{"id":7744,"date":"2014-07-22T15:31:59","date_gmt":"2014-07-22T15:31:59","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blog.genealogybank.com\/?p=7744"},"modified":"2023-12-20T12:49:32","modified_gmt":"2023-12-20T17:49:32","slug":"great-grandmothers-swimsuit-in-vintage-fashion-articles-photos","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.genealogybank.com\/blog\/great-grandmothers-swimsuit-in-vintage-fashion-articles-photos.html","title":{"rendered":"Great-Grandmother\u2019s Swimsuit in Vintage Fashion Articles & Photos"},"content":{"rendered":"

Introduction<\/em><\/strong>: In this article, Gena Philibert-Ortega searches old newspapers to find ads and stories about vintage swimsuits, giving us another glimpse into our ancestors\u2019 lives. Gena is a genealogist and author of the book \u201cFrom the Family Kitchen.<\/span>\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

It\u2019s HOT outside and it\u2019s the perfect time to enjoy a day at the beach. One day as I was trying to stay cool at home with the air conditioning, I was scanning family photos and came across a 1920s-era photo of my great-grandfather and his sister-in-law at the beach. Looking at the old family photo reminded me of what I love about family history research: discovering the stories of ordinary people\u2019s lives. Our ancestors\u2019 lives were much more than a birth, marriage, and death date. They took part in all sorts of activities, including recreations like visiting the beach during the summer.<\/p>\n

\"photo<\/a>
Photo: Oscar Philibert and Lillie Chatham. Credit: Gena Philibert-Ortega.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

So what type of swimsuits did your ancestors wear? Swimsuits, like all types of fashion, have evolved through the years to reflect the morals, laws, form, and textiles of the times. According to the article \u201cSwim Wear History\u201d by the Vintage Fashion Guild, the bathing suits of ancient Greece resembled the bikinis of today! As time progressed, modesty and segregation between the sexes called for swim attire that lacked function. As swimming and beach visits became more popular in the 19th century, beach wear evolved to the swimsuit fashions seen today. That article goes on to say that those early Victorian suits made of wool covered everything on the human form but they also adhered to wet bodies, defeating their original purpose: modesty. This lack of function for swimsuits can be seen in photos from the early 20th century as well.<\/p>\n

Controversy has always followed the wearing of swimsuits. Older generations voiced their disapproval of the younger generation showing too much skin\u2014and in some cases the law has stepped in to make sure the public is well-covered. One example of someone who tried to push the envelope in what bathing beauties wore was the Australian professional swimmer and actress Annette Kellerman (1886-1975), who was an advocate of women wearing one-piece swimsuits instead of the impractical dress and pantaloons ensembles of the time. She was even arrested for wearing one of her one-piece suits on a U.S. beach.<\/p>\n

\"photo<\/a>
Photo: pictorial post card, \u201cMiss Annette Kellermann, Champion Lady Swimmer and Diver of the World.\u201d Credit: State Library of New South Wales; Flickr the Commons.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Swimsuit Fashions through the 20th Century<\/strong><\/p>\n

This 1916 newspaper ad offers a swimsuit that pretty much covers every part of the body except the arms and neck. In describing this more \u201cmodern\u201d suit, the writer states \u201cthat the suit is not the same as a half dozen years ago\u2014a simple thing good enough to swim in.\u201d As we read more about this ensemble and all of its pieces and design, it\u2019s funny to see how language and descriptions have changed. I\u2019m not sure how many women today would want to wear a swimsuit described as \u201c\u2026striped as a porch awning.\u201d Modern-day women may take offense at someone commenting on their fashion choice looking like something that should be hanging off someone\u2019s porch.<\/p>\n

\"swimsuit<\/a>
Charlotte Observer (Charlotte, North Carolina), 11 July 1916, page 7<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

It\u2019s easy to see the style differences from the 1916 suit featured above and this \u201cscantier\u201d 1923 swimsuit. Scantier certainly describes this vintage swimsuit, with its \u201cshorter trunks, narrower shoulder hands, and no sleeves.\u201d It\u2019s easy to understand how this suit style would be much easier to swim in as the model, Miss Martin of the Ziegfeld Follies, is quoted as saying.<\/p>\n

\"swimsuit<\/a>
Miami District Daily News (Miami, Oklahoma), 3 January 1922, page 3<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

While we most associate today\u2019s bikinis as revealing swimsuits, women did wear two-piece swimsuits decades before the bikini, like this ad from 1937 describing how \u201can overskirt of white jersey dotted in red matches the \u2018bra\u2019 top of the suit, and is worn over red jersey shorts.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"swimsuit<\/a>
National Labor Tribune (Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania), 10 April 1937, page 8<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

As younger generations look at the vintage swimsuit fashions from yesterday, they probably find amusement at past efforts to cover up on the beach, and wonder why our ancestors wore so much material. It would seem that each generation disapproves of the younger generations and their fashions\u2014and vice versa. That\u2019s as true for 1922 as for the bikini-wearing women of 1960, as shown in this article reporting comments from newspaper readers about the wearing of bikinis. Notice that listed with each name is also the commentators\u2019 street address\u2014a potentially valuable genealogy clue.<\/p>\n

My favorite quote is from Mrs. Nemitz who says of bikinis:<\/p>\n

“Don\u2019t think I\u2019m old fashioned, because I\u2019m not. I just don\u2019t care for bikinis, and the men that I have talked to don\u2019t care for them either.”<\/p>\n

Good thing she didn\u2019t know about what happened when the modest bathing costumes of her mother\u2019s generation became wet\u2014talk about revealing!<\/p>\n

\"Bare<\/a>
Plain Dealer (Cleveland, Ohio), 2 July 1960, page 12<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

So what did your female ancestors wear for a swimsuit? Were they daring and tried to show more than was allowed, or did they keep all covered up? Did they enjoy just dipping their toes into the ocean or did they need swimwear that allowed them freedom as they swam? Fashion history can provide an interesting look at our ancestors\u2019 lives, and looking at swimwear reminds us of how similar some of our attitudes are to our ancestors\u2019 opinions.<\/p>\n

Related Vintage Fashion Articles:<\/strong><\/p>\n