Boy's royal blue knitted woollen trunks
Maker
Seagull
Datec 1940
Object number00028062
NameSwimsuit
MediumWool, cotton, metal
DimensionsOverall: 285 x 250 x 20 mm, 0.1 kg
Clothing size: 24
Clothing size: 24
ClassificationsClothing and personal items
Credit LineANMM Collection
DescriptionThese ribbed wool Seagull Sunshine Fashion trunks follow the late 1930s fashion for boy's and men's swimwear that was topless and high waisted. The design incorporates a half skirt and a leg line on the upper thigh for modesty, and features double stripes down either side made from white cotton cord. The adjustable machine woven cotton webbing belt fastens with a double ring metal buckle.HistoryThough there had been a move towards topless suits throughout the 1930s in Australia and the United States, government regulations still promoted the one piece swimsuit for men. In 1935 the New South Wales Minister for Local Government, Hon. E.S. Spooner, announced dress regulations that stipulated men's swimsuits must have legs that covered at least three inches of the thigh and covered the front body up to the armpits and the back body up to the waist.
In the United States men were banned from wearing trunks without a top on public beaches until 1937. This sparked the development of convertible styles that permitted the top to be removed, such as the Topper in 1932. Belts and buckles were also often included in the design, primarily as a way of differentiating men's swimwear from undergarments.SignificanceThe trunks are representative of changes in boy's and men's swimwear design during the 1930s and 1940s
