A Journey Through Other People’s Bathing Suits

The start of official summer has got the beach on my brain. Pretty much all I want to do is lay out in the sand all day with while drinking a cocktail and enjoying my new Stephanie Pratt memoir. While I am unable to do this, I figured I might as well look at pictures of people who ARE at the beach. So I opened Pinterest, which somehow threw me into an internet K-Hole of vintage swimwear. Because I do not want all that time I spent late at night sifting through the internet to be for naught, I decided to compile my favorite swim styles into a blog post that will take you on a journey through other people’s bathing suits from the beginning to the end of the 20th century.

(Disclaimer: I am kind of guessing at some of the years.)

Teens through 1930’s:

Film star, Lila Lee on the beach:

Pretty sure I’d wear any of these now, especially the one on the right:

Can’t even choose a favorite here (and is that one on the right end wearing a unicorn horn??):

Can someone make this for me:

These look like fun gals:

This girl is adorable and how cute is her suit:

Also, I think she was Lindsay Lohan’s inspiration for this picture:

1940’s-1950’s

Homegirl on the left is killing it:

Plaid ruffles? Sign me up:

This is what Beyonce means by “Slay”:

YAS QUEEN:

Bonus points for excellent peplum usage. I also see these glasses in my future:

This picture is just everything. Apparently it’s from a 1940’s Vogue. It’s now the backdrop of my phone. Can I just stare at it all day:

This could be in any store right now, and I’d totally buy it:

This picture features actress Eileen Coghlan in a photo from a magazine called Yank (awkward name…), which was made for and by men in service. I’m pretty sure it was a 1945 issue:

This is just the cutest thing I’ve ever seen:

Now we are moving into some truly glam suits. Look at this bitch:

Perfection!

And this Grace Kelly photo is one of my favorite photos of all time:

These girls look super chic:

Simple and perfect:

These ladies in their Jantzen swimsuits looks so glamorous. I hope they’re not planning on getting their hair wet:

I’m lusting hard after the print on this suit:

The stunning Marilyn Monroe in a super adorable bikini:

1960’s-1970’s

Starting to get a more chilled out vibe:

Super mod:

Butt cleavage:

Brigitte Bardot, personal hero:

Haley Mills sporting this timeless look:

This is a more chic look than most 1960’s styles. I love the spaghetti strap detail on the back. I think this is from another Vogue spread:

This pic just barely made the cut. The sailor inspired suit on the right saved it:

Super groovy print:

Why do I love this so much:

Cute and simple:

I just love the clean lines of these 1970’s one pieces. And I love brown – not a color you see a lot in swimwear:

Working the sarong look, and working it well:

This is what I love about the 1970’s:

Palazzo pants done right:

These timeless suits were featured in Seventeen:

Could be the 70’s. Could be the 80’s:

1980’s-1990’s

Christie Brinkley looks amazing here, but her bikini bottom is making me emotionally uncomfortable:

Chanel spices up a classic suit with a rhinestone belt:

Adorable one shoulder one piece on Brooke Shields:

Looks great AND holds your cigarettes:

So much neon in the 1980’s:

Ladies loving the high cut bottoms:

Here’s a Kate Moss bikini photo from a mid-1990’s issue of Vogue Spain:

My older sister might have actually had this 90’s J.Crew bikini:

And this 1997 J.Crew catalog features a look the middle school new well: the boy short bathing suit bottom:

The London Victoria’s Secret swim catalog from 1996 featured a pretty classic bikini:

I think some 1990’s Delia’s swimwear selections would wrap this post up nicely, so here you go:

Happy summer, guys!