In Auckland the togs go in the beach bag, and the labels are mostly local New Zealand is a small market with an outsized swimwear habit. A coastline that is never more than a couple of hours away, a strong surf-life-saving culture, and a climate that rewards a good pair of togs from Northland to Otago have all …

Cross one state line and the word in your beach bag changes Drive from Wodonga into Albury — two towns that all but touch across the Murray River — and the thing you packed for the pool quietly changes its name. On the Victorian side it is your bathers. Cross the bridge into New South Wales and the same garment is your …

What should you actually look for in a pair of girls togs? In New Zealand, "togs" simply means swimwear — and for a girl, that single word covers everything from a school-lesson one-piece to a beach two-piece to a full sun-suit for a long day at the lake. The word is so embedded that Kiwi kids grow up with "don't …

One word, two completely different beaches On a Sydney morning, "grab your togs" means dig the swimsuit out of the drawer before heading to Bondi. On a Bradford evening, "what tog is it?" means checking the warmth rating printed on a duvet before deciding whether the bed will be warm enough for winter. Same four …

Two Sydney labels at opposite ends of the rack Seafolly and Zimmermann both grew out of Sydney, both built their reputations on Australian beach culture, and both sell swimwear most of the country recognises on sight — yet a Seafolly one-piece and a Zimmermann one-piece can be separated by several hundred dollars. That …

Buying at City Beach: the sale rack versus the new-season wall The same pair of togs at City Beach can carry two very different price tags depending on when you walk in. A current-season Billabong or Roxy bikini at full price sits at one number; the same style, a few months later on the sale rack, can be a third off or …