Origin - The swimsuits of the 1950s were smaller than those of previous decades. Many had shorts for the bottom half but some still had skirts. Many swimsuits had detachable straps which revealed much more of women’s backs, chests, and shoulders. There were many different patterns on the swimsuits. Plaid was very popular in the beginning and the end of the decade. It was also very popular for mothers and their young daughters to have matching swimsuits which made some women’s swimsuits look younger. The swimsuits were made out of synthetic latex blends which made the suits tighter and more flattering. Some swimsuits had a glamorous look that could easily look like a dress. Skirts were often worn over the suits which made them look even more like dresses. Swimcaps were also introduced in this decade.
Purpose - The different aspects of the swimsuits of the 1950s had many different purposes. The different materials that the suits were made out of was mainly to make the suits more flattering. They were made out of latex blends which made them tighter fitting which was seen as more flattering. Swim caps were introduced in the 1950s. Now they are often used to reduce drag while swimming races but they had a different purpose for women in the 1950s. Hair was a very big deal in this decade and women didn’t want to get it wet. They would wear swim caps while swimming and their hair would stay dry. The swimsuits of this decade were much smaller than the previous decades. They were tighter and some didn’t even have straps. The purpose of making the swimsuits smaller was to make them more revealing.
Value - The swimsuits of the 1950s can tell us a lot about American culture during this time and even some information about the war. These swimsuits were often made out of synthetic latex blends. The synthetics used in these swimsuits were developed in the war. This shows that the war played a large role in many different things in America including swimsuits. The swimsuits can also tell us a lot about American culture of the 1950s. There were some women’s swimsuits that were made to make children's swimsuits. This shows that family was very important during this time. Families could show that they were family by wearing matching swimsuits. The swimsuits also reflect on how women’s image was being portrayed. They show that women were being seen sexually more and more. The swimsuits were tighter and more revealing.
Limitations - The swimsuits can tell us that synthetics were created during the war because they were incorporated into the swimsuits during this time but not before. Synthetics were created and used during the war but the swimsuits can’t tell us how or why they were created or used. They could have been created for many different things in the war and used for even more things but the swimsuits can’t tell us what these things are.
