Sukumizu is the term used to refer to the swimsuits worn in Japanese schools. This word is an abbreviation of School mizugi (スクール水着) where the word mizugi literally means swimsuit. These swimsuits are typically worn in swimming classes and are traditionally dark blue in color. The dark color prevents the swimsuit from becoming visually transparent when wet.
Most female sukumizu have a name tag attached to their chest to identify the students they are wearing. A sukumizu usually comes in one-piece or two-piece swimsuit form. Men wear only one piece in the style of shorts/swimwear. The material is usually a blend of synthetic fibers with nylon and polyester.
Despite being a simple swimming uniform, the sukumizu ended up gaining fame outside of schools, even carrying a sexual connotation. It is very common to find fans and people with girl fetishes using these swimsuits, we can see this in anime, manga and even in adult or idol magazines.
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How did Sukumizu come about?
The original swimwear emerged in the late 1950s due to the greater availability of nylon for manufacturing, allowing for more flexibility and stylability. This became a profitable business, which soon formed a direct relationship with the schools. The clothes were made from one that was simple to produce, with little change over the years.
Most swimsuits are just a one-piece with the top styled like a skirt; the first version left the back a little exposed. A new model used in 1985 combined the maillot as a regular piece without looking like a skirt. The versions of sukumizu used in competitions are made with a thinner material and have smaller supports.
The Influence of Japan's School Swimwear
Sukumizu is often memorable for boys, as this was one of the first times boys saw a girl's body part while swimming, right around the time of strange puberty and flaming hormones.
The school swimsuits of Japan are quite characterized in anime and mangas, mainly in a moe way. In some cases, the sukumizu is used to emphasize the immaturity due to the swimsuits in high school and outside school being more provocative bikinis.
The sukumizu gained so much sexual appeal that if you search for sukumizu on Google, you'll end up on various sales sites that actually showcase a sensual swimsuit instead of the traditional sukumizu. There is a mizugi released in 2014 with an opening right in front of the breasts that became popular in the moe world and otaku culture. This created various memes, fanart, and references to this sensual piece of clothing. This style of clothing became so popular that there are several variations of the sukumizu.
Sukumizu is a Japanese bathing suit that has become so popular and deserves to be highlighted. What do you think of this bathing suit (mizugi)? Would you like to use one? Share with friends and leave your comments.
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