the beach in rio is an amazing place in the sense that fashion transcends all class boundaries, everyone dresses more or less the same - for men nowadays it is commonplace to wear quite loose swim-shorts with their sunga underneath, and women, no matter what shape or size, will opt for a rather small-cut bikini.

rio is often associated with the image of attractive people, boasting an array of different beautifully shaped and bronzed bodies - at the beach, under the radiant glow of the carioca sun, little material or clothing is required to make them appear even more attractive or glamorous.

this said, the type of beachwear seen along rio de janeiro's shores, does not vary much across people, even of different fitness levels - outlining, carioca have in common a clear form of self-confidence that can easily be depicted amongst the local beachgoers - in addition to this custom, this confidence and habit is actually closely related to a particular type of fashion which dates back to the late 20th century.