When it comes to the history of women's swimsuits in the Twentieth century, the trend has been toward short...
shorter...
shortest.
This is the edited version, obviously. There have been so many swimsuit variations in between.
This weekend, I was thrilled to win this Butterick pattern dating from approximately 1919 on eBay. Not only does it offer three different versions (love those ruffles) it even includes a hat!
A few of you are probably thinking, That isn't a swimsuit, it's a DRESS. Well, yes, by today's standards it IS a dress -- a dress worn over very baggy bloomers. You wouldn't want to swim laps in it. But it was the swimsuit style of the period (though soon to be replaced by one-piece knit suits that revealed one's shape a bit more).
I know I haven't finished my Twenties robe/pajama set yet, nor have I even started my Twenties men's shirt with detachable collar. Plus it's nearly autumn. Still, this pattern looks like it would be fun to make. And as covered as it is, it could be worse:
By the way, if you are interested in learning about the history of swimwear, a well-written, generously illustrated book I recommend is "Making Waves." (You can see some photos from the book here.)
In closing, readers, do you agree that while vintage-inspired swimwear is popular today, swimsuits from this era (Teen and Twenties) would be considered too unflattering by most people?
How does one find that happy medium between floor length and floss?
Have a great day, everybody!
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