Designer Swimwear: Evolution from the Victorian and Edwardian Eras

Today, women have numerous options when purchasing swimsuits. There are one-piece and two-piece swimsuits. There are bikinis and there are tankinis. There is designer swimwear in nearly every color, design, and size imaginable! However, we cannot fully appreciate the variety of swimsuits available today, without revisiting those of the past.

When Swimwear Was Bodywear

The demand for Victorian swimwear took off after railways in Britain gave average citizens the opportunity to visit the beach frequently. Victorian swimwear modelled contemporary attire, which was extremely modest and nearly covered a woman’s entire body. Compared to today’s designer swimwear, modern women would find such early swimsuits to be restricting and uncomfortable.

During the earliest period of the Victoria era, women wore bathing dresses that were constructed of dark flannel or a type of woollen cloth referred to as serge. However, two piece costumes with belts became substitutes for these previous styles, in the 1960s. The bodice or top of the swimwear resembled a jacket, while the swimwear bottom portion included three quarter-length trousers. Ironically, when Ameleia Bloomer had encouraged women a decade earlier to wear them, they had not become fashionable. Bloomer, an American, had suggested that women wear the trousers like those that Turkish women sported.

The next versions of swimsuits during the Victoria era remained bulky. While they were more eye-catching and sensible than previous swimsuits of the era, they still were extremely uncomfortable, compared to today’s designer swimwear.

Those Blooming Bloomers

Much of society during England’s late Victorian era accepted bloomers, which Ameleia Bloomer had inspired. However, they were worn as cycling clothing, and had not become part of mainstream fashion yet.

This resistance to fashion evolution helps to explain why swimwear fashion altered little and gradually during this era. For instance, women began the sport short cap sleeves. Within time, sleeveless styles of swimsuits were produced, revealing bare ankles underneath the bloomers. Fortunately for modern women, today’s designer swimwear looks great and feels comfortable.

Shedding Swimsuit Sleeves

Today, wearing an Edwardian swimsuit to the beach, rather than a designer swimwear, may raise a few people’s eyebrows. However, the Edwardian swimsuits greatly resembled Victorian swimsuits. For instance, they were still produced from wool. These newer swimsuits included bloomers with a wool overdress layered atop it. This dress lacked sleeves. Also, the outfit was enhanced with black stockings and footwear that contained lace. By the 1920s, the neckline of the Edwardian swimwear had been lowered slightly, and the overdress had been further raised above the ankles.

Today’s swimwear for women has evolved greatly from that of the cumbersome Victorian and Edwardian era. This gives women a seemingly limitless number of options when purchasing designer swimwear.