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At the beginning of the 20th century, when men and women went to the beach, splashing about in the surf was called bathing rather than swimming. According to swimwear collector Pam Fierro, “Swimming didn’t come into vogue until the 1920s.” Part of the problem was that many people simply didn't know how to swim, but early-1900s bathing costumes, as they were called, were also to blame—it’s tough to do the Australian crawl when you are covered from head to toe in heavy, water-absorbing wool.
That changed in the 1920s, when it became acceptable for men and women alike to show a little bit of skin at the beach or by the pool. Sunbathing came into vogue, as did actual swimming, although logic tells us there were probably more people enjoying the former than the latter. Swimwear of that period was often paired with fashion accessories like hats and parasols, and still is today.
One company to capitalize on these two coincidences of history was Jantzen, which proclaimed the new free spirit for female swimmers with its classic diving-girl logo, which was ...
Wool suits from this period are quite collectible today, but wool was not the only material used by swimwear manufacturers. Stretch satin was also employed, and by the 1940s, when the first two-piece suits began to appear, nylon and Celanese rayon were also popular. The obvious benefit these materials had over wool was their weight, which made them more comfortable to wear and faster to dry.
By the 1950s, swimwear designers were sprinkling the outsides of their one-piece swimsuits with rhinestones and elaborate appliqué designs. Clothing and costume designer Rudi Gerhreich, who’s best know today for inventing the topless monokini in 1964, first gained acclaim in 1956 when his pink, wool, one-piece swimsuit, with buttons down the front, was featured on the cover of “Collier’s” magazine.
But the biggest news of the 1950s and ’60s was the widespread acceptance of the smallest swimsuit ever, the bikini. As usual, Hollywood paved the way for its acceptance. Ava Gardner and Lana Turner had donned two-piece suits in the 1940s, but their outfits were tame compared to the bikini worn by Bridget Bardot in the 1956 film “And God Created Woman.”
In 1960, pop singer Brian Hyland made a hit of "Itsy Bitsy Teenie Weenie Yellow Polka Dot Bikini," and in 1962 the original “Bond girl,” Ursula Andress, wore a white bikini in the first film of that series, “Dr. No.” Still, not all women were confident enough to swim or sunbathe wearing so little, as evidenced by the Sears catalog of 1964, which promised its customers “swimsuit glamour” when wearing its latest one-piece Lycra and nylon suits.
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by Interviews & Articles
Be a Bombshell at the Beach, Go Vintage
Good news: The hottest look on the beach this summer is vintage. Retro pin-up style swimsuits that cover more flesh and flatter th… [more]
Vintage Swimwear Expert Pam Fierro Explains How Bathing Suits Got Skimpy
I started collecting swimwear in 2000 or 2001. I really like how vintage swimwear looks on people. It accentuates the body as oppo… [more]
Dress Hound Cherie Federau Explains How She Makes Vintage Work for Her
I’ve pretty much always been a little bit fashion-nutty, ever since I was about 16 years old and I discovered Vogue. I started lik… [more]
Good Girls and Bad Boys: How to Achieve That Cool '50s Rockabilly Look
Jayne Mansfield is buried in my hometown. You could drive past the cemetery and see her heart-shaped headstone from the road. We h… [more]
Leading the Charge Against Casual Style, Armed With Antique Clothes and a Bike
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Clubs & Associations: Womens Clothing
Top eBay Auctions
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Recent News: Swimwear
Source: Google News
Swim wear takes a plunge into the past for retro look
Tribune-Review, May 23rdThis summer's trend in swimwear evokes images of Annette Funicello romping in 1965's “Beach Blanket Bingo.” Women are returning to retro and vintage-inspired styles, says Michele Casper, swimsuit expert for Lands' End. “Those were such iconic moments...Read more
Beside the sea
Yorkshire Post, May 23rdA halter-neck swimsuit with spaghetti string straps will look suitably retro under it and you can wear a white or black fine cotton shirt over as a cover-up for arms and to save bare shoulders from sunburn. As an alternative, a geo or floral print...Read more
Silver Style: Your guide to being a bathing beauty
Silver Chips Online, May 22ndNot only are retro suits a cute blast from the past, they're also really practical. Their traditionally high waisted bottoms are great for water parks and beaches because you'll never be in danger of accidentally losing them in the surf. These bathing...Read more
Maui Girl swimsuits, Sports Illustrated favorites, got their start in Maryland
Baltimore Sun, May 22ndShe taught herself how to sew and opened the Clothes Addict, a French-style vintage clothing boutique, in 1978 in the town of Paia in Maui's North Shore. The store quickly developed a celebrity following, including Ringo Starr, Stevie Nicks and Cyndi...Read more
FATSHION: A TRULY RIDICULOUS Number Of Cute Plus-Size Swimsuits To ...
xoJane, May 21stAnd, yes, I know most people on earth hate swimdresses BUT I LIKE THEM, especially when they're adorable and retro-y like this one. WHICH I have already ordered as my swimwear for this year, so as to not repeat the cartoon-print heartbreak of my last...Read more
Growing Popularity of Swimming as a Healthy Exercise Drives the Swimwear ...
Watch List News (press release), May 20thThe market is also witnessing the resurgence of retro and vintage styles. Halter neck tops, flowing tops, triangular necktie top, tops with fuller cups, high-waist bikini bottoms, hipster style bottoms and twisted rope straps are some of the few retro...Read more
Vintage-styled bathing suits, personality are big for island's annual Beach Revue
Daily News - Galveston County, May 4thGALVESTON — As the 2013 Galveston Island Beach Revue celebrates its fifth year, women from across the nation are searching for the perfect retro, vintage and vintage-inspired swimsuits for the annual Bathing Beauties Contest. The event replicates the...Read more
Before the Bikini: Rare Vintage Beach Photos
The Weather Channel, May 2ndBut water activities such as swimming and diving were a burden due to the bulky Victorian-style swimsuits, especially for the women, the magazine reports. Thus, by the 1920s, fitted swimwear that modestly conformed to the body became a part of beach...Read more