Dressed For The Quest

Here's a Double Dip--the latest in trunks and tops and a look at four strong contenders for the U.S. Olympic swimming team: Steve Lundquist, Robin Leamy, Bill Barrett and Rowdy Gaines. (The names of our female models, just in case you've already peeked ahead, are Anna Bjorn and Melissa Lang. Sorry, we don't give out phone numbers.) So wet's new in men's swimwear? The bikini, for one thing, is staging a comeback, brief or otherwise, perhaps influenced by the 1984 Olympics and the fact that more and more guys of all ages are into body building, aerobics and other exercises that both tone the body and improve one's cardiovascular system. Boxer trunks continue to be runaway favorites in running shorts, and many guys wear a bikini under them so they can strip down for a plunge in the surf. (Nylon swim briefs also dry faster than cotton boxer trunks.) Bright stripes, both horizontal and vertical, are currently popular and, in case you wish to relive the Sixties, madras and seersucker have returned with solid beach-blanket endorsements. Jantzen has even introduced a "water magic" nylon suit that's a solid color when dry and a shark tone-on-tone print when wet. Frankie Avalon would love it. The rest of this summer's cover-up is easy: Tops will often coordinate with trunks; and beach robes, such as the athletic-gray sweat-cloth style shown here, are perfect for home or dorm wear. Now let's pool our interests and concentrate on getting more gold.