Swim Suits of the Fifties
The testing of the atomic bomb brought the world into a new and frightening era. Fortunately, there was an upside -- the atomic weapon tryout site, Bikini Atoll, caught the attention of Parisian designer Louis Reard. When he designed the first two-piece swimsuit in 1946, Reard adopted the name. The bikini was one of several swimsuit styles in the '50s; by today's standards, the suits were modest and mild, but they were daring and bold back then. Does this Spark an idea?
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Swimsuit Types
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In the '50s, three basic swimsuit styles were available: the corset style, one-piece and two-piece. Corset manufacturers' business declined in the late '40s, so corset features were incorporated into swimsuits to create a new product market. Swimsuits manufactured with stretch tummy control panels and reinforced bra cups were included in the new corset design. One-piece suits were somewhat uniform, with the overskirt being the distinguishing feature. The one-piece was cut right where the thigh meets the leg. Two-piece bikinis were very popular and were the most revealing. Although it was difficult to hide figure flaws in the two-piece, some swimsuits had tummy control panels.
Design Considerations
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Swimsuit designers in the '50s had some challenges. While pop-culture was expanding rapidly, so were the morals and expectations of the American people. The period between the end of World War II and Camelot saw an extremely progressive clothing design change, especially in swimsuits. As the '60s approached, swimsuits were becoming more provocative and revealing, a far cry from the swimming "costumes" of the '40s. The '50s were the middle ground -- where modesty was still in fashion, and belly buttons always stayed covered.
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Swimsuit Designer Rose Marie Reid
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Rose Marie Reid was one of the finest swimsuit designers of the time. Joan Crawford and Marilyn Monroe both wore her label, and today's vintage swimwear lovers also covet her styles. One of her hallmark designs was a one-piece suit with a bottom-covering overskirt for modesty. Her sense of modesty may have come from her upbringing as a Mormon in the early 1900s. Taught by her mother, Reid became a sewing expert and started making swimsuits.
Bathing Caps
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Bathing caps were an essential accessory to swimsuits of the '50s. Along with more daring and exciting swimsuit designs, women's desire to keep their hair dry created a new chapeau market. Bathing caps were either for wearing in the water or were for fashion. They were constructed of thin rubber and worn close to the head to keep out water. Fashion bathing caps had floral designs and were often extremely uncomfortable to wear under direct sunlight.
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References
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