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Boy's grey woollen swimming trunks
Boy's grey woollen swimming trunks

Boy's grey woollen swimming trunks

Datec 1945
Object number00028059
NameSwimsuit
MediumWool, cotton, plastic
DimensionsOverall: 255 x 285 x 20 mm, 0.1 kg
Clothing size: 22
ClassificationsClothing and personal items
Credit LineANMM Collection
DescriptionThese dark grey knitted wool boy's swimming trunks follow the 1940s fashion for men's swimwear that was topless and high waisted. An adjustable machine woven cotton webbing belt fastens through white cotton loops with a grey plastic buckle. Children's swimwear from the 1940s rarely survives today as it was usually handed down to a younger sibling or simply worn out.HistoryBoy's swimwear followed men's fashions in the 1940s. Form-fitting trunks with strategically placed seams and panels followed the trend for swimwear that was functional, sleek and streamlined. Belts and buckles were also often included in the design, primarily as a way of differentiating men's and boy's swimwear from undergarments.SignificanceThese swimming trunks are a rare example of boy's swimwear worn in Australia in the 1940s.