Swimwear, Lord & Taylor 1879

[booksandcheeses.livejournal.com]

Because it isn't proper swimwear unless you're wearing yards of heavy woolen fabric.

I love reading about swimming "culture" (for lack of a better word) from this time!

Comments

[bookgirlwa.livejournal.com]

Drowning suits, with all of that fabric...

[whoseline_wlsc]

Wow that couldn't have been comfortable.

[pbrim.livejournal.com]

Drowning? A decent woman wouldn't venture that far from her Bathing Machine (http://www.shellbellestikihut.com/2009/07/vintage-beach-photos-bathing-machines.html). Waist deep is as far as you need to get, and there would be a rope to the machine to hang onto.

[ms-hissyfit.livejournal.com]

Considering that Lord & Taylor's are this season's sponsor for Project Runway's "Accessory Wall" this add really intrigues me. I really hope they are supplying these fancy hats for the contestants styling needs. This could be fabulous!

[roeskva]

I wonder if this would be dangerous? All that wool, getting wet - must be pretty heavy to swim in.

[singeaddams.livejournal.com]

I would have risked the danger and gone swimming. Otherwise the heat from the sun and the sand would have baked me alive underneath all that wool.

[herself_nyc]

I don't think beachgoers actually swam in those days. They went in and maybe bobbed around, holding onto a rope.

At least in those suits they didn't have to worry as much about sunburn.

[batgurl10.livejournal.com]

I always wonder how all that fabric felt when wet? Oo. gotta have been horrible. LOL. love all these old bathing suit ads! <3

[pikkewyntjie.livejournal.com]

Seeing these suits reminds me of The Awakening when Edna ditches her itchy swimming suit and discovers the freedom of swimming in the nude. Shame she couldn't have enjoyed it more.

[bradygirl_12]

It looks like they're dressed for winter!

[1geek-queen.livejournal.com]

My thoughts exactly.

[laplor.livejournal.com]

I thought at first that it was a skiing scene!