1990 - 1999

Origin - The swimsuits of this decade were adaptations of the swimsuits of previous decades. The colors were not as bright as in the 80s but they still varied. High-waisted swimsuit bottoms were still very popular. Bikinis also changed in this decade. The straps of bikinis became adjustable. This made it so more sizes of women could fit into the swimsuits. The adjustable straps also made the suits seem more like bras. Having the suits be more like undergarments made them seem like they were more risque than they were.

Purpose - There were a few new purposes of these swimsuits. In the 90s advertisers began using women’s bodies to sell their products. There were many images of women in swimsuits in magazines such as sports illustrated. Women’s bodies are used to sell products even more now than in the 90s but they were still prominent then. The purposes for swimsuits from the previous decades were still purposes of swimsuits in the 90s but they were also being used to sell other products as well.  

Value - The swimsuits of the 1990s can tell us a lot about advertising and the media in the 90s. Women were shown wearing swimsuits in many magazines and advertisements. The images in the magazines and advertisements were often very sexual. This shows us that women were being sexualized and objectified much more in this decade than previously. The oppression of women had changed radically. In the early 1900s women were oppressed by not being allowed to wear revealing clothes but in the late 1900s women were oppressed by being overly sexuallized and objectified when wearing more revealing clothing. These forms of oppression are connected but very different.

Limitations - The swimsuits of the 1990s can tell us a lot about the sexualization and objectification of women in the media but they can’t tell us about people’s reactions. The suits can’t tell us about the people that were against the objectification of women in media and they can’t tell us about the people that liked the new image of women in media. The swimsuits also only tell us how young white women were portrayed in media. They can’t tell us how other races or ages of women were portrayed in media.