Imagine hitting the sand and surf on a scorching summer day and having to wear a dress, bloomers, and stockings, with just a sash at the waist to allude to the curves of your body. No wonder these early-1900s Coney Island chicks hiked up their skirts for the photographer. A girl’s gotta show a little skin.
Of course, guys also covered up at the beach. By the 1920s they could wear a tank suit with shorts, but it wasn’t acceptable for men to go bare-chested until the mid-1930s. Below, studly lifeguards showing off at Rockaway Beach.
Tags: 19th century fashion, Coney Island, men's bathing suits, Rockaway Beach, women's swimsuits
July 4, 2008 at 5:41 am |
With the idea of the suits not becoming transparent when wet, they were made of heavy fabrics like wool. Besides being warm, they became heavy wet. Just the type of thing one wants to wear on a hot summer day!