The Commonwealth Games "have not even begun yet, but the Australian national team are causing a stir Down Under after critics slammed their latest swimsuit kit for drawing attention to the 'crotch' area," according to Jack de Menezes of the London INDEPENDENT. The swimsuits "are gaining a lot of attention for their newest design, which have also been labelled 'confusing' due to the new green and yellow patterns used to represent the country’s official colours." Both the men’s and women’s outfits "have been slammed for being particularly unbecoming and guiding the eye 'to the wrong place.'" Swimwear brand Speedo "unveiled the new outfits on Wednesday ahead of the Games, with one featuring a print of kangaroos, emus and maps of Australia laid out in green and gold." Brisbane stylist Di Cant claimed that "her main issues lies with the shaping of the outfits" -- in particular the green and black one -- and how the colors meet. Cant said, "My main issue is with the green and black suits and the emphasis on the crotch. The shaping in the crotch and with the black leg, something is not quite flattering." However, freestyle swimmer Bronte Barratt believes the new designs are “great” and feels it does the right job in representing Australia (INDEPENDENT, 7/3).
