Beach

Mini bikinis have been seen in America for years. Stores have draped them over bronzed mannequins, fashion magazines have displayed them on their pages, and movies have made them a top box-office attraction. Some U.S. women bought them, but they wore them only in the privacy of their own swimming pools or not at all. Rarely did the bare look make it down to the sea.

This summer the Nude Wave finally washed onto U.S. beaches, and women from Los Angeles to Long Island have been wearing all manner of suits of which brevity is the chief feature. Explains one Westhampton, L.I. matron: "American fashion is now dominated by teenagers. They have the figures and the courage to wear these suits, and adults--happily or not--are following their lead." Philosophizes another bikini-ite: "We have been ex posed to these suits for so long, it is now acceptable to wear them. In fact, if you've got the figure, it is considered almost square not to."

Whatever the reason, there is no doubt that many U.S. girls are now joyously submitting to overexposure. Bikini bottoms have shrunk to two wispy triangles held together with a bit of elastic and a prayer. Tops have plunged dangerously close to see-level, give the illusion that one good wave will wash everything away.

Just as eye-filling are the new mesh suits. With a now-you-see-me-now-you-don't magic, the mesh meets the flesh in various gradations of bravado--across the midriff, along the sides, and over necklines that dip to the navel. In its most exotic form, the mesh suit makes its owner look like a mermaid who could not--or did not want to-wriggle out of someone's fishnet. Cole of California has already turned out 200,000 mesh suits and is still far short of meeting the demand. Not even the fact that the suits leave a checkered tan discourages the girls from taking a walk on the wild side.

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