MEMORIES:

After World War II, families found themselves with more leisure time than ever before. And what better way to spend that time than at the beach? The baby boomer generation had begun, and the boomers and their parents were on their way to beach. And, of course, fashion was right behind.

 

No longer content to just bring a swimsuit to the beach, families now had entire ensembles to show off in and around the water. Boys and girls had bathing suits that matched and mirrored their parents’ – boys in trunks and tops and girls with bathing suits and skirts. Nautical themes prevailed and the family looked perfectly put together.

 

Boys often wore a two-piece outfit of swimming trunks and a short-sleeved top. Both were lined with terrycloth for absorbency and kept their shape when dad was leaning against the poolside bar with a gin and tonic. Girls’ suits matched their moms – a skirt that was attached to a one-piece, making it a sporty dress that looked great in and out of the pool.

 

In the ‘50’s, when the boomers were starting to grow up, they outgrew their parents swim fashion and adopted their own look. Surf movies like Gidget and the Beach Party series showed Frankie and Annette in bikinis and boardshorts, and mom and dad’s look was gone for good.