The coverage rule that separates a rashie from togs Under the Australian standard AS 4399:2020, a swim garment gets a UPF rating from how much skin it covers as well as from its fabric. The rating refers to both the design of the garment and the fabric. To claim a rating, clothing should, as a minimum, cover the torso …

Two countries that both teach swimming at school What should a child wear to a school swimming lesson? In England and in Victoria the lessons themselves are compulsory, so the answer matters to every family with a primary-age child. Where the two differ is in who writes the kit rules. England has a national list from …

Does a label that calls itself "fit-first" actually fit better? Baku says yes, repeatedly, across its own site: "Fit, function and fashion are always at the forefront of our design process," and "BAKU is all about perfect-fitting swimwear that inspires women to feel confident & amazing!" Those are strong claims from a …

Soft stretch or long life: the fabric decides Two pairs of togs can look identical on the hanger and wear very differently in a chlorinated pool. The difference is the fabric. Funkita, the Australian swim brand, builds its whole range on a polyester fabric that, its FAQ says, "contains no elastane which is the …

A brief made in the factory that once made Speedo Budgy Smuggler still makes its swimwear in Sydney, in a factory it says was used by "some great Australian brands before us like Zimmerman, Jets and of course Speedo itself when it was Australian owned." That is the claim that sets it apart from most of the swim brief …

The rule book comes before the brand Before any brand question, there is a rule. World Aquatics, the sport's international federation, keeps a "List of Approved Swimwear", and its competition regulations set out "all technical and approval-implementing rules" for swimsuits in "Part One, Rule 6: Swimwear." A racing suit …

Togs for the pool, not just the beach Choosing togs for morning laps is a different job from choosing them for a summer at the beach. The surf brands get most of the shelf space, but three Australian names are built for swimmers who train, race or move between the pool and the gym: Speedo, Funkita and Lorna Jane. This …

Two surf brands, two very different owners Rip Curl began with surfboards and wetsuits in Torquay; Billabong began with boardshorts on the Gold Coast. Both started on the Australian coast in the late 1960s and early 1970s, and both still sell boardshorts, bikinis and one-pieces across Australia and New Zealand. What …

Buying togs on sale starts with the calendar If you want new togs without paying full price, the question is when to buy them. Australia's retail year now has a sale of some kind almost every month, and the consumer group Choice has mapped them. Its guide lists ten recurring sale events, from Black Friday and Boxing …

Cross one bridge and the word changes Linguists mapping Australian English found that the word for a swimsuit can change within a single short walk. Jill Vaughan, Katie Jepson and Rosey Billington point to Albury and Wodonga, on opposite banks of the Murray River in New South Wales and Victoria, as their clearest …