Whether you call them bathing suits, bathers, swimsuits, swimming costumes or togs they are still an essential fashion accessory for any beach holiday.
Originally bathing in the nude was the norm but as society changed so did values. The swimsuit can trace it origins back two thousand years where public bathing was quite popular in ancient Greece among wealthy women. During the Roman era bathing became much more popular and widespread among both sexes and mosaics have been found in Sicily and again in Pompeii which show young Roman women clad in a 'modern looking' bikini type garment.
Following the fall of the Roman Empire public bathing declined and it wasn't until the early seventeen hundreds that it had a renaissance. This was followed by the practice of going to the beach to enjoy the seawater and fresh air. The toga style went out of fashion to be replaced by very sober heavy woolen dresses, bathing hats, leggings and even shoes. Hardly surprising in the relatively conservative Victorian era where people also used bathing machines (an enclosed box type carriage) to bring them down to the water to prevent members of the opposite sex seeing them. Wool was the preferred material as it remained quite opaque when wet.
By the 1900s the swimsuit had become much less cumbersome. Suits were more figure hugging having leotard-type tops, shorts, bathing socks and hats. Though still not too risqué the suits were much more revealing with the arms and knees quite visible.
As new fabrics were developed more comfortable and practical swimsuits could be designed. During the nineteen twenties and thirties swimsuits became much more revealing with the neckline gradually getting lower in that era. The legs were entirely visible for the first time in many centuries and in the 1930s the back was uncovered.
The next great innovation came just after World War II in the form of the 'bikini' taking its name from 'Bikini Atoll', which was the site of several nuclear weapons tests, and inferring the supposed explosive effect of the suit on the viewer. Though not initially very revealing it gradually became more so and it latterly gave rise to the monokini, a bikini bottom without the top which left the woman's breasts uncovered. The monokini is more favoured in Latin America and some European countries rather than the UK and North America where it is less socially acceptable.
The eighties saw the arrival of the thong or 'tanga' which originated in Brazil, and was said to have taken its inspiration from the garments worn by native tribes of the Amazon.
The neckline descended even further in the 60s and 70s and the leg was cut above the hip to give a very revealing look. Nowadays, anything goes with thong bikinis and bizarre one piece suits called sling bikinis, suspender bikinis, slingshot bikinis or just slingshots that look little more than a strip of cloth and which cover the very bare, bare essentials!
Is the pendulum about to swing back the other way? A radical fashion trend or 'chilly climate change' may have us racing to buy woolen coverall bathing suits and hats! Watch those icicles!
Mens apparell did, for many years, just get smaller; but more recently seems to be increasing its material content. The traditional male Japanese swimwear 'Fundoshi' resembles a loincloth and is quite becoming whereas in other parts of the world men wear anything from speedo style trunks to jammers which are very figure hugging spandex shorts or alternatively board shorts which have a much baggier effect.
WARNING: If you go out at dusk you may even spot the elusive male of the species in a 'thong' ,but - sadly, they are becoming increasingly rare these days having been hunted to near extinction by voratious women.
However, do not worry, these shy and retiring creatures will probably be more scared of you, than you are of them - but treat them with caution, if they are cornered things can turn...'ugly'!
