Origin - The 1960s was the decade of the bikini! There had been two pieces before but never this revealing. Unlike previous suits these new two pieces showed women’s mid-drifts. The tops of the suits were lower cut and the separation between the top and the bottom was the biggest it had ever been. Bold patterns were very popular for American women’s swimsuits. Many of the bottoms rode on the hip slightly below the navel. There were still coverups for wearing out of the water. The popular coverups of this century were similar to the babydoll dresses and shirts of the 2000s. These bikinis do not seem to be risque for today but in the 60s they were the most risque swimsuit yet.
Purpose - They were a few purposes for this swimsuit. One of the main purposes of the swimsuits was to liberate women. The feminist movement was still going strong and these swimsuits went along with it. Women were taking control of their bodies and wearing whatever they wanted to. Women were wearing more revealing clothing in their daily lives and when swimming. They wore more revealing clothing in order to rebel against their oppressors and to feel liberated.
Value - The new more revealing swimsuits are an example of the liberation of women in the 1960s. The fact that women were wearing revealing swimsuits shows that they were wearing what they wanted even if it went against what others wanted. Women were not only wearing what they wanted they were also doing what they wanted. Bikinis show that women were fighting against their oppressors and liberating themselves. The revealing swimsuits of the 1960s were an example of liberation of women in this decade.
Limitations - The swimsuits of the 1960s shows us that women were being liberated and making progress in the 1960s. The swimsuits cannot tell us what peoples reactions were to these swimsuits. We don’t know if people were happy about these swimsuits or if they were angry. If they were angry we don’t know what their actions were in retaliation. Most of the images of the swimsuits show young women, mainly in their 20s, but we do not see older women. Because of this we do not know if they were wearing these swimsuits or if they were wearing older less revealing swimsuits.
Sources:
http://www.fiftiesweb.com/fashion/1960s-bathing-suits.htm
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