Evolution of Swimwear

Running head: Evolution of Swimwear 1

Evolution of Swimwear

Shefali Patel

LIM College

September 16, 2015

Evolution of Swimwear 2

EVOLUTION OF SWIMWEAR

Introduction

The evolution of the women's swimsuit has come a long way. In classical antiquity swimming and bathing was done nude. The first recorded use of a form of a bathing costume was in Greece in 350 B.C. Even though no one really knows if they were used for swimming or maybe for athletics. Women's swimsuits have always been at the forefront of modern contemporary fashion. It was first introduced more as a cover-up for those daring enough to expose themselves to a quick dip in the water; the bathing suit is now a palette of colors and fabrics for everyone from the competitive swimmer to the ideal sun-bather. The history of swimwear has evolved through the decades and nothing can define it better than visuals, here is a link of a video by Amanda Cerny showcasing the evolution of swimwear,

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lYKgRdBJ-vw

The history of swimwear be it menswear or women's wear makes fascinating study. Women's swimwears have always been a heated topic in the fashion industry but there has been several changes in men's swim wear according to the trends of the passing eras. The following is a link showcasing 100 years of men in swimwear.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NRl-eh7dTuo We will further look as each decade in brief to understand how trends evolved in womens swimwear.


History of Swimwear

The 18th century saw the development of the first bathing outfits for ladies and whole-body suits for the gentlemen. People swam in bathing suits made of thick wool and cotton fabrics that soaked up lots of water, and took an eternity to dry. This material was used to prevent the skirts from rising up. Everything was strictly segregated according to gender - including swimming zones. Women were not supposed to reveal too much skin so that men would not get the wrong impression of them. When tourism started to take off in the early 20th century, swimming trips to the sea came into fashion. At the beginning of a season the sea was "opened." Swimsuits had by now become a little tighter, and elastic tricot came into play. Bathing caps, still resembling hats, were intended to protect people from the sun. Full-body swimsuits, as here in 1910, were designed for men and women.

Late 1880s


1930s

1920 was a big year for swim. Jantzen

introduced the elastic suit in 1921. Released

from long skirts, women of the twenties

wore a sleeveless tank suit that formed to

every curve and made women feel sexier

than ever. The sleeveless tank suits that

characterized this era were made of wool

jersey and were typically a drab gray color,

although they started to appear in patterns

and brighter colors as the decade went on.

However, they werent completely free yet,

as there was a city norm that swimsuits could

not be more than six inches above the knee

Women went from flapper dress to femme fatale in

the 1930s. The ideal petite silhouette from the 1920s,

which was soft, straight went round in the 30s. Breathable

cotton replaced wool jersey as the fabric du jour. Backless

one-piece suits during the 1930s were all the rage and this

drastically transformed swimsuit styles for years to come.

These styles were popularized by swimmer-turned-actress

Esther Williams and by movies featuring water ballet.

These suits were the first to bear some resemblance to

swimwear of today.

1920s


1940s

During World War II, material shortage facilitated the need to make two-piece suits. The 1940s were very popular for their halter-top bathing suits that promoted the sexy corset-style. In 1946, French engineer Louis Rard deputed the first ever bikini. Parisein models refused to wear the barely there suit so Reard hired an exotic dancer, Micheline Bernardini to sport it. She became an instant success.


One-piece suits were still the most popular choice during the 1950s, but some did venture out and show off more skin. For the braver ladies during this time, bikinis were ideal and the trend really started to pick up. Finally, swimsuits allowed women to feel confident and attractive, revealing a new standard of sexy. Constructive suits used padding, corsetry and boning to enhance and acquire the perfect hourglass shape. Rubber swim caps with fancy flowers were also all the rage during this time, and I hope for them to never make an appearance ever again.

1950s


1960s

The swimsuits of the 1960s were the first suits that drastically

changed the way we see swim suits today. The bikini was the

dominant swimsuit style, except now everything was cut a little

lower. Women wanted to bear it all and for once, no one was

complaining. Finally, there were no more limits. The 60s saw

explosion of colours and patterns, graphic stripes, psychedelic

patterns and tie-dye were extremely well known. The 1960s led to

the introduction of nylon and Lycra, which meant that swimwear,

could be tighter and stretchier than ever.


1970s

1970s were an era of bohemian ecstasy. Materials like beads, wooden rings and other natural things find their way into swimwear. The 1970s were all about high waist bottoms and barely any coverage (Lulus 2013). Without any restrictions, designers used this time to experiment with different styles and reveal nearly every curve of the female figure. Bikini bottom got as low as they could go. Thongs became well known in the 70s. We now know where Mylie Cyrus gets her midriff obsession.


1980s

1990s

High legs+ Low Plunge = Totally 1980s. The 1980s were obsessed with neon and high-cut pieces that were sure to catch attention. It was inclined towards sportier than the usual swim chic wear that we have seen throughout the decades.

The 1990s kept the high-waisted trend that carried on from the 1980s. The high V- cut exposed legs and hips remained popular in the 90s. While one pieces amped up the sexy with the bust lines cut in a daring plunge style. They also had the bikini tops with adjustable straps, almost as if they were bras (Lulus 2013). All of us remember Pamela Anderson on Baywatch with their slow motion jogging.


2000s

The 2000s have been all about ultimate exposure. Styles now run the gamut from retro throwbacks to daring cutaway maillots to tan-through garments to barely there G-string bikinis. With a wide range of fabrics and technology at their disposal, swimwear manufacturers today truly know no bounds. Women work out and want to flaunt their bodies wearing bikinis and monokinis. A one-piece trend that I love is what the Kardashian sisters are sporting in the picture above. This is a one piece that leaves no curve to the imagination.


Opinion

The bikini having perhaps reached its masculine limits, the one-piece swimsuit has made

a spectacular comeback to swimwear shows with sophisticated cuts and colorful designs (Mund

2015). Delicate and quick drying: the requirements made by fashion designers for suitable

materials for swimsuits are becoming ever more demanding. In the current 2015 season we

noticed colorful outfits for swimming and sunbathing. The classic one-piece swimsuit has

already overtaken the bikini as the most popular type of swimwear. Today it is, all about that

bass, the booties are certainly having a moment with celebrities such as Kim Kardashian and

Nicki Minaj. Another trend observed in swimwear this year was swimwear for plus size. Large

sizes have always posed a particular challenge for swimwear designers. However, today, the

material has become extremely elastic. Good quality bathing suits should be just as durable in

wet condition as in the sun, or on the beach. Therefore, they often consist of two layers to help

them retain their form. Fashionable swimwear in large sizes continued to be a rarity until 2015.

Sports magazine illustrated Robin Lawley in their 2015 issue; she is considered a plus size

model by industry standards (Pengilly, M. 2015, February 5). The current trends have surely

been about, wear what you want and be what you want. We have seen almost all trends come

back this summer, the high-waist bikinis, one piece that could be worn by every body type. Over

the past year or so, the rises on our pants have been getting higherand now the same is

happening for the bikinis. The high-waisted bathing suit has made a comeback, and I couldnt be

happier to see this figure-flattering look popping up everywhere. These retro-inspired bikinis

provide the perfect way to pay homage to the bombshells of the 1950s (while simultaneously

embodying a sexy, slightly updated fit).


Swimwear Advertisements through the years


Conclusion

I believe there is a growing enthusiasm for curvy and embracing natural body shape this

year. There is more freedom to wear what one likes to and is able to express that through her

clothing. There is no more one size fits all. Today there are sizes as well as styles and colors for

every body type. The resurgence of items made just for you is part of this trend. Objects can be

personalized or made to measure. Practically the only thing that unifies consumers is their

expectance of high standards. Price is no longer a deciding factor (Disruptioninretail 2015). We

know that fashion always repeats itself; it could be a different silhouette, texture, variation or

color (Stone, E 33). But style is eternal and ever lasting. The big question today is: how much

material is too much? The difference between a bikini and a swimsuit, which traditionally is a

little bit more, concealing, is difficult to define in todays generation. We donot know what the

next innovation would be like, but nothing can get more flashy than what we have already seen.

ASOS Seersucker High Waisted Bikini Bottom

A screenshot of the ad with plus-size model Ashley Graham featured in this

years Sports Illustrated swimsuit issue. Photograph: Instagram


References

100 Years of Men's Swimwear in 3 Minutes Mode.com. (2015, August 5). Retrieved

September 16, 2015, from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NRl-eh7dTuo

Amanda Cerny demonstrates 125 years of swimwear in "The Evolution of the Bikini" (2015,

May 25). Retrieved September 16, 2015, from

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FKigcgVPktQ

Fashion Era: The Evolution of Swimsuits Over the Years. (2011, May 26). Retrieved September

13, 2015, from http://blog.lulus.com/fashion/fashion-era-the-evolution-of-swimsuits-

over-the-years/

Mund, H. (2015, July 20). Bye-bye bikini: One-piece swimsuits are back | All media content |

DW.COM | 20.07.2015. Retrieved September 13, 2015, from

http://www.dw.com/en/bye-bye-bikini-one-piece-swimsuits-are-back/g-18583812

Pengilly, M. (2015, February 5). Sports Illustrated swimsuit issue features its first-ever plus-size

mode. Retrieved September 13, 2015, from

http://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2015/feb/05/sports-illustrated-swimsuit-issue-

plus-size-model

Photographs of the History of Decades. N.d. Fashion Era: The Evolution of Swimsuits Over the

Years. Web. 11 Sept. 2015. http://blog.lulus.com/fashion/fashion-era-the-evolution-of-

swimsuits-over-the-years/

Photograph of 1940advert. N.d. Web. 10 Sept. 2015.

https://www.pinterest.com/evellies/stylish-1940s/


Photograph of 1950 Advert. N.d. Web. 10 Sept. 2015.

http://www.suggestkeyword.com/MTk0MCBzd2ltc3VpdHM


http://www.vintag.es/2012/11/vintageswimwear-fashion-from-1930s-to.html


file:///Users/shefu/Downloads/decades/Pinterest_%20discover%20and%20save%20creati

ve%20ideas.html

STATZ, A. (2015, May 14). Bustle. Retrieved September 13, 2015, from

http://www.bustle.com/articles/83457-modcloths-history-of-bathing-suit-trends-is-

informative-super-cute

Stone, E., & Stone, E. (1999). The nature of fashion. In The dynamics of fashion (4th ed., p. 33).

New York: Fairchild Publications.

(n.d.). Retrieved September 13, 2015, from

http://www.disruptioninretail.com/pdf/TBWA_DIR_sample.pdf

Evolution of Swimwear

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