Figure 1.--Here some younger children in 1949 are able to paddle and play in the sand in a protected sector of the beach. Two wear matching one-piece suits.

Swimsuits were a ralatively new development in the late 19th century. Until the 19th century, only the rich took vacations. As vacations became an increasingly established convention for middleclass and workingclass French people going to the beach became a popular choice. Beach resorts could be easily reached by France's expanding railroad network. The outcome of this was the development of beach clothing to wear at these resorts. The principal garment was of course the barging costume. The first bathing costumes were tremendously cumbersome affairs. Gradually after the turn of the 20th century and more casual clothing became popular, bathing costumes or suits became less enveloping and cumbersome. Several HBC readers remember their bathing suits. One HBC reader recalls the wool swimsuit that he wore as a boy and hated. Another HBC reader describes how, "For swimming , we wore little wool pant with pompoms at each side of the waist utill about 6 or even 8 years old. On the beach of the Côte d'Azur almost all the little boys worn this sort of model in fashion during 1940s-50s. After swimming for walking in the street mother added , a bolero or changed us into romper suits. I perfectly remember of this period. Regulary I went to the beach with my nanny."

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Created: January 16, 2003
Last updated: 2:24 AM 6/3/2011