W&M ScholarWorks Dissertations, Theses, and Masters Projects Theses, Dissertations, & Master Projects 1996 Wild, Wearable, and Seaworthy Frances Evelyn Davey College of William & Mary - Arts & Sciences Follow this and additional works at: https://scholarworks.wm.edu/etd Part of the American Studies Commons Recommended Citation Davey, Frances Evelyn, "Wild, Wearable, and Seaworthy" (1996). Dissertations, Theses, and Masters Projects. Paper 1539626019. https://dx.doi.org/doi:10.21220/s2-s5sn-7b20 This Thesis is brought to you for free and open access by the Theses, Dissertations, & Master Projects at W&M ScholarWorks. It has been accepted for inclusion in Dissertations, Theses, and Masters Projects by an authorized administrator of W&M ScholarWorks. For more information, please contact [email protected]. WILD, WEARABLE AND SEEWORTHY A Thesis Presented to The Faculty of the Department of American Studies The College of William and Mary in Virginia In Partial Fulfillment Of the Requirements for the Degree of Master of Arts by Frances E. Davey 1996 APPROVAL SHEET This thesis is submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Arts Frances E. Davey Approved, August 1996 n '/h Barbar^ Carson E.7Grey Gundaker Colleen Callahan TABLE OF CONTENTS Page ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS . iv LIST OF F I G U R E S ........................................... V LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS.................................. vii ABSTRACT ................................................. X INTRODUCTION ............................................. 2 CHAPTER I ................................................. 6 CHAPTER I I ............................................... 31 CHAPTER I I I .............................................. 68 CHAPTER I V ............................................... 82 CONCLUSION.............................................. 125 APPENDIX ................................................ 128 NOTES ................................................... 175 BIBLIOGRAPHY .......................................... 196 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS The author is grateful to Barbara Carson, who has patiently offered support and criticism throughout the writing of this thesis. The writer would also like to thank E. Grey Gundaker and Colleen Callahan for their insight and repeated readings. Finally, the author could not have completed this study without the encouragement of her family. LIST OF FIGURES Figure Page 1. 1956 Jantzen salmon-pink one-piece bathing suit. .27 2. 1973 Gottex spandex-nylon multicolored high-necked one- piece bathing suit...................................... 27 61 3. 1953 Rose Marie Reid white pique with black and red print at bustline one-piece bathing s u i t ............... 41 4. 1954 Catalina black with red taffeta rose one-piece bathing suit............................................ 41 5. Early 1960s Cavanaughs, Inc. multicolored floral on white cotton with wrap-around overskirt one-piece bathing s u i t ..................................................... 48 ....................... ............................. 75 6. 1964 Cole of California orange ribbed knit one-piece bathing suit....................... .....................48 ............................................ 76 7. 1964 Rudi Gernreich black double knit topless bathing suit..................................................... 49 8. 1966 black and white tiger stripe bikini with black mesh oversuit.................................................55 ..................... ........................... 85 9. 1967 Rudi Gernreich black knit with oval side cutouts one-piece bathing suit.................................. 55 10. 1965-1975 Rudi Gernreich black knit with metal clip closings two-piece bathing suit ........................ 56 11. 1973 Bobby Len Fashions multicolored nylon-spandex forming "Greek key" design one-piece bathing suit. .61 12. 1950s custom-made white flower pattern on black nylon- spandex with snap-out lining to accommodate breast prosthesis one-piece bathing suit ...................... 73 v 13. 1955—1957 Jantzen multicolored shirred elastic one- piece bathing suit........................................85 14. 1965 Oleg Cassini black and white stripes on tan with black and white edging one-piece bathing suit........ .85 15. 1975 Sandcastle multicolored floral print on grey-beige nylon-spandex one-piece bathing suit.....................85 16. 1950-1959 vertical black and white pin stripes with layered ruffled skirt one-piece bathing suit............ 90 17. 1960 Stork Line Maternity Wear blue on white cotton with full overskirt one-piece bathing suit . ........ 90 18. 1969 e. Stewart multicolored floral print on white with skirt two-piece bathing suit............................. 91 19. 1975 Sinclair black nylon-spandex one-piece bathing suit. ........................... 91 20. 1972 Sandcastle daisy and polka-dot print on brown nylon with full skirt and yellow braided tie at waist one- piece bathing s u i t ......................................105 21. 1960-1970 Rudi Gernreich black knit with oval cutouts at waist and button at top left shoulder strap one-piece bathing suit.............................. 115 vi LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS Illustration Page 1. John F. Kasson, Amusing the Million: Conev Island at the Turn of the Century (Toronto: Collins Publishers, 1978) 46-47. 2 2. Beach scenes from Atlantic City during the Democratic National Convention, 2 May 1961, Prints & Photographs Division, Library of Congress, Washington D.C........... 2 3. Colonial Echo (Yearbook, The College of William and Mary, Williamsburg, Virginia, 1975) 214............ 2 4. Sports 11 lustrated. 12 January 1970, cover........... 6 5. Cunnington and Cunnington, Handbook of English Costume in the Eighteenth Century. 283....................... 11 6. "Adhesive Bras: They employ no wires or straps," Life, 16 May 1949, 109-110.................................... 43 7. "The Lovely Shape of Summer," Holidayr June 1954, 104- 111........................................................46 8. "New Swim Suits Free the Sylphs," Life. 24 January 1964, 46-53............................................... 51 9. "Bathing Suits Summer '68: Wild, Wearable and Seeworthy," Time, 21 June 1968, 50-57................... 56 10. "Summer in America," Vogue. May 1970............... 57 11. Advertisement, Vogue, May 1970...................... 57 12. Jule Campbell, "Light, Tight and Right for Racing," Sports Illustrated. 12 August 1974, 46-49............... 62 13. "There's More to a Bathing Suit Than Meets the Eye," Vogue, May 1975, 124.................................... 62 14. Advertisement, Glamour. March 1980..................62 15. Smithsonian. December 1989, cover................... 66 81 vii 16. "New Suits Both Cover Up and Show Off," Life, 28 June 1954, 80-82............................................... 71 17. Contestants in the Olympic Women's 400-Meter Swimming Relay, 1948, Prints & Photographs Division, Library of Congress, Washington, D.C................................ 72 18. Bathers along the Delaware/Maryland shoreline, 8 and 9 July 1972, Jerry Mesmer-Adams Studio, Prints & Photographs Division, Library of Congress, Washington, D.C........ 73 19. Nightclub, Cocoa Beach, Florida, 22 February 1962, Prints & Photographs Division, Library of Congress, Washington, D.C........................................... 74 20. Bathers along the Delaware/Maryland shoreline, 8 and 9 July 1972, Jerry Mesmer-Adams Studio, Prints & Photographs Division, Library of Congress, Washington, D.C........ 74 ......... 104 21. Advertisement, Glamour, May 1980. ................ 76 22. T. Robin, "1950: A Good Round Figure," Holiday. 122- 130........................................................89 23. Time, 7 December 1953, 90-91........................ 95 24. Advertisement, Mademoiselle. May 1954............. 95 25. E.W. Johnson, "Body-Huggers for the Super Fit," Ebony. 101........................................................96 26. Maurice Sine, "Sine by the Sea," Horizon. May 1962, 108-109..................... 97 27. Jule Campbell, "Sand, Surf and New Swimwear," Sports Illustrated. 12 January 1970, 37. Advertisement, Vogue, May 1970..................................................... 98 28. Good Housekeeping. "Who's the Beauty on the Beach?" June 1963, cover, 153................................... 101 29. "Swimsuits to Flatter Every Figure," Woman's Day. July 1972, 46-51............................................. 101 30. Bathers along the Delaware/Maryland shoreline, 8 and 9 July 1972, Jerry Mesmer-Adams Studio, Prints & Photographs Division, Library of Congress, Washington, D.C......... 103 31. Beach scenes from Atlantic City during the Democratic National Convention, 2 May 1961, Prints & Photographs Division, Library of Congress, Washington D.C. 103 viii 32. Bathers along Waikiki Beach, Hawaii, mid-1960s, Prints & Photographs Division, Library of Congress, Washington, D.C.......................................................104 33. Boardwalk scenes in Atlantic City, New Jersey as the city prepares for legal gambling, 27 July 1977, Prints & Photographs Division, Library of Congress, Washington. D.C. ...................................................104 34. "Ten Queens for Jamaica," Life. 20 February 1956, 12- 13. ..................................................... 109 35. Advertisement, Glamour, May 1970............. 114 ix ABSTRACT The object of this study is to analyze the meanings inherent in bathing suits produced between 1950 and 1980. This study aims to use these messages