We may earn commission from links on this page, but we only recommend products we love. Promise. When thinking about "retro style," does the image of Betty Boop wearing a polka-dot bathing suit ...

In the early 1800s, the first swimsuits for women were known as “bathing costumes” — modest, full-coverage garments designed more for decency than comfort or function. As time went on, swimwear ...

Retro Stage offered the following summary as an introduction to the history behind the collection: "We begin in the 1930s, which marked the official transition from restrictive swim dresses to the ...

The sudden advancement in women’s swimwear is thanks to female athletes. Professional women swimmers complained that their suits slowed them down in the water. The streamlined silhouette created less ...