Splashin' Fashion

Swimming has been fashionable since Greek and Roman times, when the first bikinis were worn. Since then, fashion and societal standards have caused swimwear styles to progress from extremely modest to extremely skimpy. During the late 1800s, bathing costumes were often made of heavy wool knits and covered most of the body. During the 1920s and 1930s, the bathing suit begins to have less fabric and permit the exposure of more skin. Compare the difference between fashions of the 1890s and the 1990s in the suits displayed here.