Swimsuit having control holding power integral in body fabric layer

A woman's swimsuit comprising:

• a front panel, a back panel, the front panel and back panel attached to one another to form a torso portion to be worn on the torso of the woman's body, the connection of the front panel to the back panel also forming leg openings in the lower end of the torso portion, and a bra portion attached to the torso portion, the bra portion to be worn over the breast area of the woman's body, the fabric of the torso portion having substantially equivalent stretch in both directions and having a modulus in a horizontal direction across the torso portion that is greater than the modulus of the fabric between the bra portion and the leg openings, the fabric of the torso portion of the swimsuit to stretch in both the vertical and horizontal directions and providing figure control horizontally across the body.

A women's swimsuit comprising:

• a torso portion to be worn over at least a portion of the torso of the body, the torso portion defining two opposing leg openings positioned on opposite sides of a crotch panel, the torso portion being made of a substantially unlined layer of fabric capable of stretching in both the vertical and horizontal directions of the body substantially in the range of 100% to 250% and having a modulus in a horizontal direction across the body in the range of 1.4 to 3.0 pounds of holding power and the modulus vertically along the body in the range of 0.9 to 1.5 pounds of holding power, the crotch panel of the torso portion having a lining, and a bra portion to be worn over at least a portion of the bust area of the body, the bra portion attached to the torso portion at a position under the bust, the bra portion being separate from and attached to the torso portion, the bra portion including a lining the fabric of the torso portion permitting the swimsuit to stretch in both the vertical and horizontal directions when worn on a body and providing figure control horizontally across the body.

A women's swimsuit comprising a torso portion to be worn over at least a portion of the torso of the body, the torso portion defining two opposing leg openings positioned on opposite sides of a crotch panel, and a bra portion to be worn over at least a portion of the bust area of the body, the torso portion being made of a substantially unlined layer of fabric having substantially equivalent stretch in both the vertical and horizontal directions of the body and having a modulus in a horizontal direction across the body that is greater than the modulus vertically along the body, the fabric of the torso portion permitting the swimsuit to stretch in both the vertical and horizontal directions when worn and providing figure control horizontally across the body.