remove the radio.

Speakers are very critical in a car stereo installation. No matter how expensive your speakers are, if they are not properly installed, the sound will not be up to par.

In a simple car stereo installation, you’ll probably be using speakers that fit into a factory location. Just make sure there are no gaps or holes. Sometimes building a wood or fiberglass baffle helps reduce holes and gives you much better sound. But always be careful when using power tools around speakers. Car stereo installation warranties usually don’t cover holes in speakers.

For unconventional speaker locations, sometimes metal has to be cut. You might want to leave this to the professionals, tools like plasma cutters and pneumatics drills are required. But if you’re going to insist, a pair of metal snips (left and right cut) will do.

A car stereo installation has to put up with vibrations and other noise sources in its environment. Even though it is impossible to eliminate these completely, there are products that will greatly decrease the noise and rattling, particularly on non-luxury cars. Liners, sprays and adhesive strips and even carpeting applied onto the panels can make a world of difference.

Introduction

Swimwear is the term used for garments designated for swimming and beach wear. It has gradually changed over the years from the bulky garments used to completely cover the body into the selection of brief pieces of fabric arranged to expose as much as possible of the body.

Finding the right sort of swimwear is not always that easy particularly if you do not have a large budget. There is an enormous variety of body sizes and shapes for both men and women and correspondingly there are an enormous variety of outfits ranging from the very cheap to the very expensive.

Fashion Dictates

If it was just a case of having a bathing costume to wear when going swimming and replacing it when it had worn out, life would be relatively easy. But there is the matter of fashion. Every year the manufacturers come up with a different style so that the previous year’s model suddenly looks old fashioned and we feel compelled to buy a new one. As purchasers we are confronted with one piece swimsuits, two piece swimwear, some with long tops, some with skimpy tops, high leg cut, high waist cut, different cup sizes, in a variety of fabrics, colours, patterns, two tone and so on. The choice is endless.

History of Swimwear

The earliest recorded bathing costume was in 350 BC in Greece which was a toga-like garment for bathing. During the 18th century people visited spa resorts for their health where they spent time in the spa waters. Naturally they needed something suitable to wear, other than their day clothes, when they were engaged in public bathing. Later the recreation of beach bathing demanded a specially made outfit to maintain decorum and decency, so the bathing suit was developed.

Initially the swimwear was rather like ordinary daywear, and the dresses worn by the women sometimes had lead weights sewn into the hems to prevent the skirts from floating up. As the expansion of the railways enabled the masses to spend time at the seaside a more practical type of outfit was required. By the early 1900’s the swimsuit consisted of bloomers with black stocking and shoes, and the top was like a jacket belted at the waist. Swimming was considered suitable for men, while women were assisted into the water for a short dip.

Over the century attitudes changed and swimming became an Olympic sport for both men and women. Gradually the swimming costume changed to adopt short capped sleeves and more ankle was exposed beneath the bloomers. As women became more active in the water the swimming costume needed to be less cumbersome so the neckline was lowered and the tops became sleeveless. Eventually the Princess cut was introduced which consisted of the trousers attached to a blouse in one piece.

In 1909 Annette Kellerman, the Australian swimmer, film star and author, made history when she was credited for wearing the first 1 piece ladies swimwear suit resulting in her arrest for indecency, however by 1910 “Annette Kellermans” became the new accepted ladies swimwear.

From then on the swimsuits became lighter and briefer. By the 1920’s the women wore figure hugging tank suits made from wool Jersey and by 1928 they had evolved into the swimsuit we would recognise today. In the 1930’s cotton was introduced for bathing suits sometimes with little overskirts to hide bulky thighs, but film stars wore fashionable figure hugging costumes with higher cut legs sealing the fate of the fashionable swimwear.

The corset manufacturers in the 1940’s saw that women with less than perfect figures needed swimsuits to hide or control the bulges, so seeing a gap in the market they produced costumes which had control panels for the tummy and bra cups and bones to give support to the bust. Using the techniques applied in corset making they introduced the stretch factor to bathing costumes so that they were more flattering than ever before.

With the development of modern fabrics, Nylon and Lycra became the fabric of choice for swimwear because of their stretch properties. This meant that the costume could be pulled on without openings or fastenings and gave a firmer cleaner line to the figure. Women continued to wear all in one swimsuits until the 1950’s when the bikini became popular.

Leisure Swimming or Sunbathing

Although certain costumes are called swimwear, in fact some never get near the water. They are solely for sunbathing which usually means they are as small as possible, just barely covering the essential bits so that the skin gets maximum exposure to the sun and such a design would be classed as a bikini.

Two Piece or Bikinis

Over two thousand years ago early mosaics and pottery from Greece depict what in fact looks like an early version of a bikini. These garments were used by women performers and acrobats and were in two pieces to cover the breasts and the lower part of the body, much like the current style of Bandeau tops. Modern day runners and athletes wear something very similar when competing. Paula Radcliffe when running the Marathon last year, wore a garment almost identical to those worn thousands of years ago!!

The bikini resembles women’s underwear and has been described as a scanty two piece bathing suit. The lower part may be two small triangles attached together with a string tie at either side, or even a thong. The upper part may also be two small triangles attached together with a string tie but arranged in a slightly different order. Louis Reard patented the modern version of the bikini in 1946; his design was similar to the skimpy string 1970’s bikini and it shocked the world when it appeared on French beaches in 1947.

The very first bikini shown in the cinema was in the Bond film Dr No when Ursula Andress rises out of the sea in a white bikini. This created the iconic Bond girl and made her world famous. When being interviewed on television recently she revealed that the bikini had been constructed out of a bra covered with the fabric to give her the required lift of the bosom. This actual bikini sold at auction for £35,000 in 2001.

As the desire to get a deep tan became more and more popular in the 1980’s and 90’s bikinis got skimpier than ever.

Ultimately the top part of the bikini was abandoned altogether when topless sunbathing became the norm in some countries and the bottom was just a G-string or thong also called a Tanga. Oliver Saillard the fashion journalist states that the bikini is the most popular female beachwear in the world, and that the emancipation of swimwear is linked to the emancipation of women.

In the 1950’s there was a popular song entitled ‘In My little Itsy Bitsy Yellow Polka Dot Bikini’ that indicated the acceptance of the new style of swimwear. I remember my cousin persuading me to try on a bikini and I felt very exposed but she said how fantastic I looked in it because I was so slim.

Although the bikini is now an acceptable garment whatever the size, the one piece swimsuit is still the best for serious swimmers. Some firms are well known for their skill at making swimwear and make all the garments for the Olympic team and other swimming competitions. Now swimwear is available in a wide range of bust sizes and the more expensive makes have control panels for the stomach combined with clever styling to create a good silhouette. Combined with a matching sarong, older ladies may feel more comfortable when walking around the beach area.

Helen Mirren was photographed on holiday in her substantial bikini last summer with the caption commenting on how good she looked for her age and that particular bikini was snapped up from the stores within days. Perhaps the buyers believed that they could look as good as Helen Mirren in a bikini if they had the same one.

Leg Line

Some two piece bathing suits are cut so that the waist is high and the related leg line is also cut high. I believe the aim is to make the wearer look as though her legs are much longer than they are. However if you have less than the perfect shape for this style it can emphasise large hips so it’s not for all women.

Another fashion style is the tankini where the bottoms look like little shorts and shows the lower curve of the bottom, which is fine if you are young with a nice pert bottom.

New styles of swimwear clothes such as tankinis feature slip bikini style straps or strapless tops.

The classic bikini style is still as popular as ever though, with the cut of the leg line following the natural crease between the leg and the hip.

The most recent development in fabric is the ‘tan through’ swimwear. This allows the body to tan without exposing the body to the world. Some commentators on this style point to the effects of too much sun on the body and the prevalence of skin cancer of which the evidence indicates an alarming increase. However, the counter argument to that is if you are wearing a bikini anyway then the extra exposure to the sun through the top and bottom garments is hardly going to make much difference.

Conclusion

Swimwear is a term used these days to cover all types of beach wear and swimming gear. It is a bit of a misnomer in that many outfits never see the water and are not used for swimming. However there is a huge range of garments available for the customer of different styles, sizes and fabrics. The one commonality of course is that everyone wants to look good once they don these garments. The main key to that is to make sure your new swimwear is the right fit and cut, for your body size and shape.

The importance of being properly measured for your swimwear is often overlooked but it is as important as being properly measured for your bra or other underwear, particularly if you do indeed intend to actually swim in your new swimwear! By wearing the right size and style swimwear for your body, will ensure you are really comfortable in it on the beach, in the pool or wherever else you choose to wear it.