It’s probably less painful than actually drowning, but the reviews and ticket sales for the Baywatch big-screen reboot has gotta feel like getting sand kicked in your face.
Movie critics and film commentators can’t seem to find enough metaphors to describe what happened over the weekend since Baywatch, starring Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson and Zac Efron, opened in theatres.
“Baywatch sinks at the box office,” “Baywatch dead in the water” and “Baywatch belly flops”
were among the most common variations I found online.
Even if the producers failed to bring back the soapy, light-hearted fun of the original long-running TV series, it’s worth pausing just a minute to point out that, before it gets swept away from the cineplex entirely, “Baywatch” managed to showcase what looking good at the beach this summer might look like.
Red And Blue Aren’t Just For Superman Anymore
The original Baywatch style was pretty much monochrome — David Hasselhoff, Yasmine Bleeth and David Charvet were almost always clad in the same bright red swimwear. While some of those lifeguards’ old jackets exposed a blue lining, the reboot puts the blue on equal footing with entire shirts in a strong navy and accents across swim trunks, shoes and more. If you’ve never been fully prepared to go with a strong, bold color like red at the beach, contrast with a tone like this to offer a more nuanced look.
Color Blocking Is More Than A Horizontal Stripe
The updated lifeguard jackets also go beyond a simple blue lining to include solid blue half-sleeves (from the elbow down) and thick piping that includes the collar and the zipper. Large blue accents emphasize the shape of swimtrunks and even some of the women’s swimsuits have blue panels at the torso. Just another example of why 2017 is the year of vertical stripes, a trend that started with the SS17 men’s shows this year.
Leave Your Buttons Behind
Sure, you’ll still be wearing polo shirts a lot this summer, but those button-up styles aren’t far removed from wearing a full-on dress shirt to ride the waves. While the original Baywatch cast were rarely seen wearing shirts of any kind, Johnson and Efron both sport short sleeves with a zip-up style that scream “athleisure” as much as they do “adrenalin.” This more relaxed, streamlined choice is why brands like Simon Miller have been bringing zip-ups to shirts intended for fall and winter wear, too.
One Style Of Shades Will Always Be Fly
If there’s a single trend that hasn’t changed much since Baywatch was the guilty pleasure of the 90s, it’s that aviators continue to work with almost any face. Got a bald head and a square jaw like the Rock? Aviators. Teen idol-style bouffant and cheeks haven’t appeared to age since you were 17? Aviators. Just stock up on as many colours and tints as possible.
Of course, probably the biggest style inspiration from Baywatch — then and now — is developing (and maintaining) envy-worthy physique. And if that’s not possible? Maybe go for a swim — no one can see what you look like underwater anyway.
