Retro bathing suits have evolved from thick dresses worn over pants to bikinis and two-piece suits. Styles changed with each decade, including the dressmaker, maillot, and diaper bathing suits. The 1950s saw a return to conservative looks, while the 1960s introduced skimpy swimwear like the topless monokini and thong string.
The different types of retro bathing suits can be categorized into decades, beginning as far back as the 1910s. Bathing suits were once called “swimsuits” in the 1860s because they were thick dresses worn over a pair of of pants and an extra pair of leggings. As the decades progressed, swimsuits were made with less and less clothing, from skirted and ruffled bathing suits to the bikinis and two-piece bathing suits that evolved later.
One type of retro bathing suit is the “dressmaker”, which was introduced in the late 1910s. The bathing suit consisted of a knee-length dress over a pair over floral pants. Women during that time were not allowed to show their legs, so a pair of black stockings were also worn under the breeches. Soon in the 1920s, retro beachwear featured a lower neckline and shorter hem, until the tights were finally phased out, although shorts were still worn.
In the 1930s, the dressmaker turned to a tighter one-piece bathing suit called a “maillot.” The leotard featured a backless style with a mid-thigh hem, though the necklines were still conservative. The sleeves were also removed, replaced with larger armholes that showed more skin.
It was probably no coincidence that the skimpier retro bathing suit began to appear during the Depression, when there was a shortage of cloth materials. The bathing suits were still made in one piece, but featured a triangular pattern cut out of the midriff section. The navels were still hidden because it was indecent to show them during the time. Soon after, bathing suits were made in two pieces, with a high-waisted bottom that still concealed the navel.
After the Depression, another form of retro bathing suit became popular: the diaper bathing suit. The beachwear, designed by Claire McCardell, consisted of sackcloth-style clothing with a longer train at the back. The tail is pulled forward and tied tightly around the waist, like a diaper. The swimsuit style carried over as two-piece bathing suits became more popular. The top became strapless, and the high-waisted bottoms, which featured a much shorter hem, still resembled a diaper.
In the 1950s, retro bathing suits returned to their conservative look with the popularity of the romper and bubble suit, one-piece suits with a puffy pattern around the hips. Fashion designer Rudi Gernreich moved toward skimpy swimwear when, in the 1960s, he designed the topless monokini, a high-waisted one-piece that revealed the breasts. He later designed the thong string in the 1970s, the first version of the modern bikini.
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