Swimming

Late 19^th century Americans began flocking to the beach to bathe in the sun, splash in the water, and escape the tasks of everyday life. The shores of Lake Champlain all received a surge of swimmers and bathers that has continued to the present day. Over the decades, swimwear has become increasingly less conservative. WomenUs attire shrank from dresses to bikinis, and menUs attire shrank from full bodysuit to swim trunks. The evolution of the swimsuit is very helpful in dating an historic image. Few women or men wore outfits that were more risqué than socially acceptable, and few clung to their outdated swimwear once new, more liberal fashions were dictated.

During the 19^th century, women were required to be fully covered on the beach. Although the women in the image below are not wearing actual swimwear, the image illustrates the restrictive nature of womenUs clothing. Notice how the women in the background lift their dresses to wade in the water.

1880s Beach Recreation: Image courtesy of Joan L. Severa, Dressed for the Photographer: Ordinary Americans and Fashion, 1840-1900, 1995

During the early 20^th century, fashion restrictions eased up slightly. The women in the images below bare their legs and arms, but their loose fitting outfits hide the figure. Men typically wore swim trunks with long tank tops. The fashions in the image below likely date from the 1910s.

Early 20^th Century Swimmers: Image courtesy of the University of Vermont Landscape Change Program and Henry Merrill

The men in the image below wear the common trunks and tank top of the early 20^th century.

Early 20^th Century Men's Swimwear: Image courtesy of the University of Vermont Landscape Change Program and the Williston Historical Society

During the 1920s, a revolution in clothing and lifestyles gave women the freedom to wear the short, sleeveless, tight-fitting swimsuits known today. However, swimsuits were still more modestly cut, with shorts covering the thighs. Men still typically wore the tank tops at this time.

1920s Swimwear: Image courtesy of Valerie Mendes and Amy de la Haye, 20^th Century Fashion, 1999

By the 1950s, women wore short cut, backless swimsuits with narrow straps and even the occasional two-piece. As can be seen on the suits below, the bottom was cut straight across rather high on the leg. Men began wearing smaller, tighter-fitting swim trunks.

Mid-20^th Century Swimwear: Image courtesy of the University of Vermont Landscape Change Program and Henry Merrill