Figure 1.--This American boy wears a swim suit with a top and short cut trunks. The photograph is undated. We would guess it was taken in the 1920s, but the early 30s is possible. These suits were often done in bold stripes, but this is a solid colored suit, probably black.

We have no information on American athing suits in the early 19th century. Seaside resorts will still not well developed in the mid-19th century. This changed drmaically in the late 19th cetury. The wealth created by indistrialization made vacains posible and the railroads provided the mobility to easily reach the seaside. And photography has left us countless images of bathing suits. By the late 19th century we see men and boys wearing coordinate shirt and knee-length pants, mostly done in wool. Bold stripes were very popular foir these suits. We are not sure about the colors. The trunks after the turn of the century began to be cut shorter. And after World war I became quite brief hort pants and the shirt part gradually shrunk. The shirts or tops were still prevalent in the 1920s and even the 30s, altough by the end of the decade we see some bpys swiming without the tops. The tops for men and boys were no longer seen after World War II (1939-45). Boys mostly wore two types of swimsuits in the post-War era, either trunks or boxers, both briefly cut. American boys did not wear the ultra brief Speedo trunks we see French and other European boys wearing. We begin to see very long baggy swimsuits in the 1990s. Boys over time have worm many different types of swim syuts. We see suits with long or half sleeves and pants tio the knee or ankles. Stripes were bery common. After World War I we see one piece suits with shirts that had cut outs. Thge trunks became brief short pants. Adter Wotld War II boys no longer wore suits with tops. Many boys wore "T" shirts, primarily for sun prorection. The common tgypes were short pants and a tight fitting trunks. Brief Speedos were worn by competitive swimmers. Long baggy trunks appeared in the 1990s. Wool was commonly used fior swimwear in the 19th century and early-20th century. After World war I, wool was still used, but was being replaced wuth other material. We no longer see wool duits after World War II.

Chronology

We have no information on American bathing suits in the early 19th century. We suspect that most boys didn't wear suits when they went swiming in the proverbial 'ol swimming hole'. We are less sure about girls. We suspect that they were less likely to go swimming. Seaside resorts will still not well developed in the mid-19th century. This changed drmaically in the late 19th cetury. The wealth created by indistrialization made vacains posible and the railroads provided the mobility to easily reach the seaside. And photography has left us countless images of bathing suits. By the late 19th century we see men and boys wearing coordinate shirt and knee-length pants, mostly done in wool. Bold stripes were very popular foir these suits. We are not sure about the colors. The trunks after the turn of the century began to be cut shorter. And after World war I, suit trunks became quite brief short pants and the shirt part gradually shrunk. The shirts or tops were still prevalent in the 1920s and even the 30s, altough by the end of the decade we see some bpys swiming without the tops. This was especially the case at summer camps. Going topless for the men an boys was not not always a personal option. Many communities had municipal reguklations requiring the tops. Someconservative communities still required them in the early 1940s. A british reader tells us, "When I was evacuated in 1940, I stayed with a family in Lynn, Massachusetts--close to the beach. I remember being quite shocked that we HAD to wear tops when on the beach and in swimming. It was a municipal ordinance! I had been swimming in the UK topless (not the girls) since earliset recollection (say 1934). On the beach at Lynn we used to wear trunks and tee shirts, not swimming suits. The beach at the next town, Swamscott, had no such regulation so we used to cycle there (2.miles). I don't recall when the ban was lifted. I suspect it was ignored after a while. We moved to Swampscott in 1942 so the restriction didn't bother us any more." The tops for men and boys were no longer seen after World War II (1939-45). Boys mostly wore two types of swimsuits in the post-War era, either trunks or boxers, both briefly cut. American boys did not wear the ultra brief Speedo trunks we see French and other European boys wearing. We begin to see very long baggy swimsuits in the 1990s.

Types

Boys over time have worm many different types of swim syuts. We see suits with long or half sleeves and pants tio the knee or ankles. Stripes were bery common. After World War I we see one piece suits with shirts that had cut outs. Thge trunks became brief short pants. Adter Wotld War II boys no longer wore suits with tops. Many boys wore "T" shirts, primarily for sun prorection. The common tgypes were short pants and a tight fitting trunks. Brief Speedos were worn by competitive swimmers. Long baggy trunks appeared in the 1990s.

Material

Wool was commonly used fior swimwear in the 19th century and early-20th century. After World war I, wool was still used, but was being replaced wuth other material. We no longer see wool duits after World War II.

Gender

Created: 2:17 AM 1/2/2009
Last updated: 4:50 AM 7/27/2010