Watch Videos with FREE APP Download from get.layar.com...see page 8 for instructions. Local Postal Customer High Tide August 2017 Vol. 5 Num. 8 www.hightidenews.com BLOOMERS, , AND BEYOND: Bathing Suits on Delaware Beaches By Sandie Gerken The bathing suit has always been a steadily changing fashion garment for both men and women. The evolution of swimwear has followed social attitudes of propriety, trends for practical, utilitarian swimwear, plus personal image statements. fashion is a barometer of the current culture. Women’s styles, especially, have evolved through the years, reflecting their changing roles.

In Delaware, Rehoboth Beach was the place for bathing in the 1880s. In 1873, a Christian summer retreat, the Rehoboth Beach Camp Meeting Association was established. People came to refresh body and soul, taking in the cool sea breezes. Very few women entered the water, but strolled along the beach in bathing costumes. By the 1880s, the notion that sea bathing was a cure for joint disorders, inflammation, and pulmonary diseases came into fashion. A dip in the cold ocean waves was considered healthful, invigorating, and rejuvenating. In Rehoboth, the fashion for bathing costumes followed the social attitudes of formality, decorum, and modesty. Women and men were covered neck to elbow to knee. Men’s bathing suits resembled shorter “long johns”, made of flannel Photo circa 1935. Howard Gerken's parents. Courtesy of Howard Gerken or . These were heavy and hot. For modesty, women were enveloped Photo: 1910 Annette Kellerman, commons.wikimedia.org Kellerman, 1910 Annette Photo: from head to toe in woolen costumes, consisting of collared dresses to the knees with puffed sleeves over long bloomers. A hat or cap, black wool , and laced up bathing shoes completed the costume. Sea bathing waterlogged these outfits. Very few ladies ventured out past their waists, some holding onto rope lines placed in the ocean for balance. It was not proper to get the head wet.

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Just Vinyl LLC vinyl panel windows. This family owned customers make it Proprietor: Marianne “Missy” Phillips business is operated from Frankford, DE all worth my while.” 410-227-0768 or 443-980-8031 and serves the entire Delmarva area. Marianne began this business existing company and began growing 32491 Powell Farm Road “I left my high stress corporate because she saw a real need for this the business by advertising and Frankford, Delaware 19945 accounting job in Baltimore MD and kind of service. Most installation personally walking neighborhoods to came to Delaware to own & operate the companies do not provide cleaning meet owners of vinyl panel window Marianne Phillips owns a growing company, not that owning your own and replacement services. systems. cleaning & replacement business for company isn’t stressful, but the friendly In April 2013 Marianne bought an continued on page 4 1 little. Women’s “” (for men, too). This fashion cont'd from pg 1 BATHING SUITS suits were is rarely seen on Delaware beaches. skimpier. The Delaware State Law deems it a By 1900, serge, a lighter fabric midriff-baring, misdemeanor to expose one’s buttocks, replaced wool or flannel for women’s two piece suits so the thong is technically banned, but suits. The dresses were shorter, paired became popular. seldom enforced except on state with bloomers with elastic at the knees. War rationing park beaches. More fashionable, colored stockings mandated a T o d a y , and canvas shoes were worn. This 10% reduction m e n ’ s attire was more elaborate, colorful, less of fabric for s w i m w e a r burdensome, but still extremely modest. beachwear. The runs the gamut

With ocean swimming now very popular, 1921 Miss (no sash),, commons.wikimedia.org America Photo: first was from speedos to heavy, waterlogged suits became a be worn with or without stockings. first introduced in 1946. A modest two trunks or board hindrance. In the 1920s, the Australian company, piece, it was described as revealing shorts. Women A big shift in women’s bathing suit Speedo made the first non-woolen “everything about a girl except her continue to styles came in 1907 when Australian bathing suit, paving the way for more mother’s maiden name”. wear skimpier swimmer and vaudeville actress, athletic swimming. In 1929, bathing suit Bikinis became acceptable in Photo: 1960s Anette & Frankie, commons.wikimedia.org s w i m w e a r , Annette Kellerman came to the U.S. to manufacturer, Jantzen the 1950s when showing more tour with her diving act in a unitard of introduced the term popularized by cleavage and thigh. her own design. Annette swam 26 miles “swimsuit” to describe movie stars. Still, in run from modest to risqué. Anything in London’s Thames River in 1905 and more streamlined, Delaware, this fashion goes, from a covered-up skirted style to advocated a woman’s right to wear a athletic swimwear. For was scandalous. Most a barely-there bikini. Men and women one piece bathing suit. By 1910, women men, shorter, looser women wore modest are able to choose whatever suits their began to wear less camouflage, showing shorts were worn with two piece suits, one own body images or makes them happy more contours, arms, legs, and necks at a separate sleeveless piece maillots, even and comfortable. the beach. By now, women were joining shirt. More daring skirted styles with SOURCES: men in athletic swimming. In Rehoboth, swimsuits appeared halter tops. Suits “History of Swimwear”, www.wikipedia.com however, these fashions were shockingly with the arrival of the with pointed bra “The Evolution of the Bathing Suit”, www. immodest. reckless flapper era. cups (hi-beams) were goodhousekeeping.com, 21 Aug 2014 A 1905 Rehoboth ordinance required Women wore one- common. In 1958, the Rehoboth Beach: A History of Surf & Sand, Michael piece maillot suits or development of the Morgan, 2009, pp 52-56 BATHING SUIT TRIVIA commons.wikimedia.org 1890s suits, Photo: long sleeveless tops synthetic, stretchable “Will Censor Bathing Suits at Rehoboth”, Wilmington • The average American owns 4 bathing suits. that covered shorts. Of course, the rubber Lycra fabric made swimsuits less baggy, News Journal, July 11, 1931, www.newspapers.com • In 1964, Sports Illustrated debuted the bathing cap was in vogue, a staple that more form-fitting. Speedo, bikini-style “The Evolving Attitudes to Beachwear”, www.bbc.com, swimsuit edition. continued through the 1950s. were introduced. Men’s trunks May 27, 2015 Swimwear continued to become became shorter. A popular style for men Delaware Historical Society Facebook page, July 24, 2015 • Bridgit Bardot popularized the bikini in 1957. less modest, more fitted and stylish. In was the “Cabana Set”, matching trunks • In 1965, Jodie Foster was the Coppertone baby 1933, men began wearing a convertible and terry-lined shirt jackets in Hawaiian on billboard ads. style suit called the prints. • The bikini was named for the Bikini Atoll in Men’s Topper that The 1960s the Pacific, site of nuclear weapons tests; so allowed for the brought relaxed named because the reaction was expected to be High Tide News is published every month, scooped-neck tank attitudes about year-round, and delivered by the “explosive”. top to be removed sexuality. The “itsy, U.S. Post Office to homes in from the trunks. bitsy, teeny, weeny" Sussex County, Delaware. Subscriptions are available at: bathing suits to be of a suitable Olympic Swimmer bikini, baring the www.hightidenews.com/subscribe.html fabric, covering shoulders to knees. Johnny Weissmuller navel, became the

Photo 1901 suits, commons.wikimedia.org 1901 suits, Photo Volume 5 Number 8 The American Association of Park (of Tarzan fame) rage, popularized August 2017 Superintendents published Bathing popularized the BVD line of men’s by beach party-surfing movies and pop Suit Regulations in 1917 that specified suits with muscle-style tank tops with songs. Under the boardwalk at Bethany Publisher: Layman Enterprises Editor: Judy Layman acceptable beach attire. Men’s suits thin straps. Women’s swimsuits were Beach, teen girls blasted transistor Contributing Writers: Sandie Gerken, required long, skirt-like tops over trunks made of new materials, latex and . radios, sporting bikinis. The 1970s Vincent Paez, Nicholas Shevland, no shorter than 4 inches above the Fashionable were one piece, contoured swimsuits featured improved elasticity Kevin McCourt, Hunter Outten knees. For women, skirted blouse and suits exposing the legs, shoulders, and with synthetic fabrics. Men wore both Please send correspondence to: bloomer suits with ¾ inch sleeves could backs. briefs and cutoff-style trunk suits. High Tide News In 1931, Rehoboth As “women’s lib” PO Box 870, Ocean View, DE 19970 Author and Genealogist, Sandie censored “sunbaskers”, reached its height in the Phone: 302-727-0390 Gerken lives in Dagsboro, DE. As a native whose suits “improperly 1980s and1990s, both email: [email protected] Sussex Countian, local history is one of exposed” torsos. An sexes sported revealing, online: www.hightidenews.com her passions. Retired infraction brought a sexy swimsuits. Suits All content is the property of now, she devotes her $30 fine for “incomplete made for competitive High Tide News and cannot be reproduced without prior written consent. time to genealogy apparel”. FINALLY, swimmers emphasized research (her greatest Disclaimer: The opinions, beliefs and viewpoints in 1937, it became functionality, fitting like expressed by the various authors in this newspaper passion since 1978), acceptable for men a second skin. The ladies’ do not necessarily reflect the opinions, beliefs and watercolor painting, viewpoints of the owners or staff of High Tide News. to appear on beaches tankini was a 1990s The author of each article published in this newspaper

grandchildren, soccer commons.wikimedia.org 1920s philly swimsuits, Photo: owns their article. No reproduction of articles without the wearing modest swim innovation that blended express consent of the author and High Tide News. for kids with disabilities, books, and trunks without a shirt. But, in Rehoboth the modest cover of a one-piece with the Submissions: An article may be submitted for possible things creative and historical. She publication in this newspaper by emailing your article Beach, topless men seemed indecent. freedom of a bikini. Men’s board shorts to [email protected] or submitting online recently authored the book Memories at www.hightidenews.com. Please include your full name, contact information and a short bio. of the Clayton Theatre as a fundraiser The city still enforced its penalty for were popular for surfers and boogie- improper exposure. The city began to boarders. These baggy, knee length To Advertise, Submit an article, or to help the Clayton go digital. She is to Subscribe, simply call: now exploring her writing skills with allow topless men following the 1938 shorts were made of or water- 302-727-0390 or email: local history articles for High Tide News. season after petitions against the ban. resistant polyester. [email protected] In the 1940s, men’s swimsuits changed The 21st century introduced the 2