swimsuite

Swimsuit fashion parade at Government House, Brisbane, December 1940

from State Library of Queensland

• Vesna Verencevic said:

  The 1940s was the era when the midriff was born, and it was shown in swimsuits as well as playsuits. 1940s swimsuits were tight, unlike the suits of previous era. One-piece swimsuits were still popular, but the new two-piece suit had plenty of fans too. The materials used to make swimsuits our of rayon jersey and rayon jersey blends with knit cotton linings. Many suits had accent panels of a velvet like rayon velour. Some also featured ruching on the front or side panels that were both pretty and figure flattering. The one-piece swimsuit looked like a very tight, short dress. The bra top resembled a full-coverage bra. The suit then extended down into a tight ‘skirt’ that would cover the backside completely. Skirts were either snug fitting around the hips and thighs or loose, called “swing skirts.” Source: medium.com/@riabohra9196/1940s-swimwear-cca03eca4513