Our latest Views from the Vault video dives into swimwear regulations from the 1930s. In a letter to the Seattle Park Board president, the sporting goods manager for the University Bookstore complained that men were required to wear full bathing suits on public beaches rather than the swimming trunks that were becoming more popular. He even claimed that men were putting their lives at risk by wearing trunks anyway and swimming in unprotected and dangerous areas instead of at public beaches with lifeguards.
One-piece suits with trunks and a tank were made of heavy cotton or wool and were essentially the same shape for men, women, and children. These suits were popular around the turn of the century and the styles were just starting to change around the time of the letter. The writer argued that women were “discarding more and more clothing” and asked, “Why the discrimination?”
Check out the video to learn more!