These 3 vintage beauties are the winners of a Beauty contest at the Venetian Pool in Coral Gables, Florida in 1924. Who do you think was the winner and who were the runners up? Or do you think they were winners in 3 different categories…?
Some gorgeous 1950s swimsuit models who don’t seem quite sure which camera they should be smiling at… Source and copyright: No known copyright restrictions
The gorgeous 1920s “Spruce Girls” photographed on a beach wearing spruce wood veneer bathing suits during “Wood Week” to promote products of the Gray Harbor lumber industry, Hoquiam, Washington c. 1929. Aren’t they stunning? I don’t know how comfortable a wooden bathing suit would be though. Do you fancy that…? [6 photos]
Isn’t this wonderful? The illustration is just gorgeous, but is this the vintage swimwear in this Cole of California advert actually a swimsuit or a bikini? I’m not sure. The text reads: Streamline – beautiful new backsweep… in a Lastex swimsuit… from Cole’s “Westward to the Sea” beachwear collection.
A young girl wearing a knitted 1950s bikini top and shorts. The photos were taken in Leipzig in 1950. How on earth does a knitted bikini top not stretch out of shape when she comes out of the water..?? [2 photos]
A group of young women photographed in 1920s swimwear, some of which is lovely and some of which is terribly unflattering. The photos were taken at Potomac Tidal Basic beach in Washington in 1922. The woman on the left above (and in the boat below) is actress Kay Laurell, but I don’t know about the(…)
A beautiful 1930s bathing suit from around 1930. Isn’t it stylish? Do you think the photo is of two different models, or using some clever manipulation to show the same model from the front and back? I couldn’t decide!
Elizabeth Taylor with short hair in a leopard print swimsuit. This photo is a publicity photo from film The Last Time I Saw Paris in 1954. I’m not sure I’ve seen her with such short hair before but she looks absolutely knock-out doesn’t she?
Publicity photo of Adele Mara wearing a polka dot bikini for Argentinean Magazine. Source and copyright: This work is in the public domain in that it was published in the United States between 1923 and 1977 and without a copyright notice.
1950s swimwear Source and copyright: This file is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 Netherlands license.
A group of bathers photographed in 1946. The group includes Swedish writers Artur Lundkvist and his wife Maria Wine (second and third from left). Do you have any vintage family photos you’d like to share? If so I’d love to see them! You can email them to me at weheartvintage (at) hotmail.co.uk.
Girls in their swimsuits photographed in 1920. These female swimmers were photographed at the Tidal Basin in Washington DC. I love the range of different styles these women are wearing, don’t they look great?
I find this photo of Ronald Reagan bizarre in so many ways! As a child I always found it strange that he went from being a matinee idol to being President of the United States, and now I find a photo of him in a swimsuit as a lifeguard. Real life can truly be stranger(…)
Two couples running along the beach, 1950s Source: No known copyright restrictions
1950s boys on the beach in Barbados Barbadian youths practice physical exercises and acrobatics on the beach at Foul Bay, near Crane Beach, on the South East coast of Barbados. Official photograph for the Central Office of Information. Date: March 1955 Source and copyright: The National Archives: No known copyright restrictions
1940s photo of surf sirens on Manly beach in New South Wales, Australia. Which is your favourite? I think mine is the second from left – the 2 piece swimsuit with high waisted shorts! Photographer: Ray Leighton Source: National Library of Australia: No known copyright restrictions