By Hilary Genga
Founder of Trunkettes
I used to go to a lot of swim parties with my kids when they were younger. I noticed that very few of the moms were in the pool with their kids, while all of the dads were swimming and having a great time. I realized that the reason for this was that most the moms did not feel comfortable in a swimsuit. I would always wonder why all the men got to wear the cute swim trunks and women didn’t have that choice.
I started wearing my husband’s swim trunks mixed with bikini tops. I loved the look and felt much more comfortable than in a traditional woman’s swimsuit. After a while, even though I still liked the look, I wanted something a little more feminine but could not find anything in the department stores. That’s when I decided to take matters into my own hands and create swim trunks for women.
Starting a company was not easy, but my background in theatre helped a lot. Before Trunkettes I produced original plays and musicals and started a non-profit theatre production company. Working with so many elements at one time was great practice for running Trunkettes.
I am originally from Tulsa Oklahoma, and still enjoy going back there with my kids, husband and three cats a couple times a year. My kids are teenagers now, and are very smart and often help me with the business. I am happy to say that they both got the entrepreneur gene and are starting businesses of their own.
I teach an entrepreneur class to grade school kids once a week, and it is truly one of my most favorite things I do. I am also involved in several charities and donate Trunkettes yearly. Recently I was in a celebrity poker tournament for “Children Mending Hearts” coming in third place losing only to Martin Jacobson (the 2014 World Series of Poker champion) and another expert.
I have been mentored the last couple of years by Daymond John of Shark Tank, and he has encouraged me to stick with it even when times get tough because he thinks I have a great product. 
About Trunkettes
Trunkettes was founded by Hilary Genga as the first swimwear company to offer a complete line of swim trunks for women- because sexy doesn’t need to be uncomfortable! The line has expanded to include bikinis, one pieces and cover-ups, as well as swim trunks for women in all lengths and styles. Trunkettes was originally designed to be hip and stylish with a bit more coverage for comfort and confidence. We believe that all women should have choices when it comes to swimwear and be able to enjoy family time at the beach or the pool worry-free, but still look chic and sexy.
Trunkettes Swimwear is currently featured on the 2016 cover of Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue. It is historic because it is the first size 14 model they have ever used. Also Trunkettes has been featured on The Today Show, The Talk,
Entertainment Tonight, Extra, as well as in US Weekly, The Huffington Post, HuffPost Celebrity, Business News Daily, Celebrity Style Guide, Coolspotters, InTouch, The Chicago Tribune, Glamour, The New York Post, Newsday, The Tampa Tribune, Style, Ocean Drive and GenLux, among other notable press outlets.
Trunkettes has been included in the coveted Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue eight times, beating out upwards of 10,000 submissions each time to make it the ultimate placement for premiering the season’s new swimwear.
An impressive list of celebrities wearing Trunkettes have popularized the brand, including Carrie Underwood, Carmen Electra, Felicity Huffman, Kathy Lee Gifford, Perrey Reeves, Julie Bowen, Hannah Davis, Gretchen Rossi, and the lovely ladies on The Talk. The diverse Trunkettes clientele represents the variety of styles offered- from a full range of alternative swim trunks for women to string bikinis and cover- ups.
Trunkettes is sold in boutiques and specialty stores around the country and also in many of the MGM-Mirage Company’s hotels and resorts as well as on the internet. Trunkettes will be showing their new line for 2017 at the Miami Swimshow in July. The new line includes a variety of styles that are inspired by some classic Hollywood looks that have never been done in swimwear before
