From Ancient Rome to our days: the evolution of swimsuits

There are many models of swimsuits, and exposing those or other parts of your body after the winter may not be the best idea. After tracing the history of swimsuits, you can imagine how their style has changed over the centuries.

Ancient Rome (753 BC - 476 AD)

Many of us may think that the further you go to the depths of the ages, the more the woman's body should be closed. But it is not so. As printed in an article for the museum of the University of Pennsylvania, in the villa Romana del Casale there are murals depicting women in bathing suits, consisting of two parts.

Scientists agree that women in the images are participants in sports games. Women's sports competitions were quite common among the elite.

The end of the 1600s

In the Western world, bathing was a luxury. Monks and priests could hardly afford to swim at all. So they could be closer to God and further away from people with smell. When the king of France, who ruled in the fourteenth century, asked the doctor what causes the black plague, and the latter explained this by the fact that people bathe in hot water, which helps to open pores for diseases.

But by the end of the 1600s, concerns about water among the people began to weaken, especially when Queen Mary and Queen Anne sang praises to the natural hot springs of Bath (England). Bathing in hot springs or at sea has become a medical procedure, rather than a form of rest. So, if a woman had to swim, she had to wear tough, shapeless clothes sewn from canvas.

Victorian era (1837-1901)

In the Victorian age, water was no longer considered dangerous, so trips to the coast became more popular. Since this was the period when women were instructed to defend the "moral wealth of the country", women's bathing clothes were incredibly cumbersome.

The Victorian bathing suit consisted of a dress with a high collar and long sleeves, as well as a skirt to the knee. Black stockings were worn under him, so no one's legs could be seen. The bathing suit was sewn from a rough flannel.

Bathing machines (1837-1901)

The Victorians were so worried that some wandering man could see the woman's body on the beach that they invented the car to keep the beauty of the bathing out of sight. Despite the fact that the ladies were already dressed in original dresses and stockings, swimsuits were still considered too risky.

According to The Independent, the bathing machine was a device that looked a bit like a small dressing room on wheels. The woman went inside and changed into a bathing suit. Then a trailer was pulled out on the horses, thanks to which she could go down and enjoy the water. This incredibly complex process was insured by the fact that the bare ankles or the body of a lady without a bathing corset will be visible to depraved people.

In addition, the beaches were legally separated by gender. Queen Victoria used this car, because she was extremely afraid that it would be noticed by sailors peering through binoculars.

Bold costume Annette Kellerman (1907)

Australian swimmer Annette Kellerman made recreational swimming popular and recorded in the records every swim among women in 1905. In addition, she appeared before the public in the show "Australian Mermaid."

When Kellerman appeared on the beach near Boston in 1907, she was arrested for her "scandalous" clothes. Her shocking swimsuit was complete with straps and shorts. Today it would be considered the most closed, but in 1907 society thought differently.

1920s

During this period, swimsuits became tight with small skirts or shorts. Although these suits looked more like the ones we wear today, there are differences. They were made of wool, which served as the main material for their manufacture during most of the 1920s. Nevertheless, these costumes allowed women to move around freely and open their bodies to a greater extent.

1930s

The 30s did not lead to big changes in the style of swimsuits, but the material was absolutely new when they were made. It was more elastic.

According to Vintage Fashion, Mabs of Hollywood, for such famous Hollywood stars as Joan Crawford and Jean Harlow, swimwear was made by Lastex. Since that period, the knitted costumes were gone forever.

The Second World War (1941-1945)

The rationing of the Second World War affected every American, including the manufacturers of bathing suits. But who would have thought that it would take a world war to invent a swimsuit of two pieces?

In 1943, the US government ordered the manufacturers of swimwear to reduce the amount of fabric used by 10%. The best solution was to make it out of two parts.

These suits were still not very frank. Nevertheless, it was a great progress, and women could choose what they would like to wear on the beach.

The invention of the bikini (1946)

With the invention of a bikini, we can say with confidence that the evolution of the bathing suit has undergone major changes. French designers Jacques Heim and Louis Riyar sought to create clothes that would become a symbol of freedom and happiness of the country after the end of World War II. So, they came up with the scantiest swimwear with a bikini.

According to fashion historian Amber Buchart, the first bikini became a complete shock to the public. Indeed, they were so scandalous that the fashion designer Rier was having trouble finding a model for their display. Therefore, we had to hire a dancer, Micheline Bernardini.

The Vatican declared the bikini a "sinful" garment, but in the 60s the bikinis became common.

1970s

Although the fashion for bikinis did not stop, in the 70s the designer Farrah Fawcett proposed the cutting of a swimsuit from a single piece of cloth.

In the 90s, bikinis were still popular, but the Tankini became the latest trend. The mix in front of the top of the swimsuit and the bottom brought much more closure to two-piece suits.

Swimwear today

In the 21st century, many different models appeared. The style of bathing suits depends on the choice of their owner. Today you can easily find a retro, high-waisted bikini and many other styles.