The History of Swimwear for Women

Clothing styles in general have undergone drastic changes in the past 50 years, but the history of swimwear for women is perhaps the most dramatic.
 
Looking back in history, the first swimsuits for women were actually quite comical especially by today’s standards. A typical suit generally consisted of thick stockings, bloomers, a dress with short sleeves and a jaunty cap for the head. Even with these fashionable outfits, women were reluctant to participate in swimming activities; believing frolics in the water to be male oriented events. At its introduction as an Olympic sport, swimming for women began to be viewed differently; more of an art form than silly fun. Swimsuits evolved accordingly as women started to take more of an interest in this graceful activity and the sport increased in popularity. At the beginning of the 20th century, some women were motivated to wear more comfortable and water friendly suits; earning them arrests for indecent exposure as they exposed more skin when they donned baggy, one-piece suits. It wasn’t until the 1920’s that the stockings were finally discarded as women began to learn the enjoyment of leisure time and swimming became a popular pastime for them. In addition, women’s suffrage was making inroads into the roles of women in the world; giving them the determination to become bolder.
 
Materials used to design swimwear for women were also going through changes. Heavy wool, usually in dark hues, were the material originally used for swimming. As this proved to be extremely heavy when wet, another material called Lastex was developed to use in swimsuits. The suits for women became more form fitting with the use of Lastex. Nylon came into existence in the 1930’s, and was a popular material for swimwear. In the 1940’s, a French designer, Louis Reard developed a suit that was to cause a sensation when unveiled; the bikini. Though it took a little time for it to catch on, when it did it was unstoppable.
 
Along with the bikini came new designs of the swimsuits. Padding to enhance the appearance of the bust and corset like panels in the front to hold in tummies were introduced to make swimwear for women more flattering. When a material called Spandex was invented in the late 1950’s, the swimwear market exploded with new possibilities.
 
Swimwear for women has come a long way since the early days in the sport. So many varieties of suits are available for every age and every particular body style that there is truly a suit for everyone.