It’s that time of year again beauties – time for lemonade sipping, beach tripping, pool dipping, and all things fun in the sum-sum-summertime. One must have an adorable bathing suit, or two, to wear as the mercury starts rising. Where did the name bathing suit come from anyway? Which fetching retro suits are your favorites? Let’s explore the answers to these burning questions together, shall we?
The name “bathing suit” came into existence because that’s what gals did together in them – bathe. Those Roman Empire babes didn’t just sit at the bar and have a drink. They were being scrubbed and oiled while they babbled about socials, scandals, and such. They had spa day everyday. Even though history isn’t clear what their bathing suits looked like, it is clear that communal baths were the “in” thing to do.
It wasn’t until the mid 1800s that swimming for enjoyment became a popular pastime. And, those suits were downright hot. Not hot like sexy, but hot because they were made of wool and covered a multitude of skin. Suits were modest and sensible until the early 1900s, and as more time passed, less fabric was used. First there were one-piece bathing suits, and then midriff sightings. Stretchy, shiny fabrics paved the way for higher cut legs and lower cut necklines. Thankfully today we have a plethora of blended styles, with vintage-inspired bathing suits being just as sought after as a string bikini. Check out some of our favorite swimsuit season pics.. Hurry – there’s a chaise lounge open!