Summer is almost gone, but it is still in our hearts, after all some people are away on an extended Bank Holiday Weekend while others may just want to dream a little bit more about holidays and the sun and there's nothing better than doing so via some vintage Haute Couture bathing suits from the 50s.
These images are taken from a photoshoot published in 1953 on an Italian magazine and the swimwear is not credited to any designer, but the feature highlighted the bathing suits were considered as Haute Couture designs since they were made employing high fashion textiles and techniques and were characterised by sculpted and well-defined silhouettes and in a few cases also included bustiers with whale bone stays.
The first design illustrating this post is a champagne coloured thick satin pleated bathing suit created with celebrities in mind, possibly actresses spending their holidays in five star hotels: it was supposed to be matched with a chintz gray cape for that added moment of glamour around the swimming pool and featured a pleated skirt and a shirred panel on the back.
The second one in this post is as glamorous as the first, but maybe less practical since it was made with black velvet and it was designed for grand occasions around the swimming pool, it was matched with a double face striped black and white taffeta mini skirt that could be removed when it became too warm.
The last two images show instead two designs part of the same photoshoot that look simpler: the black bathing suit was designed for swimmers and athletes as the silhouette was basic and the material was a more functional taffeta lastex; the white one (and my favourite for its striking, but architectural simplicity) was called the "Lily" for its petal-like motif around the bustier. It was a sort of mini-dress rather than just a bathing suit and was made with white starched piqué, a material that contributed to give the wearer's body a perfect silhouette. Have a lovely Sunday wherever you are!
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