Art & Antiques: Vintage Swimsuits on the Market by Dr. Lori I was one of those little their chances with a more kids who were often called “a revealing bathing suit. Most fish.” You know the type—a woolen –yes, that reads pint sized 3 or 4 year old who woolen as in wool-- swimcould swim like a champ suits of the early decades of and would rather spend all the 1900s were basic black. day playing underwater in All of that changed in the a swimming pool than dosummer of 1905 when Ausing anything else. My Mom tralian swimmer, Annette nearly drowned as a teenager Kellerman announced her and while she never learned desire to become the first to swim herself, she was adawoman to swim the English mant about giving me and Channel. She attempted the my sisters swimming lessons. feat amid controversy over To her credit, all three of us her bathing suit. Kellerman are excellent swimmers tosparked an international stir day. My swimming abilities when she was arrested for even helped pay for school. I wearing a one-piece woolen swam competitively through swimming suit. She omitmy teens and early 20s and ted the pantaloons, cap, today, I enjoy swimming as Courtesy of www.DrLoriV.com and shoes and started a tidal my favorite form of exercise. wave of talk. Obscenity laws aside, Kellerman It follows that investigating the history started a swimsuit revolution. of the bathing suit is a topic of interest for Roaring Twenties me. It brings back happy memories of days By the 1920s-30s, bright colors, synthetic at swim team practice and now relates to my fabrics, and a more feminine shape emerged work evaluating vintage objects. in the style of swimsuits. The famous JantIn the early years of the 20th Century, zen swim suit manufacturing firm made the there were strict laws that required women diving girl logo a beach blanket image and to be fully clothed when taking a swim. The everything from billboards to bumper stickbathing suit requirements of the day included ers donned the famous logo. In the 1940s, a non-form fitting costume that consisted convertible straps which could be unfastened of a dress, pantaloons, cap, and shoes. Most were introduced in part to prevent tan lines. women obliged and frolicked in the waves in Today, vintage swim suits bring high values full length swimming attire while others took on the vintage couture market.
High-end swim suits from the 1950s like those designed by Christian Dior command $1000 to $2000 while more mainstream brands like Catalina dating to the mid 1900s are worth $50 to $350 per suit. The 1950s emphasized the hourglass figure with a “bubble suit” featuring cotton material and low cut top. The 1960s swimsuits saw an interest in showing off the mid-drift, too. Two piece polyester bathing suits of the era were still conservative and covered up one’s belly button. By the 1970s, swim suits were a far cry from the cover-up everything style bathing suits of the early 1960s. Later, Speedo swimsuits from the 1980s featured Lycra materials and straightforward styles. American designer suits On the market, vintage swim suits in good condition always bring interest from collectors and celebrity suits are all the rage. A prominent example of the interest in the vintage swim suit market is celebrity suits. For instance, Pamela Anderson’s one piece red Speedo lifeguard bathing suit from her starring role on the widely popular hit TV show, Bay Watch, recently sold for $275. P Ph.D. antiques appraiser, author, and awardwinning TV personality, Dr. Lori presents appraisal events nationwide. Dr. Lori is the star appraiser on the hit TV show, Auction Kings on Discovery channel. To learn about your antiques, visit www.DrLoriV.com, www.Facebook.com/DoctorLori or call (888) 431-1010.
669 State Route 93, Rear Sugarloaf, PA
570-788-9759
Located at Gould’s ShurSave. Entrance is at rear of store, lower level, on the Stewart’s/Scooper’s side. Parking is along the side of the building.
Over 1500 items in stock for you to SEE, TOUCH, maybe read a few pages! Books • Bibles • Gifts • Rosaries • Decorations Pass-It-On Cards • Boxed Cards
Open: Tuesday-Friday 10am-6pm Saturday 10am-2pm Closed Sunday & Monday
Kids Room
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