28 Amazing Facts About Swimsuits

Mizuka Ishiwatari Published 03/31/2015

How swimwear struggled with society's acceptance throughout history.

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1.
Invented by a Quaker in 1753, the horse-drawn half carriage contained a “modesty tunnel” that allowed a fully clothed Victorian woman to enter the sea privately. It's considered to be the first step in the history of inventing a bathing suit.
2.
During the eighteenth century, women wore “bathing gowns,” which were long dresses of fabric inspired by promenade or lawn dresses.
3.
In 1907, when Australian swimmer Annette Kellerman (1887-1975) wore a one-piece suit that revealed her arms and legs, she was promptly arrested for indecent exposure.
4.
In the early 1900s, many American cities created laws that required all women in bathing suits to wear stockings.
5.
In May 1917, the American Association of Park Superintendents published in its “Bathing Suit Regulations” that men’s suits should include a “skirt” worn outside the swimming trunks. Men could also wear flannel knee pants with a vest front.
6.
In 1921, swimwear manufacturer Jantzen decided to change the term “bathing suit” to “swimming suit” to justify their more revealing swimsuits as a form of athleticism.
7.
One of the first chest-revealing suits for men appeared in 1932 and was called the “Topper.” The suit had a detachable top that could be zipped away from the trunk bottoms. Men would often get arrested for indecent exposure for wearing it then.
8.
Topless men were banned from the beaches of Atlantic City in New Jersey because the city didn’t want “gorillas on our beaches.” It wasn’t until 1937 when men finally won the right to wear just swimming shorts without a shirt.
9.
When the first bikini was introduced in 1946, it was marketed as a two-piece swimming suit that revealed “everything about a girl except her mother’s maiden name.”
10.
The bikini is named after the islands in the Bikini Atoll in the North Pacific's Marshall Islands.
11.
The bikini was worn for the first time by French model and nude dancer Micheline Bernardini for a poolside fashion show at the Piscine Molitor in Paris on July 5, 1946. She later received 50,000 fan letters.
12.
One of the most recognized celebrities who popularized bikinis was Diana Dors, who made a shocking impression when she appeared at the 1955 Venice Film Festival in a mink bikini.
13.
Surviving Minoan paintings from 1600 B.C. show women wearing two-piece suits similar to the 1960 bikini. Additionally, a fourth-century A.D. mosaic in Sicily titled “Bikini Girls” also shows women donning two-piece suits.
14.
The monokini was invented in 1964, by Rudi Gernreich (1922-1985), cofounder of one of the first American gay rights groups, the Mattachine Society. The original monokini had a pair of thin straps that left the breasts bare.
15.
While the Brazilians helped popularize the thong and its derivatives in the 1970s, the thong may have actually originated 75,000 years ago as primitive clothing to protect male genitals.
16.
The Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Edition that generated the most letters was the 1978 issue, “The Beauties of Brazil,” which published Cheryl Tiegs' infamous fishnet see-through swimsuit.
17.
The best selling issue of that magazine was the 25th anniversary issue with Kathy Ireland on the cover in 1989.
18.
Thongs are illegal in Melbourne, Florida as of January 2005. The punishment is a $500 fine or 60 days in jail.
19.
Tyra Banks was the first African-American to appear on the cover of a Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Edition, in 1997. The second was Beyoncé Knowles, in 2007.
20.
Muslim women can now choose to wear a burqini, which was introduced in 2007 by a Lebanese-Australian designer. However, a woman was banned from a Paris pool for wearing a burqini because Parisian officials deemed the full-body swimsuit unhygienic.
21.
On November 9, 2009, 287 girls clad only in bikinis paraded in Johannesburg, South Africa, to raise awareness for breast cancer, which affects one in every 30 South African women.
22.
In Australia, Speedos are called “Budgy Smugglers,” a term which is derived from the name of a small parrot, the domestic budgerigar.
23.
Tan-through swimsuits are constructed of thousands of tiny pores that let enough sunlight in to create a tan-free line without appearing naked.
24.
In Australia, swimsuits are known as “cossies.” In the UK and Ireland, they are called “togs.”
25.
The most expensive swimsuit is an extremely revealing bikini that is worth $30 million dollars. Designed by Susan Rosen and Steinmetz Diamonds.
26.
The 2000 Thong Song by Sisqó, particularly the line “That thong thong thong thong thong" boosted thong sales and revitalized the thong swimwear industry.
27.
The thong (Old English for “flexible leather cord”) is known as fio dental or “dental floss” in Brazil.
28.
The seamless Speedo polyurethane LZR (“laser”) suit, designed in coordination with NASA, has helped swimmers break over 200 records in just 23 months after it was introduced in February 13, 2008. The Fédération Internationale de Natation (FINA) banned the LZR and other high-tech suits on January 1, 2010.

1.
Invented by a Quaker in 1753, the horse-drawn half carriage contained a “modesty tunnel” that allowed a fully clothed Victorian woman to enter the sea privately. It's considered to be the first step in the history of inventing a bathing suit.
2.
During the eighteenth century, women wore “bathing gowns,” which were long dresses of fabric inspired by promenade or lawn dresses.
3.
In 1907, when Australian swimmer Annette Kellerman (1887-1975) wore a one-piece suit that revealed her arms and legs, she was promptly arrested for indecent exposure.
4.
In the early 1900s, many American cities created laws that required all women in bathing suits to wear stockings.
5.
In May 1917, the American Association of Park Superintendents published in its “Bathing Suit Regulations” that men’s suits should include a “skirt” worn outside the swimming trunks. Men could also wear flannel knee pants with a vest front.
6.
In 1921, swimwear manufacturer Jantzen decided to change the term “bathing suit” to “swimming suit” to justify their more revealing swimsuits as a form of athleticism.
7.
One of the first chest-revealing suits for men appeared in 1932 and was called the “Topper.” The suit had a detachable top that could be zipped away from the trunk bottoms. Men would often get arrested for indecent exposure for wearing it then.
8.
Topless men were banned from the beaches of Atlantic City in New Jersey because the city didn’t want “gorillas on our beaches.” It wasn’t until 1937 when men finally won the right to wear just swimming shorts without a shirt.
9.
When the first bikini was introduced in 1946, it was marketed as a two-piece swimming suit that revealed “everything about a girl except her mother’s maiden name.”
10.
The bikini is named after the islands in the Bikini Atoll in the North Pacific's Marshall Islands.
11.
The bikini was worn for the first time by French model and nude dancer Micheline Bernardini for a poolside fashion show at the Piscine Molitor in Paris on July 5, 1946. She later received 50,000 fan letters.
12.
One of the most recognized celebrities who popularized bikinis was Diana Dors, who made a shocking impression when she appeared at the 1955 Venice Film Festival in a mink bikini.
13.
Surviving Minoan paintings from 1600 B.C. show women wearing two-piece suits similar to the 1960 bikini. Additionally, a fourth-century A.D. mosaic in Sicily titled “Bikini Girls” also shows women donning two-piece suits.
14.
The monokini was invented in 1964, by Rudi Gernreich (1922-1985), cofounder of one of the first American gay rights groups, the Mattachine Society. The original monokini had a pair of thin straps that left the breasts bare.
15.
While the Brazilians helped popularize the thong and its derivatives in the 1970s, the thong may have actually originated 75,000 years ago as primitive clothing to protect male genitals.
16.
The Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Edition that generated the most letters was the 1978 issue, “The Beauties of Brazil,” which published Cheryl Tiegs' infamous fishnet see-through swimsuit.
17.
The best selling issue of that magazine was the 25th anniversary issue with Kathy Ireland on the cover in 1989.
18.
Thongs are illegal in Melbourne, Florida as of January 2005. The punishment is a $500 fine or 60 days in jail.
19.
Tyra Banks was the first African-American to appear on the cover of a Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Edition, in 1997. The second was Beyoncé Knowles, in 2007.
20.
Muslim women can now choose to wear a burqini, which was introduced in 2007 by a Lebanese-Australian designer. However, a woman was banned from a Paris pool for wearing a burqini because Parisian officials deemed the full-body swimsuit unhygienic.
21.
On November 9, 2009, 287 girls clad only in bikinis paraded in Johannesburg, South Africa, to raise awareness for breast cancer, which affects one in every 30 South African women.
22.
In Australia, Speedos are called “Budgy Smugglers,” a term which is derived from the name of a small parrot, the domestic budgerigar.
23.
Tan-through swimsuits are constructed of thousands of tiny pores that let enough sunlight in to create a tan-free line without appearing naked.
24.
In Australia, swimsuits are known as “cossies.” In the UK and Ireland, they are called “togs.”
25.
The most expensive swimsuit is an extremely revealing bikini that is worth $30 million dollars. Designed by Susan Rosen and Steinmetz Diamonds.
26.
The 2000 Thong Song by Sisqó, particularly the line “That thong thong thong thong thong" boosted thong sales and revitalized the thong swimwear industry.
27.
The thong (Old English for “flexible leather cord”) is known as fio dental or “dental floss” in Brazil.
28.
The seamless Speedo polyurethane LZR (“laser”) suit, designed in coordination with NASA, has helped swimmers break over 200 records in just 23 months after it was introduced in February 13, 2008. The Fédération Internationale de Natation (FINA) banned the LZR and other high-tech suits on January 1, 2010.

Invented by a Quaker in 1753, the horse-drawn half carriage contained a “modesty tunnel” that allowed a fully clothed Victorian woman to enter the sea privately. It's considered to be the first step in the history of inventing a bathing suit.

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1. Invented by a Quaker in 1753, the horse-drawn half carriage contained a “modesty tunnel” that allowed a fully clothed Victorian woman to enter the sea privately. It's considered to be the first step in the history of inventing a bathing suit.

2. During the eighteenth century, women wore “bathing gowns,” which were long dresses of fabric inspired by promenade or lawn dresses.

3. In 1907, when Australian swimmer Annette Kellerman (1887-1975) wore a one-piece suit that revealed her arms and legs, she was promptly arrested for indecent exposure.

4. In the early 1900s, many American cities created laws that required all women in bathing suits to wear stockings.

5. In May 1917, the American Association of Park Superintendents published in its “Bathing Suit Regulations” that men’s suits should include a “skirt” worn outside the swimming trunks. Men could also wear flannel knee pants with a vest front.

6. In 1921, swimwear manufacturer Jantzen decided to change the term “bathing suit” to “swimming suit” to justify their more revealing swimsuits as a form of athleticism.

7. One of the first chest-revealing suits for men appeared in 1932 and was called the “Topper.” The suit had a detachable top that could be zipped away from the trunk bottoms. Men would often get arrested for indecent exposure for wearing it then.

8. Topless men were banned from the beaches of Atlantic City in New Jersey because the city didn’t want “gorillas on our beaches.” It wasn’t until 1937 when men finally won the right to wear just swimming shorts without a shirt.

9. When the first bikini was introduced in 1946, it was marketed as a two-piece swimming suit that revealed “everything about a girl except her mother’s maiden name.”

10. The bikini is named after the islands in the Bikini Atoll in the North Pacific's Marshall Islands.

11. The bikini was worn for the first time by French model and nude dancer Micheline Bernardini for a poolside fashion show at the Piscine Molitor in Paris on July 5, 1946. She later received 50,000 fan letters.

12. One of the most recognized celebrities who popularized bikinis was Diana Dors, who made a shocking impression when she appeared at the 1955 Venice Film Festival in a mink bikini.

13. Surviving Minoan paintings from 1600 B.C. show women wearing two-piece suits similar to the 1960 bikini. Additionally, a fourth-century A.D. mosaic in Sicily titled “Bikini Girls” also shows women donning two-piece suits.

14. The monokini was invented in 1964, by Rudi Gernreich (1922-1985), cofounder of one of the first American gay rights groups, the Mattachine Society. The original monokini had a pair of thin straps that left the breasts bare.

15. While the Brazilians helped popularize the thong and its derivatives in the 1970s, the thong may have actually originated 75,000 years ago as primitive clothing to protect male genitals.

16. The Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Edition that generated the most letters was the 1978 issue, “The Beauties of Brazil,” which published Cheryl Tiegs' infamous fishnet see-through swimsuit.

17. The best selling issue of that magazine was the 25th anniversary issue with Kathy Ireland on the cover in 1989.

18. Thongs are illegal in Melbourne, Florida as of January 2005. The punishment is a $500 fine or 60 days in jail.

19. Tyra Banks was the first African-American to appear on the cover of a Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Edition, in 1997. The second was Beyoncé Knowles, in 2007.

20. Muslim women can now choose to wear a burqini, which was introduced in 2007 by a Lebanese-Australian designer. However, a woman was banned from a Paris pool for wearing a burqini because Parisian officials deemed the full-body swimsuit unhygienic.

21. On November 9, 2009, 287 girls clad only in bikinis paraded in Johannesburg, South Africa, to raise awareness for breast cancer, which affects one in every 30 South African women.

22. In Australia, Speedos are called “Budgy Smugglers,” a term which is derived from the name of a small parrot, the domestic budgerigar.

23. Tan-through swimsuits are constructed of thousands of tiny pores that let enough sunlight in to create a tan-free line without appearing naked.

24. In Australia, swimsuits are known as “cossies.” In the UK and Ireland, they are called “togs.”

25. The most expensive swimsuit is an extremely revealing bikini that is worth $30 million dollars. Designed by Susan Rosen and Steinmetz Diamonds.

26. The 2000 Thong Song by Sisqó, particularly the line “That thong thong thong thong thong" boosted thong sales and revitalized the thong swimwear industry.

27. The thong (Old English for “flexible leather cord”) is known as fio dental or “dental floss” in Brazil.

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1.
Invented by a Quaker in 1753, the horse-drawn half carriage contained a “modesty tunnel” that allowed a fully clothed Victorian woman to enter the sea privately. It's considered to be the first step in the history of inventing a bathing suit.

2.
During the eighteenth century, women wore “bathing gowns,” which were long dresses of fabric inspired by promenade or lawn dresses.

3.
In 1907, when Australian swimmer Annette Kellerman (1887-1975) wore a one-piece suit that revealed her arms and legs, she was promptly arrested for indecent exposure.

4.
In the early 1900s, many American cities created laws that required all women in bathing suits to wear stockings.

5.
In May 1917, the American Association of Park Superintendents published in its “Bathing Suit Regulations” that men’s suits should include a “skirt” worn outside the swimming trunks. Men could also wear flannel knee pants with a vest front.

6.
In 1921, swimwear manufacturer Jantzen decided to change the term “bathing suit” to “swimming suit” to justify their more revealing swimsuits as a form of athleticism.

7.
One of the first chest-revealing suits for men appeared in 1932 and was called the “Topper.” The suit had a detachable top that could be zipped away from the trunk bottoms. Men would often get arrested for indecent exposure for wearing it then.

8.
Topless men were banned from the beaches of Atlantic City in New Jersey because the city didn’t want “gorillas on our beaches.” It wasn’t until 1937 when men finally won the right to wear just swimming shorts without a shirt.

9.
When the first bikini was introduced in 1946, it was marketed as a two-piece swimming suit that revealed “everything about a girl except her mother’s maiden name.”

10.
The bikini is named after the islands in the Bikini Atoll in the North Pacific's Marshall Islands.

11.
The bikini was worn for the first time by French model and nude dancer Micheline Bernardini for a poolside fashion show at the Piscine Molitor in Paris on July 5, 1946. She later received 50,000 fan letters.

12.
One of the most recognized celebrities who popularized bikinis was Diana Dors, who made a shocking impression when she appeared at the 1955 Venice Film Festival in a mink bikini.

13.
Surviving Minoan paintings from 1600 B.C. show women wearing two-piece suits similar to the 1960 bikini. Additionally, a fourth-century A.D. mosaic in Sicily titled “Bikini Girls” also shows women donning two-piece suits.

14.
The monokini was invented in 1964, by Rudi Gernreich (1922-1985), cofounder of one of the first American gay rights groups, the Mattachine Society. The original monokini had a pair of thin straps that left the breasts bare.

15.
While the Brazilians helped popularize the thong and its derivatives in the 1970s, the thong may have actually originated 75,000 years ago as primitive clothing to protect male genitals.

16.
The Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Edition that generated the most letters was the 1978 issue, “The Beauties of Brazil,” which published Cheryl Tiegs' infamous fishnet see-through swimsuit.

17.
The best selling issue of that magazine was the 25th anniversary issue with Kathy Ireland on the cover in 1989.

18.
Thongs are illegal in Melbourne, Florida as of January 2005. The punishment is a $500 fine or 60 days in jail.

19.
Tyra Banks was the first African-American to appear on the cover of a Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Edition, in 1997. The second was Beyoncé Knowles, in 2007.

20.
Muslim women can now choose to wear a burqini, which was introduced in 2007 by a Lebanese-Australian designer. However, a woman was banned from a Paris pool for wearing a burqini because Parisian officials deemed the full-body swimsuit unhygienic.

21.
On November 9, 2009, 287 girls clad only in bikinis paraded in Johannesburg, South Africa, to raise awareness for breast cancer, which affects one in every 30 South African women.

22.
In Australia, Speedos are called “Budgy Smugglers,” a term which is derived from the name of a small parrot, the domestic budgerigar.

23.
Tan-through swimsuits are constructed of thousands of tiny pores that let enough sunlight in to create a tan-free line without appearing naked.

24.
In Australia, swimsuits are known as “cossies.” In the UK and Ireland, they are called “togs.”

25.
The most expensive swimsuit is an extremely revealing bikini that is worth $30 million dollars. Designed by Susan Rosen and Steinmetz Diamonds.

26.
The 2000 Thong Song by Sisqó, particularly the line “That thong thong thong thong thong" boosted thong sales and revitalized the thong swimwear industry.

27.
The thong (Old English for “flexible leather cord”) is known as fio dental or “dental floss” in Brazil.