A Brief History of Swimsuits

The idea of swimsuits is a relatively new one, in the grand scheme of history. You may even be fascinated to see just how the concept of swimsuits came to be. Every style of clothing has a history behind it; read on to learn all about this history.

In ancient civilizations, people would either swim without clothing or with their under garments on. During the Middle Ages, it is believed that swimming was widely discouraged though the reasons for this are not fully known. In the 18th century, swimming was regarded as an act of “doubtful morality” in a time when religion was crucial to everyday life. If people were going to swim during this time period, they would need a health reason to do so.

When the Victorian Era hit, swimsuits started gaining popularity. These swimsuits were much more reminiscent of outerwear than actual swimsuits, which made them both difficult and dangerous to swim with in the water especially for women. These Victorian swimsuits for women were more like long dresses, which were particularly cumbersome.

It wasn’t until the early part of the 20th century that swimming became an acceptable activity to participate in. At first, the swimsuits were conservative-looking. The top part would be knee-length, while the bottom portion went down to the ankles. Flannel was the fabric of choice as it was believed that this fabric would help keep people warm while swimming. These would not become see-through when they get wet and had weights to prevent the dress from floating upwards while swimming. The male swimsuit resembled long undergarment, with long sleeves.

As the 19th century peaked, swimsuits become increasingly provocative. By the 20th century, change happened with swimsuits as they evolved into what we know today. Rayon became the material of choice, which was a much more tight-fitting material. As the 20th century went on, more modern styles like the bikini took the fashion world by storm. The evolution of swimsuits was resisted by more conservative groups, fearing that they showed too much skin.

Today, people have come to the realization that they needed something functional for swimming. Dolfinus believes in quality products that are completely functional, and also appealing to the eye. We created buoyant bathing suits that help you float better in the pool. Check out our website to learn more about our bathing suits, our new designs and how they are beneficial in the water: http://www.dolfinus.com/.