Beachwear (bikini), late 1940s–early 1950s
American
Synthetics
American
Synthetics
Gift of Miriam Whitney Coletti, 1985 (1985.364.12a,b)
The sexiness of this two-piece bathing suit with Hollywood-starlet styling is offset by the innocence of the white ruffles, which are usually seen on little girl's dresses. The bathing beauty—posing seaside and poolside—has been a perennial fantasy, made spectacular by Hollywood publicity images, aquatic shows, Esther Williams movies, and, more recently, swimwear issues of sports magazines.
