1950’s Bikini – Vintage Swimwear Video
Just to augment our earlier post on Vintage swimwear – Be a retro bathing beauty, we present an interesting
archive film from the 1950s displaying the new daring 1950’s bikini styles of the era. Corseted swimwear was all the rage in this decade which helped women achieve an hourglass figure – the dream look for the 1950s. Boned support in the bra section with special tummy flatterer panels. The result was a very pretty silhouette, even for someone who had unfortunate bulges – as all real women have !
1950s swimwear design
The apron cut from the 1940’s remained the swimwear of choice, but moved further up the thigh, very feminine, though still modest by today’s standards.
One piece and Two piece Bikini Swimsuits
The one piece swimsuit is no less popular today than it was in the 1950s, feminine, but not revealing too much.
The apron cut was the normal look, but the bust now had removable straps – a Claire Mc Cardell innovation – so girls could get a full tan on their shoulders. This helped when slipping on that evening frock – no unsightly strap lines ! Two piece suits, which designers like Claire McCardell helped popularize, were becoming more fashionable, but still not very common. The belly button was always hidden, either way.
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| Apron cut strapless swimsuits of the 1950s |
Play suits and play dresses were always present in that 1950’s beach bag, which were nothing more than colorful long shirt like cardigans, which were short enough to keep the legs exposed.
1950’s Swimsuit Brands – Jantzen
Jantzen was still the leading name in the 1950s when you were shopping for swimwear, and was once again a household name in women’s fashion magazines following Elizabeth Taylor’s stunning appearance in A Place n the Sun, in which she wore that famous coral white swimsuit. Here she is in a publicity shot from the film wearing a white pique beach dress over a coral Jantzen swimsuit.
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| Courtesy Jantzen |
That’s all !
© Glamourdaze 2011
Such a wonderfully lovely post that will help fuel the fires of my determination to finally make my way to the beach (hopefully in a vintage bathing suit!) next summer.
Thank you very much for your visit and comment over at Chronically Vintage today, sweet gal, I sincerely appreciate it.
Wishing you a glamorous Monday!
Jessica
great pictures. I love your blog :)
I absolutely ADORE your blog! Lovely photographs and great information, I did a blog post on it because I loved it so much.
Xo Emily Jenny
stilettobeats.blogspot.com
I loved your blog!
loving the 50s suits….so fashionable! they are now back in style! great post :)
Thank you for sharing. great stuff! Lizzie
I think that time was also so sexy that women are wearing a one piece and two piece swimsuits. you have a good collection of 1950 photos.
modest swimwear
I've actually seen footage of 50s bikinis which show the belly button and a lot more besides. But perhaps they were more for the models than everyday gals.
BTW, not all 'real women' have 'bulges'. Real women come in all shapes and sizes from larger-than-life to tiny-and-small-busted – for example women who run marathons are often straight up and down but no less 'real'. Not to mention in the UK women in the 50s would have been much smaller than nowadays too: many would have loved to have some 'bulges' but with rationing it wasn't easy!
I love those apron cut swimsuits, I wish I had the sexy hips to fill them out.
Lovely! I just went shopping for a swimsuit and discovered that I will not pay $40 (and up) for an immodest and ill-fitting suit. I bought a vintage one on etsy instead! I love reading about the old Jantzen suits b/c they seem so much more attractive than any other brand.