{"id":265723,"date":"2023-02-12T08:04:26","date_gmt":"2023-02-12T16:04:26","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.lulus.com\/blog\/?p=265723"},"modified":"2023-06-12T08:47:14","modified_gmt":"2023-06-12T15:47:14","slug":"how-swimwear-styles-have-changed-over-time","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.lulus.com\/blog\/fashion\/how-swimwear-styles-have-changed-over-time\/","title":{"rendered":"How Swimwear Styles Have Changed Over Time"},"content":{"rendered":"

Swimsuits have changed dramatically through the years. From full-length bathing dresses with pants of the 1800s to modern-day bikinis, swimwear styles change just as often as regular clothing. There have been many iconic styles of swimwear throughout history that have played a major part in shaping bathing suit fashion as we know it today. The team at <\/span>Lulus<\/span><\/a> examined swimwear history to visualize how suits have evolved over time!<\/span><\/p>\n\"how<\/a>\n

The Evolution of Swimwear<\/h2>\n

During classical antiquity (8th century B.C.E. to 5th century C.E.), bathing was done privately either while naked or with small cloth garments that covered people up, similar to a bikini. This was typically done in bathhouses. Open-air bathing didn\u2019t become popular until the Middle Ages (5th century to 15th century), but swimwear (or the lack thereof) was the same. When the Renaissance arrived (15th century to 16th century), outdoor bathing and swimming were generally discouraged in the Christian West but carried on much the same in the rest of the world. By the time the 17th century came around, women were bathing in spas but were fully clothed.<\/span><\/p>\n

The 18th century is when swimming started becoming popular again. People began bathing in the sea rather than just in spas or bathhouses. Women during this period would wear swimming dresses that resembled loose, shift-style gowns. Often, they had weights in the hem so they didn\u2019t float up.<\/span><\/p>\n

In the 19th century, <\/span>swimwear<\/span><\/a> became more fashionable and bathing became a recreational activity instead of something done just for health benefits. Swimming clothes for women changed from loose-fitting gowns to styles that were more fashionable. Despite this, swimwear was still modest. Bathing suits for women would include a bathing dress and stockings and were often made of wool.<\/span><\/p>\n

During Victorian times, women commonly used bathing machines, which were small houses on wheels that would be pulled out into the ocean so that women could change privately inside them and then swim without being seen by men. The Victorian swimsuit style consisted of bathing dresses with high necks and long sleeves, but they were more stylish than previous swimwear. Women would often wear belts with them to mimic the popular silhouette of the time. An alternative suit during the Victorian period was the princess suit, which was a one-piece swimsuit. It paved the way for <\/span>one-piece swimwear<\/span><\/a> that became popular in the future.<\/span><\/p>\n

The 20th century saw the biggest shifts in women\u2019s swimwear to date. Women were finally allowed to compete in Olympic swimming events in 1912. Australian swimmer Annette Kellerman pioneered Olympic female swimsuits, as her suit was form-fitting, which was taboo at the time. After World War I, women in the United States and Europe began to wear crocheted or knitted swimwear.<\/span><\/p>\n

The introduction of Lastex yarn in 1931 was revolutionary, as the new material helped <\/span>swimsuits<\/span><\/a> hold their shape better than knitted wool swimsuits could. Silhouettes, many of which were inspired by Christian Dior\u2019s New Look at the end of the 1940s, became even more feminine and included skirts with nipped-in waists.<\/span><\/p>\n

The Creation of the Bikini<\/h2>\n

Perhaps the most iconic moment in swimwear history was the invention of the bikini in 1946. While bikini-like swimwear had existed for hundreds of years, the creation of the modern bikini changed swimwear forever. French designer Jacques Heim introduced a two-piece swim garment called the Atome in May 1946, while Louis R\u00e9ard created a swimsuit that he dubbed the bikini shortly after in July 1946. R\u00e9ard named his suit after Bikini Atoll, a coral reef in the Marshall Islands. While Heim\u2019s version was the first to be worn, the name \u201cbikini\u201d ultimately stuck.<\/span><\/p>\n

At first, the bikini was considered scandalous by many (except in France, where it was welcomed), but it received mainstream acceptance in the 1950s. French actress Brigitte Bardot was photographed wearing one on a beach, and she also appeared in the French film <\/span>Manina, The Girl in the Bikini<\/span><\/i> in 1952. Later, Ursula Andress appeared in an iconic bikini in the 1962 James Bond film <\/span>Dr. No<\/span><\/i>. This led to many more women choosing the bikini as their swimsuit of choice.<\/span><\/p>\n

Modern Swimwear<\/h2>\n

While <\/span>bikinis<\/span><\/a> remained popular, other new styles emerged. At the end of the 20th century, the television show <\/span>Baywatch<\/span><\/i> became all the rage. The show featured female lifeguards wearing red, high-cut swimsuits. This helped revitalize the popularity of the one-piece swimsuit. The 1990s also saw the rise of the tankini, which featured a tank top and bikini bottom.<\/span><\/p>\n

Today, most styles of bathing suits are popular, including one-piece suits, bikinis, tankinis, and swimming dresses. Retro swimwear is also making a comeback. What\u2019s your swimsuit of choice?<\/span><\/p>\n

Swimwear Throughout History<\/h2>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
Era<\/b><\/td>\nYear<\/b><\/td>\nDescription<\/b><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Classical Antiquity (8th Century B.C.E. to 5th Century C.E.)<\/strong><\/td>\n<\/td>\nSwimming was done privately in bathhouses. Swimmers were typically naked or wore small pieces of fabric covering them in a similar fashion to modern-day bikinis.<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Middle Ages (5th Century to 15th Century)<\/strong><\/td>\n<\/td>\nThere was a resurgence in both bathhouses and open-air water recreation during this period. It was typically done nude or with fabric covering the groin.<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Renaissance (15th Century to 16th Century)<\/strong><\/td>\n<\/td>\nSwimming and outdoor bathing were discouraged in the Christian West, so there was no need for swimwear. In other parts of the world, most people swam naked.<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
17th Century<\/strong><\/td>\n1687<\/span><\/td>\nWomen began bathing in spas while clothed. Writer Celia Fiennes described the swimwear as follows: “The Ladyes go into the bath with Garments made of a fine yellow canvas, which is stiff and made large with great sleeves like a parson\u2019s gown; the water fills it up so that it is borne off that your shape is not seen, it does not cling close as other linning, which Lookes sadly in the poorer sort that go in their own linning.”<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
18th Century<\/strong><\/td>\n1767<\/span><\/td>\nSea bathing became popular in the 1700s. Women would wear loose gowns and sometimes had lead weights sewn in so that the gown did not float up in order to maintain their modesty.<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
19th Century<\/strong><\/td>\n1870<\/span><\/td>\nLoose-fitting wool gowns were popular for women. They had high necks, long sleeves, and long pants.<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
1884<\/span><\/td>\nLoose-fitting gowns were replaced by more form-fitting bathing outfits. They would often consist of a bathing dress with a high neck, pants, and stockings to maintain modesty.<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
1880s<\/span><\/td>\nThe princess suit became popular in the late 19th century and consisted of a blouse that was attached to trousers. There was also a mid-calf-length skirt attached, meant to distract people from the woman’s figure.\u00a0<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
20th Century<\/strong><\/td>\n1910<\/span><\/td>\nJantzen became the leading swimwear manufacturer and began making swimwear with shorter bloomers for women. The company also coined the term “swim suit.”<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
1912<\/span><\/td>\nAustralian Olympic swimmer Annette Kellerman is credited with modernizing women’s swimwear in the 1900s, as her suits were much tighter than those worn in previous years.<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
1916<\/span><\/td>\nMaillot-style swimwear, also known as tank suits, became popular during this era. They consisted of a tank-style top with high-cut legs.<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
1932<\/span><\/td>\nElsa Schiaparelli patented a backless swimsuit with a built-in brassiere for the sole purpose of avoiding tan lines from swimsuit straps while sunbathing.<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
1934<\/span><\/td>\nKnitted swimwear became popular after World War I. The suits were cut closer to the body in Europe than in the U.S.<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
1941<\/span><\/td>\nThe 1940s brought in the popularity of tight-fitting two-piece bathing suits that exposed the midriff.<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
1946<\/span><\/td>\nThe bikini is introduced, which is one of the most significant moments in women’s swimwear history. Jacques Heim and Louis R\u00e9ard are both credited with the creation of the suit.<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
1950<\/span><\/td>\nLastex yarn, invented in 1931, allowed swimwear to hold its form better in and out of the water. Post-war silhouettes were tighter, which accentuated the female form.<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
1952<\/span><\/td>\nBrigitte Bardot became one of the first people to wear a bikini on screen in the French film <\/span>Manina, the Girl in the Bikini<\/span><\/i>. This brought bikinis to a mainstream audience.<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
1964<\/span><\/td>\nDesigner Rudi Gernreich introduced his iconic monokini as a topless suit made with the same material as Victorian bathing suits.<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
1988<\/span><\/td>\nStrapless bandeau tops and bold colors became popular in the late 20th century.<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
1995<\/span><\/td>\nSwimwear became increasingly colorful and featured high-cut swimsuits, as featured in “Baywatch.” The show also made the one-piece shape popular again.<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
1990s<\/span><\/td>\nTankinis, which consisted of a tank top and bikini bottom, became popular in the late 1990s.<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
21st Century<\/strong><\/td>\n2008<\/span><\/td>\nFor competitive swimming, full-length body suits became popular again.<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n


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