Women's paisley print St Michael bikini
Date1960s
Object number00016485
NameSwimsuit
MediumCotton, rayon
DimensionsOverall: 245 mm
Clothing size: 34 in
Clothing size: 37 in
ClassificationsClothing and personal items
Credit LineANMM Collection
DescriptionMade in the United Kingdom by St Michael, this terry toweling paisley print bikini is fully lined with a built-in padded underwire bra. Paisley inspired prints were popular during the 1960s. As the decade progressed colours became more exuberant, and the floral motifs became bigger and bolder.HistoryThe two piece swimsuit, made famous by starlets such as Ava Gardner, emerged during the war time years of the 1940s. Its modest design was a fabric saving necessity. The two piece of this period usually covered the naval, unlike the more daring bikini that was to gain widespread popularity in the 1960s.
First designed in 1946, the bikini marked a reaction to the constraints of the heavily structured swimsuits popular in the 1940s and 1950s. It represented freedom and fun. The release of beach movies such as 'Gidget' and 'How to Stuff a Wild Bikini' during this period also played their part in inspiring a following.
In the 1960s French fashion designers introduced the string bikini. This style was briefer than the bikinis of the 1950s, with string ties at the halter neck and the hips.
SignificanceThis garment is a representative example of a British bikini manufactured by St Michael and worn in Australia in the 1960s.
