If Borat’s cringe-worthy Man-kini is a perfect example of less being more, than its polar opposite, the “Face-Kini”, must mean more is less. First seen on the beaches of Qingdao in northeastern China, the full-body facehugging suits seem to be catching on among women who seek to preserve their pale skin from the tanning sun.
Qingdao is famed for its wide sandy beaches but infamous for massive green algae blooms that clog the shallows. The Face-Kini is effective in both shielding swimmers from contact with the slick seaweed and equally slimy jellyfish.
This year, however, has seen a boom in the number of swimmers sporting Face-Kinis. Perhaps its just an exponential reflection on the suit’s increasing visibility, as nobody wants to be the only one decked out in such outlandish duds.
Their popularity may also stem from newfound availability: in the past swimmers would sew their own Face-Kinis at home using scraps of fabric but lately beach-side swimwear shops are selling factory-made Face-Kinis for at 15 to 25 yuan ($2.40 to $4.00) a piece. (via Want China Times and Associated Newspapers Limited)
