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Women's St Michael two piece swimsuit
Women's St Michael two piece swimsuit

Women's St Michael two piece swimsuit

Maker
Date1960s
Object number00016488
NameSwimsuit
MediumNylon
DimensionsOverall: 305 x 375 mm
Clothing size: 38 in
Clothing size: 40 in
ClassificationsClothing and personal items
Credit LineANMM Collection
DescriptionDesigned with high waisted pants and an in-built bra by St Michael in the United Kingdom, this two piece swimsuit was a modest adaptation of the swimwear fashions of the 1960s. Trimmed in white with an appliquéd flower embellishment sewn onto the external pocket on the right hip, the swimsuit was also fully lined. HistoryThe two piece swimsuit, made famous by movie 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 gained widespread popularity in the 1960s. 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 both hips.SignificanceThis garment is a representative example of a British bikini manufactured in the 1960s and worn in Australia.