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Vintage Bathing Suits

I have always considered myself to have been born in the wrong era. One thing I envy of past decades is the modest yet form fitting bathing suits from the 40's, 50's, and 60's. The classic hourglass figure does not look sickly like many models of today. Also, the covered up approach portrays more class and a more lady-like persona than the tiny, almost bare all swimsuits of today. That's why I was thrilled when I started to see some of the silhouettes of yesteryear coming back in the form of classic shapes and designs of swimwear. Take a look at some of these beautifully clad ladies from the past and compare them to some suits you can actually find today.
Marilyn Monroe

Elizabeth Taylor

Annette

Modern Swimwear






Vintage Bathing Suits Poll
What is your favorite era for vintage swim wear?


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Comments
Saw a bathing suit for sale the other day that looked like a "mankini" for female form. Hot pink no less. I couldn't help but wonder, "How would that look flattering on ANYONE?!"
Big fan of the one pieceys. I think anything less than that and it might as well just be underwear... but God forbid you wear actual underwear! Our society has such odd rules. Loved some of these designs. Thanks for sharing!
Nice bathing suits! I like the vintage style and I like a bit of modesty too :D
Elizabeth Taylor looked good in anything.
Fun hub!
What great pieces here, I hope the styles come back as they were cute.
I'd like to have the white swimwsuit with the polka dots in the first picture! It's adorable!! Fabulous hub! Loved the celebrity photos!:)
Erin the vintage swimsuits are beautiful! I wonder if they are going to be back in vogue sometime, like all the other fashion trends. It'd be awesome to walk onto a beach and see everyone in swimsuits styled to the 60s! I guess we all need a time machine!
Nice hub and deserves top feedback as always.
P
I couldn't have put that better. =) Thanks for understanding! And double thanks for taking my comment well. Keep putting out the hubs; I always read yours.
I'm usually not good at discussing feminism and tend to say the wrong things. It just makes people mad and puts some on the defensive, but I feel I need to say something. So here goes.
I disagree with the ideal of what "lady-like" means as portrayed in this article. Stick thin sometimes has to do with metabolism, not with how little or how much a person eats. Class isn't defined by body shape either. Modesty is a term that changes and is continually redefined and was probably only created in the first place to shame people and make them uncomfortable with themselves.
I like this style because I like this style. It has nothing to do with a 60-year-old misogynistic view of women being in their proper place and wearing proper clothes and being proper women, and it has nothing to do with not liking bikinis (which I adore) or other types of swimwear.
How much or little a person wants to cover is preference, not lack of morals, and while I am uncomfortable with my body, I feel remorse that I have to be that self-conscious about myself. I am working on it and hope to one day feel good about myself in a swimsuit, be it a one piece, a two piece that covers more than usual, or a bikini.
That's my piece. I hope I've said it in a way to not offend anyone, and I hope that it will get everyone to think about how they view themselves and other women.
Here are some
Old fashioned swimwear/a> from retroswimwear.com. Very cute indeed!
My Sister Pat ( Australiam designer label) creates really authentic 50's bathing suits. amazing and beautiful and soooooo comfortable
I still believed that vintage clothes may it be swimwear or dresses, everything was inspired by vintage.
Sugarchilli
Swimwear Australia
Oh yummy and delicious.
Wow have swimsuits changed over the years. These are so classic looking! The tan lines would be horrible though!
I like your article and I have written one too for the vacationing women. I especially liked the pictures of Marilyn Monroe and Elizabeth Taylor. I thought I saw Ava Gardner. Good fashion never goes out of style.
Look at some of my articles.
Lovely collection. I like vintage in general but I only wear vintage inspired swimwear for the swimming pool-not only looks great in hourglass figures but it holds everything in place!
For the beach I prefer a small bikini as I like to get a good all over tan.
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