Background
A swimsuit is an article of clothing used for swimming and sunbathing. For women, the swimsuit is either a two-piece bra and panty ensemble or a one-piece maillot style. Men's swimsuits are either a bikini-style brief or the longer and fuller swim trunk.
History
Although swimming is not a natural human ability, people have been drawn to water since ancient times. The Romans built the first swimming pools and by the first century b.c. had even created a heated pool. In Japan during this period swimming events were common. Europeans were slower to come to the sport because of a widespread fear of infections carried from other bathers through the water. However, by the mid-nineteenth century, a number of swimming organizations were founded, particularly in London.
The swimsuit as a particular article of clothing did not appear until the early twentieth century. In the late nineteenth century, bathers wore a bathing costume consisting of billowy bloomers and overblouses, stockings, and shoes. Suntans were considered a sign of low class, so many women covered their heads and faces. To many, even these body-obscuring outfits were considered shocking. Over the next several decades, the style and acceptance of bathing wear changed significantly.
At the beginning of the 1902, three young men in Oregon (John Zehntbauer, Roy Zehntbauer, and Carl Jantzen) owned a clothing company called the Portland Knitting Company. They were also avid members of a rowing club. Their financial futures were secured when one of their teammates asked them to create a wool rib-knit rowing suit that would retain body heat. Although the garment they created was not particularly suited for swimming (when wet it could weight up to 8 lb [3.6 kg]), an idea was born. The form-fitting knit suit, made by the company that would become Jantzen, featured a sleeveless shift over long shorts.
In the 1930s, sunbathing became a popular pastime. Women's styles began to feature lower-cut backs and armholes to allow more exposure to the sun. Jantzen introduced the Shouldaire model with a drawstring sewn above the bustline that allowed the wearer to lower the shoulder straps for better suntan coverage. It was also in the 1930s that women's midriffs were exposed for the first time; in cutouts and eventually in two-piece swimsuits
Manmade fabrics were introduced during this period. The evolution of the swimsuit as a form-fitting garment called for a flexible and elasticized material. Rayon was the first fabric used, and then American Rubber Company developed Lastex, an extruded rubber surrounded by fiber. Lastex's success was short-lived because it was not colorfast and did not retain shape when stretched. The fabric's flexibility was also affected by body oils.
In 1939, E. I. duPont de Nemours & Company developed a nylon called 6.6 polymer that revolutionized the manmade materials industry. In the years to come, other synthetic materials such as Dacron, Orlon, Lycra, and Spandex were invented and were used alone or blended to make swimsuits. During this period, textile manufacturers also began to experiment with woven patterns and bright colors.
The next major highlight in the history of the swimsuit occurred in 1946 when the bikini, a two-piece suit for women, was introduced in Paris. Supposedly named for the Pacific atoll where atomic bomb experiments were conducted, the bikini caused a furor. Although immediately popular on European beaches, the bikini was not worn in the United States until the 1960s.
In the 1970s, the use of materials such as Lycra became popular as a means to manipulate physical attributes. Soft one-piece maillots were popular among women and remain so today. In 1977, designer Rudi Geinrich's thong bikini, which features a mere strap on the rear portion of the suit bottom, hit the beaches of Brazil. It also remains a popular style around the world, but is often considered controversial on American beaches.
Innovations of the 1980s included suits of material that allowed the wearer to tan through the fabric. This style faded in popularity as the public became more aware of sun-related skin cancers. The French cut, leg openings high on the hip, also appeared during this decade.
In competitive swimming, the design of suits built for speed is an on-going challenge. At the 2000 Olympics in Sydney, Australia, the use of a full-body suit by many swimmers caused a uproar. The Fastkin suit, made by Speedo, is constructed of a sharkskin-like material and is marketed as a performance-enhancing suit. A number of teams objected to the use of the suit and sought to have it banned. However the Olympic governing committee allowed the suits.
Although swimming is not a natural human ability, people have been drawn to water since ancient times. The Romans built the first swimming pools and by the first century b.c. had even created a heated pool. In Japan during this period swimming events were common. Europeans were slower to come to the sport because of a widespread fear of infections carried from other bathers through the water. However, by the mid-nineteenth century, a number of swimming organizations were founded, particularly in London.
The swimsuit as a particular article of clothing did not appear until the early twentieth century. In the late nineteenth century, bathers wore a bathing costume consisting of billowy bloomers and overblouses, stockings, and shoes. Suntans were considered a sign of low class, so many women covered their heads and faces. To many, even these body-obscuring outfits were considered shocking. Over the next several decades, the style and acceptance of bathing wear changed significantly.
At the beginning of the 1902, three young men in Oregon (John Zehntbauer, Roy Zehntbauer, and Carl Jantzen) owned a clothing company called the Portland Knitting Company. They were also avid members of a rowing club. Their financial futures were secured when one of their teammates asked them to create a wool rib-knit rowing suit that would retain body heat. Although the garment they created was not particularly suited for swimming (when wet it could weight up to 8 lb [3.6 kg]), an idea was born. The form-fitting knit suit, made by the company that would become Jantzen, featured a sleeveless shift over long shorts.
In the 1930s, sunbathing became a popular pastime. Women's styles began to feature lower-cut backs and armholes to allow more exposure to the sun. Jantzen introduced the Shouldaire model with a drawstring sewn above the bustline that allowed the wearer to lower the shoulder straps for better suntan coverage. It was also in the 1930s that women's midriffs were exposed for the first time; in cutouts and eventually in two-piece swimsuits
Manmade fabrics were introduced during this period. The evolution of the swimsuit as a form-fitting garment called for a flexible and elasticized material. Rayon was the first fabric used, and then American Rubber Company developed Lastex, an extruded rubber surrounded by fiber. Lastex's success was short-lived because it was not colorfast and did not retain shape when stretched. The fabric's flexibility was also affected by body oils.
In 1939, E. I. duPont de Nemours & Company developed a nylon called 6.6 polymer that revolutionized the manmade materials industry. In the years to come, other synthetic materials such as Dacron, Orlon, Lycra, and Spandex were invented and were used alone or blended to make swimsuits. During this period, textile manufacturers also began to experiment with woven patterns and bright colors.
The next major highlight in the history of the swimsuit occurred in 1946 when the bikini, a two-piece suit for women, was introduced in Paris. Supposedly named for the Pacific atoll where atomic bomb experiments were conducted, the bikini caused a furor. Although immediately popular on European beaches, the bikini was not worn in the United States until the 1960s.
In the 1970s, the use of materials such as Lycra became popular as a means to manipulate physical attributes. Soft one-piece maillots were popular among women and remain so today. In 1977, designer Rudi Geinrich's thong bikini, which features a mere strap on the rear portion of the suit bottom, hit the beaches of Brazil. It also remains a popular style around the world, but is often considered controversial on American beaches.
Innovations of the 1980s included suits of material that allowed the wearer to tan through the fabric. This style faded in popularity as the public became more aware of sun-related skin cancers. The French cut, leg openings high on the hip, also appeared during this decade.
In competitive swimming, the design of suits built for speed is an on-going challenge. At the 2000 Olympics in Sydney, Australia, the use of a full-body suit by many swimmers caused a uproar. The Fastkin suit, made by Speedo, is constructed of a sharkskin-like material and is marketed as a performance-enhancing suit. A number of teams objected to the use of the suit and sought to have it banned. However the Olympic governing committee allowed the suits.
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