How did beach fashion change: From swimwear to bikini and back
One of the heroines of our material about relations with her own body, she admitted that it was easy for her to agree to act in underwear for one simple reason: "I, like everyone, have a head, arms, legs. There is nothing strange in me. People like that see me on the beach. " Actually, the beach and the pool are the only places where we can legitimately undress in public and not feel naked and unprotected in all senses. This outcrop is associated with relaxation and carelessness, are you going to play beach volleyball, read lying in a lounge chair, swim and sip a cocktail with an umbrella. There is a very special dress code - which has changed over the course of a hundred years and even in 2016 it differs in different countries.
Meanwhile, a swimsuit - a thing that is present in the wardrobe of each of us, and more often than not in one instance: beach fashion, like any other, is also influenced by trends. It's not just about models, colors, or decorative details. The fashion for swimwear, like no other, has been exposed to historical events and still reflects changes in society. We tell how it was formed and what it is today.
How did the concept of a beach holiday
Starting from the Victorian era and with the development of the railway, when wealthy segments of the population had the opportunity to travel to resorts and beaches, beach fashion was born. The prescriptions of physicians, who advised to treat literally everything on the waters, from mental disorders to tuberculosis, contributed to this. The first women's swimsuits looked like a dress and trousers made of thick fabric, hiding almost the whole body; of the forced accessories are a cap, special shoes and sewn weights, so that the clothes do not turn into a bubble in the water.
At the same time, the joint bathing of women and men was unacceptable: even bathing machines - covered wagons, most often of wood, were used to prevent confusion in the run. The man came into the van on the beach - in it he changed clothes. Then the car was lowered into the water with the help of horses or, more rarely, on rails in such a way that when a person was bathing he was practically invisible. It is clear that such a beach holiday did not imply much activity. Only at the beginning of the 20th century, when common beaches were allowed, bathing machines began to disappear. Beach pastime in the conventionally the same form to which we are accustomed, is associated with the birth of fashion for sports and tan in the 20-30s.
How did swimwear change in the 20th century?
The first changes in fashion for swimsuits are not least related to the struggle of women for the opportunity to play sports on a par with men. Annette Kellerman - a man of many talents, whose image you probably saw, the actress and the founder of synchronized swimming - went down in history thanks to her own courage, which in 1907 was considered "obscenity." She was arrested for appearing in the first one-piece swimsuit, which, although a little like today's models, but in which a figure is guessed. The incident caused a lot of controversy and, naturally, divided society. But the process has been launched. And although on some beaches for a long time the censors, determining the admissibility of the length, worked, the bathing suit became more and more open every year - including thanks to professional swimmers, such as Annette.
In the 1920s, elastic threads were woven into knitted fabrics - before that, swimsuits literally "drowned" in water, dried up for a long time and were simply unsafe for life. In the first post-war year, engineer and designer Louis Reard asked a familiar dancer, Michelle Bernardini, to demonstrate to the general public his new outfit, which eventually went down in history: a separate swimsuit with thin straps, known as "Bikini". Surprisingly, the name Rear chose in honor of the atoll of Bikini, which passed the first tests of a nuclear bomb. The creator hoped for an "explosive effect" - a parallel, which now seems monstrously inappropriate. Of course, the appearance of a frivolous dancer in the most nude form could not be ignored by the general public. But relations with the company with this swimsuit did not develop for a long time.
This incident was more likely an exception: until the mid-50s, swimsuits remained mostly closed. No thin shoulder straps - the ball was ruled by high pants (rather, shorts) and a voluminous bodice (rather, the top). By the 70th, a separate swimsuit is finally becoming a common place - common among ordinary girls. The most courageous begin to wear panty thong and thong, almost bare or completely bare buttocks. In the 80s, in the heyday of the cult of aerobics, the style, which opens up the hips to the maximum, which actresses and propagandists like Jane Fonda are so fond of, quickly rush into fashion. Neon colors become a real obsession. In the early 90s, the style transformed into a separate swimsuit with still deep cuts on the hips, but opening the stomach. And after him (and keeping up with “heroin chic”), tiny “simple” bikini ties are becoming a beach hit. In the 2000s, fashion is thrown to the other extreme and “luxury” comes to the beach: the golden pants of Jay Lo and the monokini Paris Hilton, whether we like it or not, is just as much a part of the story as everything else.
What was happening in the men's fashion in the meantime?
Being born a man at the beginning of the 20th century still meant winning the genetic lottery. While the pantaloons of women sulked in the water, like balloons, swimsuits for men borrowed from circus performers - a jumpsuit with buttons on the front - by the standards of time were as comfortable as possible. By the mid-20s, suits consisting of shorts and T-shirts are becoming popular. Ten years later, there was no top left either. All subsequent decades - the history of the decrease, the increase in the length of the shorts, the process, rather due to the social and cultural characteristics of different countries.
If in Italy men of different ages are still proudly pacing the edge of the surf in tight swimming trunks, in many other countries this model is acceptable only in the pool, and the guys will not go to the beach in anything shorter than knee-length surfer shorts. Of course, there are also men's thongs, but it remains more likely a monopoly of bodybuilders and gay culture, which leaves an imprint on the perception of this model by a conservative society. In Russia, men are not too strict about beachwear, and at resorts and ponds you can see all the variety of swimming trunks: from tight slips with a tropical print to monotonous short Bermudas, in which it is convenient to swim and play beach volleyball.
What swimwear went down in history
Listing the most famous swimsuits can take more than one day, and hundreds of lists are devoted to this, walking online from year to year. First of all, because the fashion for swimsuits in the second half of the 20th century changed not so much due to sport, as influenced by design and social thought of different decades, reflected in pop culture. Cinema and television - the main engines of ideas to the masses - have contributed to beach fashion. The actresses have always been at the forefront of trends and could afford to be ahead of time almost ten years ahead: a white swimsuit Marilyn Menro could easily compete in recognizing her flying dress, and Brigitte Bardot's personal swimsuit would argue in frankness with what was on her the film "And God Made a Woman."
In the musical "The Daughter of Neptune" one of the heroines is the designer of swimsuits: it is not surprising that this is one of the first films that show such frank costumes for the pool. The ode mentioned by Annette Kellerman in 1952 leaves "A Million Dollars for a Mermaid" in which several bathing suits also appear, which, although they contradict historical correspondence, are illustrative examples for the cinema of that time. Separate swimsuits became loved by women, including thanks to the image of Ursula Andress from the James Bond movie “Doctor No,” which is called almost the forerunner of the sexual revolution. Her departure from the sea became so significant that in 2002 the creators of "Bond" included a verbatim homage to this scene in another franchise film - "Die, but Not Now", where Halle Berry went ashore. Flat and separate monochrome swimsuits, which look the most relevant today, can be seen in the movie "Pool" with Romy Schneider and Jane Birkin in 1969.
Long before the actress and model Pamela Anderson and her iconic one-piece swimsuit in "Malibu Rescuers", actress Farra Fawcett shot for advertising posters in the Speedo red swimsuit, which not only sold over 12 million copies, but also presented the actress with a role in the iconic Angels Charley".
The modern history of swimsuits will certainly include unobvious examples that now seem ridiculous or unworthy of world fame: for example, the notorious “minkini”, which was popularized by the hero of Cash Baron Cohen, Borat. Fortunately, this version of the swimsuit remained the lot of theme parties. But Harmony Corin's “Launching Vacation”, a heartbreaking film about the traditional mass travel to Mexico and Florida for American students, youth and recklessness, bliss and eclipse of consciousness, demonstrates mass fashion for swimsuits of the 2013 model. Rhinestones, neon colors, tie-dye, ties - all this can be found in the nearest shopping center today.
Types of swimsuits
While the hypersize mode and layering as a “protection” for a city dweller are becoming increasingly popular in everyday life, beachwear exists as if in parallel, going hand in hand with the archaic concept of “body for summer” and making it somewhat vulnerable even liberated of us. But the world is beginning to change, and swimsuit makers with it - as a result, we see more and more "human" advertising campaigns, and there is a noticeable difference between the 2013 and 2016 Pirelli calendars. Even the traditional gloss tries to appeal to the topic more carefully, although it does not always work, especially in Russian. The most correct decision in this case is to abstract from the artificially imposed concept. Any figure fits any swimsuit. No rules in the modern world no longer work: in choosing a swimsuit it is worth starting from your own taste, interests, and not the body. And yet there is a clear classification that helps to figure out what swimsuits are in general.
Why retrokupalniki return
Fashion is cyclical, and everything that is shown on the catwalk today is somehow reinterpreting old ideas adapted to the spirit of the times. Of course, we don’t see any direct references - and it’s good. Swimsuits worn in the 50s would now seem inconvenient and unsuitable for outdoor activities. Nevertheless, the expressed tendency of the last years consists in the conditional copying of models from the past.
High pants, characteristic prints, closed deaf models with sleeves - beach fashion, like the rest, strives for comfort and functionality. This does not mean that small swimsuits, so beloved by “beach” fashion weeks like Miami and São Paulo Fashion Week, as if consisting of several threads, have no right to be. And yet it is often difficult for them to play sports and do something other than lying in a deck chair or on the deck of a yacht.
Which swimsuit to choose in 2016
The choice of a swimsuit at the moment may depend not only on personal taste and needs, but also on the norms of behavior adopted in different countries, including those caused by religious beliefs. Multiculturalism and globalism makes clothing manufacturers adapt to new conditions. The closed bathing suit, which complies with the laws of Shari'ah, is now made of materials that are absolutely safe: they do not hinder movement and are made of materials that dry quickly in the sun. And now you can buy one even in the near Marks & Spencer.
However, first of all, choosing a swimsuit, it is worth starting from what you are actually going to do in it. For classes in the pool is better to choose a swimsuit of specialized brands (from Roxy to Speedo) in any sports store. This will ensure easy gliding and will also be more resistant to the effects of chlorinated water. If a swimsuit is needed for a relaxed beach holiday, then the choice is huge: from deaf closed bathing suits to separate models, as if connected in macrame technique. A lot of small and interesting brands appeared in Australia or California - local lifestyle and weather conditions are obligatory. At the same time, almost all brands of the mass-market have beach lines, but to look closely at them is better at the beginning of the season - the most interesting models are dismantled at a rapid rate.
Fortunately for those who care about fashion, the trends for swimsuits are not subject to the same changes as casual wear. And yet they are: a few years ago there was a boom of classic models of the Triangle brands (neon color with black edging) and Agent Provocateur (Mazzy), which copied all the mass-market brands at once. Now many specialized brands (worth noting, not sports) like Lisa Marie Fernandez or Solid & Striped can find heavily closed swimsuits - not just as a high-neck model, but with shorts and even sleeves. Often in such a comfortable swim and uncomfortable sunbathing. Long-standing swimsuits with a castle, inscriptions and decor in the form of huge flounces, which were popular in the early 2000s, are also returning.
At the same time color combinations can be any - the bottom and the top can even be with a different print. True, it is rather difficult to select them specifically, and it is better to immediately buy the “assembled” option, the benefit of the mass offers. And yet the main trend that can be traced throughout the beach fashion is the appearance of small local brands promoting “their theme”: She Made Me has a special technique that allows swimsuits to look like “connected” in the 70s style with tassels and all attached Solid & Stripes specialize in vintage prints - a Vichy cage or a large stripe. Nu Swim promotes the concept of swimsuits that are as close as possible to underwear, and Marysia has become recognizable thanks to its ruffled edge. Universal recipes do not change from year to year: simplicity and conciseness, the absence of any unnecessary details, quiet, dusty colors or, on the contrary - very bright, but with effective combinations. Choosing a swimsuit, you can not go wrong with the choice, and he will serve until you get bored.
Photo: Library of Congress (1, 2), Paramount Pictures, Wikipedia Commons, Festival de Cannes, NBC, Columbia Pictures, Miramax, Marysia, Weekday, adidas by Stella McCartney
