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Encyclopedia > Bathing suits
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Male model in swimsuit, 2003

A swimsuit (also swimmers), bathing suit (also bathers) or swimming costume (sometimes shortened to cozzie) is an item of clothing designed to be worn for swimming. Swimsuits are typically skin-tight clothing, and range from garments designed to preserve as much modesty as possible to garments designed to reveal as much of the body as possible without actual nudity. They are often lined with fabric that assures that they do not become transparent when wet. (See also List of types of clothing) Humans often wear articles of clothing (also known as dress, garments or attire) on the body (for the alternative, see nudity). ... Swimming is the method by which humans (or other animals) move themselves through water. ... A skin-tight garment is a garment that is held to the skin by elastic tension. ... Modesty describes a set of culturally determined values that relate to the presentation of the self to others. ... Nudity or nakedness is the state of wearing no clothing. ... In optics, transparency is the property of being transparent, or allowing light to pass. ...

Contents

Swimsuits in General

Swimsuits are generally designed to cover at least the genitalia. In some cultures women's swimsuits do not cover the breasts, though in most western countries this is not the norm; for pre-pubescent girls they may or may not cover the chest. Swimming without a bathing suit is a form of nudism; special beaches may be reserved for nude sunbathing and swimming (nude beaches). Swimming in the nude is also known by the slang term skinny-dipping. A sex organ, or primary sexual characteristic, narrowly defined, is any of those parts of the body (which are not always bodily organs according to the strict definition) which are involved in sexual reproduction and constitute the reproductive system in an complex organism; namely: Male: penis (notably the glans penis... The term breast can refer to the upper ventral region of the human torso. ... Naturists find going without clothing both enjoyable and relaxing. ... Sunlight is also the trade name of the worlds first packaged, branded laundry soap producted by Lever Brothers. ... A nude beach is a beach where the users generally wear no clothing because of any of numerous reasons: that doing so feels and looks good, that it is practical, for philosophical or religious reasons, or simply because there is no reason for clothing (see nudism). ...


Men's swimsuit styles tend to be shorts, trunks, boardshorts, jammers, speedo-style briefs, or cut-off jeans. Shorts are a garment worn by both men and women over their pelvic area and the upper part of the upper legs or more, but not the entire length of the leg. ... This is a disambiguation page — a navigational aid which lists other pages that might otherwise share the same title. ... Boardshorts are a style of mens swimwear that have long been associated with such watersports as surfing and wakeboarding but have grown in popularity outside of these sports in recent years. ... A Jammer is a type of mens swimwear worn primarily by competitive athletes to obtain speed advantages. ... Also competition briefs, swim briefs, and racing briefs Prince William of Wales wearing a Speedo suit at a water polo match A speedo, which takes its name from the swimsuit brand Speedo, may refer to any briefs-style male swimsuit such as those used in competitive swimming, regardless of the... A pair of mens briefs Briefs are a type of mens underwear and swimwear. ...


Women's swimsuits are generally either one-piece swimsuits or bikinis. Also there is the monokini, in case the coverage of the breasts is neither required nor desired. However, special swimsuits for competitive swimming, designed to reduce skin drag, can resemble unitards. Womans one-piece bathing suit, 1920s, USA A one-piece swimsuit is a usually skin-tight one-piece swimsuit used by women when swimming in the sea or in a swimming pool. ... Bikini may also refer to Bikini Atoll, BIKINI state and bikini styles of underwear. ... In 1964 Rudi Gernreich from Austria (but in the US) designed the monokini, a topfree bikini. ... The term breast can refer to the upper ventral region of the human torso. ... Categories: Stub | Clothing ...


For some kinds of swimming and diving, special bodysuits called diveskins are worn. They are made from spandex and provide little thermal protection but simply protect the skin from stings and abrasion. Most competitive swimmers also wear special swimsuits including partial and full bodysuits, racerback styles, jammers, and racing briefs to assist their glide through the water and gain speed advantages (see competitive swimwear). For open water swimming, snorkeling and diving, diveskins are used when diving in water temperatures above 25 degrees C, 77 degrees F. They are made from spandex and provide little thermal protection but simply protect the skin from stings and abrasion. ... A Racerback is a type of womens swimsuit design common today among competitive swimwear and incorporated into some types of womens clothing. ... Competitive swimwear refers generally to the apparel, equipment, and accessories used in the aquatic sports of swimming, diving, synchronized swimming, triathlon, and water polo. ...

Woman's bathing suit, ,
Woman's bathing suit, 1920s, USA

Swimsuits are also worn for the purpose of body display in beauty pageants. The magazine Sports Illustrated has an annual "swimsuit issue" that features models and sports personalities in swimsuits. Womans bathing suit, 1920s, photo postcard. ... Centuries: 19th century - 20th century - 21st century Decades: 1870s 1880s 1890s 1900s 1910s - 1920s - 1930s 1940s 1950s 1960s 1970s Years: 1920 1921 1922 1923 1924 1925 1926 1927 1928 1929 Referred to as the Roaring 20s. ... The United States of America — also referred to as the United States, the U.S.A., the U.S., America, the States, or (archaically) Columbia—is a federal republic of 50 states located primarily in central North America (with the exception of two states: Alaska and Hawaii). ... A beauty contest, or beauty pageant, is a competition between people, based largely, though not always entirely, on the beauty of their physical appearance. ... Sports Illustrated is a popular weekly American sports magazine owned by media giant Time Warner. ...


Swimsuits are also worn on beaches and around swimming pools (even if no swimming is involved). Many authorities believe that children of both sexes should also wear T-shirts outdoors on sunny days to protect from sunburn. Beach A beach or strand is a geological formation consisting of loose rock particles such as sand, shingle, or cobble along the shoreline of a body of water. ... 50 meter indoor swimming pool A swimming pool, swimming bath, or wading pool is an artificially enclosed body of water intended for recreational or competitive swimming, or for other bathing activities that do not involve swimming, i. ... T-Shirt A T-shirt (or tee shirt) is a shirt with short or long sleeves, a round neck, put on over the head, without pockets. ... A sunburn is a radiation burn to the skin produced by overexposure to ultraviolet (UV) light, commonly from the suns rays. ...


Women's "high-thigh" swimsuits can reveal pubic hair, and hence requires wearers to depilate their pubic hair if they want to avoid its exposure. This is commonly referred to as the bikini line, (e.g. "I waxed my legs and bikini line before going to the beach"). Pubic hair is hair in the frontal genital area and in the crotch, and sometimes at the top of the inside of the legs; these areas form the pubic region. ... Depilation is a generic term for hair removal which affects the part of the hair above the surface of the skin. ...


As an alternative to a bathing suit some people use their trousers, underpants and or T-shirt as make-shift swimsuit. At beaches norms for this tend to be more relaxed than at swimming pools (especially indoor ones). However, swimming pools tend not to permit this, because underwear is unlined, may become translucent and, may be unclean. Trousers are now acceptable clothing for men or women. ... A pair of mens briefs Undergarments, also called underwear or sometimes intimate clothing, are clothes worn next to the skin, usually under other clothes. ... T-Shirt A T-shirt (or tee shirt) is a shirt with short or long sleeves, a round neck, put on over the head, without pockets. ...


History

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1858 Woman's bathing suit

In Classical antiquity swimming and bathing was most often done nude. In some settings coverings were used. Murals at Pompeii show women wearing two-piece suits covering the areas around their breasts and hips in a fashion remarkably similar to a bikini of c. 1960. After this, the notion of special water apparel seems to have been lost for centuries. This article describes the ancient classical period: for the classical period in music (second half of the 18th century): see Classical music era. ... Pompeii is not to be confused with the Roman general Pompey. ...


In the 18th century women wore "bathing gowns" in the water; these were long dresses of fabrics that would not become transparent when wet, with weights sewed into the hems so that they would not rise up in the water. The men's swim suit, a rather form fitting wool garment with long sleeves and legs, similar to long underwear, was developed and would change little for a century. (17th century - 18th century - 19th century - more centuries) As a means of recording the passage of time, the 18th century refers to the century that lasted from 1701 through 1800. ... A pair of mens briefs Undergarments, also called underwear or sometimes intimate clothing, are clothes worn next to the skin, usually under other clothes. ...


In the 19th century, the woman's two piece suit became common-- the two pieces being a gown from shoulder to knees plus a set of trousers with leggings going down to the ankles. Alternative meaning: Nineteenth Century (periodical) (18th century — 19th century — 20th century — more centuries) As a means of recording the passage of time, the 19th century was that century which lasted from 1801-1900 in the sense of the Gregorian calendar. ...


In the Victorian era, popular beach resorts were commonly equipped with bathing machines, with the purpose of avoiding exposure of people in swimsuits (even though these were very modest by today's standards), especially to people of the opposite sex. Queen Victoria (shown here on the morning of her Accession to the Throne, June 20, 1837) gave her name to the historic era. ... The bathing machine was a device which flourished in the 19th century to allow people to wade in the ocean at beaches without violating Victorian notions of modesty. ...

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Man and woman in swimsuits, c. 1910. (Woman is exiting a bathing machine)

In 1907 the swimmer Annette Kellerman from Australia visited the United States as an "underwater ballerina", a version of synchronized swimming, involving diving into glass tanks. She was arrested for indecent exposure, as her swimsuit showed arms, legs and the neck. Kellerman changed the suit to have long arms and legs, and a collar, still keeping the close fit revealing the shapes underneath. She later starred in several movies, including one about her life. The bathing machine was a device which flourished in the 19th century to allow people to wade in the ocean at beaches without violating Victorian notions of modesty. ... 1907 was a common year starting on Tuesday (see link for calendar). ... Annette Kellerman (born July 6, 1887 in Sydney, died November 5, 1975 in Southport, Australia) was an Australian professional swimmer, vaudeville and film star, and writer. ... A hybrid of swimming, gymnastics, and ballet, synchronized swimming involves competitors (either individuals or teams) performing aesthetically pleasing and difficult movements while holding their breath and keeping afloat in water. ... Indecent exposure is the display of parts of the human body without clothing in a manner that is contrary to local custom and law. ...


After this, bathing wear began being less conservative, first uncovering the arms and then the legs up to mid-thigh. Collars receded from up around the neck down to about mid-way between the neck and nipples. The development of new fabrics allowed for new varieties of more comfortable and practical swim wear. On some beaches in the United States, men were prohibited from going topless as late as the 1930s. The United States of America — also referred to as the United States, the U.S.A., the U.S., America, the States, or (archaically) Columbia—is a federal republic of 50 states located primarily in central North America (with the exception of two states: Alaska and Hawaii). ... Events and trends Technology Jet engine invented Science Nuclear fission discovered by Otto Hahn, Lise Meitner and Fritz Strassmann Pluto, the ninth planet from the Sun, is discovered by Clyde Tombaugh British biologist Arthur Tansley coins term ecosystem War, peace and politics Socialists proclaim The death of Capitalism Rise to...


Due to the figure-hugging nature of these garments, glamor photography of the 1940s and 1950s often featured people wearing swimsuits. This subset of glamour photography eventually evolved into swimsuit photography with the help of Sports Illustrated and swimsuit photographers around the world. Glamour photography is the photographing of a model (usually female) nude or semi-nude, in a way that is intended to be erotic. ... Sports Illustrated is a popular weekly American sports magazine owned by media giant Time Warner. ...


The first bikinis were introduced just after World War II. Early examples were not very different from the women's two pieces common since the 1920s, except that they had a gap below the breast line allowing for a section of bare midriff. They were named after Bikini Atoll, the site of nuclear weapons tests, for their supposed explosive effect on the viewer. Through the 1950s, it was thought proper for the lower part of the bikini to come up high enough to cover the navel. Mushroom cloud from the nuclear explosion over Nagasaki rising 18 km into the air. ... Bikini Atoll (also known as Pikinni Atoll) is an uninhabited 6. ... For the plant of this name, see Umbilicus rupestris. ...


From the 1960s on the bikini shrank in all directions until it sometimes covered little more than the nipples and genitalia, although less revealing models giving more support to the breasts remained popular. At the same time, Fashion designer Rudi Gernreich introduced the monokini, a topless suit for women consisting of a modest bottom supported by two thin straps. Although not a commercial success, the suit opened eyes to new design possibilities. Centuries: 19th century - 20th century - 21st century Decades: 1900s 1910s 1920s 1930s 1940s 1950s - 1960s - 1970s 1980s 1990s 2000s 2010s Years: 1960 1961 1962 1963 1964 1965 1966 1967 1968 1969 Events and trends The 1960s was a turbulent decade of change around the world. ... Brief introduction on the history of fashion design and designers Fashion design is the art dedicated to the creation of wearing apparel and lifestyle. ... Rudi Gernreich (1922-1985) was a fashion designer and gay activist. ... In 1964 Rudi Gernreich from Austria (but in the US) designed the monokini, a topfree bikini. ...


In the 1980s the thong or "tanga" came out of Brazil, said to have been inspired by traditional garments of native tribes in the Amazon. Events and trends The 1980s marked an abrupt shift towards more conservative lifestyles after the momentous cultural revolutions which took place in the 1960s and 1970s and the definition of the AIDS virus in 1981. ... See Thong for other meanings. ... The Federative Republic of Brazil (República Federativa do Brasil in Portuguese) is the largest and most populous country in South America, and fifth largest in the world. ... Geography The Brazilian rainforest of Amazonia, the largest in the world, was originally covered by more than 5,000,000 km² (2 million square miles) of dense tropical forest. ...


Swimsuit Styles

Styles of women's swimsuit:

Styles of men's swimsuit: In 1964 Rudi Gernreich from Austria (but in the US) designed the monokini, a topfree bikini. ... Bikini may also refer to Bikini Atoll, BIKINI state and bikini styles of underwear. ... This page is a candidate to be moved to Wiktionary. ...

Also competition briefs, swim briefs, and racing briefs Prince William of Wales wearing a Speedo suit at a water polo match A speedo, which takes its name from the swimsuit brand Speedo, may refer to any briefs-style male swimsuit such as those used in competitive swimming, regardless of the... A pair of mens briefs Briefs are a type of mens underwear and swimwear. ... Boardshorts are a style of mens swimwear that have long been associated with such watersports as surfing and wakeboarding but have grown in popularity outside of these sports in recent years. ... A Jammer is a type of mens swimwear worn primarily by competitive athletes to obtain speed advantages. ...

See also

BVD is a brand of mens underwear, which are commonly referred to as BVDs. ... Two divers, one wearing a 1 atmosphere diving suit and the other standard diving dress, preparing to explore the wreck of the RMS Lusitania, 1935. ... Two divers, one wearing a 1 atmosphere diving suit and the other standard diving dress, preparing to explore the wreck of the RMS Lusitania, 1935. ... Two divers, one wearing a 1 atmosphere diving suit and the other standard diving dress, preparing to explore the wreck of the RMS Lusitania, 1935. ... Swimming has been known since prehistoric times. ... A fashion consists of a current (constantly changing) trend, favoured for frivolous rather than practical, logical, or intellectual reasons. ... An erogenous zone is an area of the human body which has heightened sensitivity and stimulation normally results in sexual response. ... This article needs cleanup. ...

External Links


  Results from FactBites:
 
Bathing machine - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia (790 words)
The most common forms of bathing machines had large wide wheels and were propelled in and out of the surf by a horse or a pair of horses with a driver.
Bathing machines would often be equipped with a small flag which could be raised by the bather as a signal to the driver that they were ready to return to shore.
Bathing machines were most common in the United Kingdom and parts of the British Empire with a sizable British population, but were also used at beaches in France, Germany, the United States, and some other nations.
Swimsuit - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia (1193 words)
Swimming without a bathing suit is a form of nudism; special nude beaches may be reserved for nude sunbathing and swimming.
In the 18th century women wore "bathing gowns" in the water; these were long dresses of fabrics that would not become transparent when wet, with weights sewed into the hems so that they would not rise up in the water.
The men's swim suit, a rather form-fitting wool garment with long sleeves and legs similar to long underwear, was developed and would change little for a century.
  More results at FactBites »


 

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