Celebrate July 4 in American-made Mirame

The Fourth of July holiday is only a week away, so I thought now would be the perfect time to highlight Mirame, a sweatshop-free fashion swimwear line that 's made in the U.S.A. out of reclaimed fabrics. The company also "seeks to empower women one bathing suit at a time by offering silhouettes that are both fashion forward and sophisticated, as stated on the Mirame website."

The woman behind the label could also be described as empowering, fashion forward and sophisticated. Melinda Huff is Mirame's founder (pictured above and below; photos are from the Mirame website and Facebook page), a New York native, who convinced her grandmother to let her follow in her footsteps and get behind a sewing machine at the age of only 13. Both of Melinda's grandmothers were seamstresses, from factory sewing to custom dress making for Zsa Zsa Gabor, so I guess you could say her talent and passion was in her genes.

Melinda's creative path led her to Hawaii with nothing more than a suitcase, a sewing machine and a dream. There she began making and selling swimsuits to friends and those who noticed her work. She eventually decided to move back to New York to truly pursue her passion and make her dream a reality by enrolling in FIT (Fashion Institute of Technology) at night (side note, I actually got accepted there back in the day, as a dream of mine, but didn't follow through; it's a long story), and securing design internships and jobs in the Garment District. I'm honestly in awe of the fact that she ended up running the sample room and production of famed swimwear designer Norma Kamali before launching her own brand, Mirame (although, I'm even more impressed with her starting her own line; you can read more about the line's accolades and media appearances in the site's "About" section).

Mirame is Spanish for "Look at Me," a command statement Melinda selected to describe her confident, powerful and sexy line. I was lucky enough to receive a new Strappy Bikini Top and Bottom from her Wrapture Collection for review, and I have to admit that it does make me feel confident and ready to show it off. Just "look at me."

Seriously, I actually posted some pics from a photo shoot I did using my tripod and new remote to control the camera on my phone. If you follow me on Instagram, you already know about my remote, this colorful background my parents let me paint on their wall a number of years ago, my swimwear obsession (growing up, I wanted to be a fashion designer, too, mainly swimwear, which is why this post is very special to me), and my amateur fashion photography. It may not be as glamorous as some of the high fashion photos on the Mirame site, but they express how I feel when wearing designs like this.

Since I'm on the topic of Instagram, I love how it gives you a chance to try new things (I'm always finding new products on there), find opportunities (like the opportunity to test out and "model" this Mirame swimwear) and be whatever you want to be on a scale that works for you. For example, when I was a child, I thought it would be cool to have a different job each day of the week, and of course, they were literally "dream jobs." Thanks to blogging and social media, I can write, review products, be involved in the fashion and beauty world, and even model on my own site (maybe Mirame's, too, if Melinda wants to use my photos).

So, here are a couple more pics of me feeling empowered in my Mirame 2-piece. I call this one "Barbarella," as it reminds me of that old Jane Fonda character or Raquel Welch's stance on that vintage One Million Years B.C. movie poster, although I guarantee this suit is more comfortable than their costumes. The fabric is so luxe, and it even has a UPF of 50+ to protect your delicate parts from the sun.

The fabric conforms to your curves (especially the more you wear it and get it wet); it lays nicely on the hips, and doesn't pull-in, creating that muffin-top effect. Also, the color-block triangle top is easy to adjust with traditional strings to tie at the neck and back, which are mimicked in the string detail on the bottoms, making it adjustable, as well.

But enough with the photos of me, here's one of the Mirame models rocking the same suit, but it a different color/pattern. It also comes in a fun, brightly colored combo, as seen on the Mirame website.

This post is already getting a bit photo heavy, but I'll share a few of my other favorite Mirame designs from the site. Above it the bright coral and purple retro-style Glamkini Top and Bottom that's sure to get you noticed.

Sticking with the retro feel, I adore this sculptural Sun Shower one-piece that has a cut-out to give you more modest mid-section exposure. This one happens to be marked down a lot, so you'll have to hurry, if you want to get this suit (only x-small and small are left, as I type this).

Still not sure if you'd like a bikini or a one-piece, then check out this Arlete Monokini, which comes in this classic black, or futuristic gunmetal or gold.

The Patti is yet another way to rock a one-piece with a cut-out, but with a mesh panel to hold everything in tight. It comes in white, black and red. Like the Sun Shower, it's on sale, so be quick, if you don't want to miss out.

The mesh is especially nice on the Night Cap one-piece swimsuit that doubles as a bodysuit, taking you from day to night. You may recall me mentioning it in a recent Instagram giveaway Mirame had with EcoHabitude and Ina Dayle organic body care (I need their mermaid body scrub in my life). I think you can still enter at the time that I'm typing this; if that is the case, here's the link.

You can also purchase this suit, any of the others I've mentioned or another style from the Mirame site, and get 20% off with the code: Rawdorable. It's good until July 13, 2016 on regularly priced and sale items. If you order tonight, you might be able to rock your new American-made Mirame on the Fourth of July. Wear it with confidence and pride.

What's your favorite Mirame design? How does it and/or this blog post inspire/empower you? Let me know on Twitter at @Rawdorable and/or Instagram (also @Rawdorable).

* Mirame sent me this bikini for review. All opinions are my own :)