Flickr Favourites: June 20, 2014

{Young woman modeling a two-piece swim suit in Tampa, Florida ~ State Library and Archives of Florida}


{King of the castle ~ Kirstyxo}


{Boardwalk Camera early 1930s ~ PLCjr}


{1953 Le Petit Echo de la Mode cover ~ april-mo}


{Bathing Beauties 2 ~ I'm so vintage}


{Starfish at the beach ~ Laura Jarman}


{Swimming 1940s ~ dianecordell}


{1949 Kodak Color Film Ad ~ Classic Film}


{Eleanor Tierney at Starlight Park ca. 1921 ~ syscosteve}


{Nora Carrol and Lois Duncan Steinmetz: Sarasota, Florida ~ State Library and Archives of Florida}

{All images above are from Flickr. To learn more about a specific image, please click on its title to be taken to its respective Flickr page.}

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There was a certain unmistakable magic to the first swim of the summer when we were growing up. Brave, with the sort of hearty gusto and disposition that only the earliest days of youth affords most, we'd sometimes plunge into the water in May (there may have even been one time we dared to do so in April), icicles all but forming on our eyebrows as we did. The air might have had almost-summer warmth to it, but the water temperature was still far more inline with the bone chilly days of winter.

Nevertheless, we'd put our brave faces, egging each other on to see who would dip their whole body underneath first, our small hands growing progressively more blue with each passing minute. Inevitably, at least when we were still young enough to require an adult to be present when we went to the beach, someone's mom or dad, if not my own, would always stand safely back from the shoreline and shout out, "Okay, kids, that's about enough, you don't want to get catch your death of a cold from that freezing water!", and we'd pretend to leave the lake's cool embrace far more begrudgingly than we really were (in addition to knowing full well, at least by a certain age, that you don't actually catch a cold simply from being cold).

We knew it we might as well have been using icebergs as air mattresses and that it would be a few more weeks still until one could safely venture into the water without needing a narwhal's body composition to stay warm while doing as much. And so we'd wait, as the days on the calendar ticked by, not only on the school year (which always let out us for us at the very end of June), but also on Penticton's two lakes (Okanagan and Skaha) to reach the kind of temperature where we could frolic and splash around until we were wrinkled like raisins, happily exhausted, and ready to retire to our waiting sun-kissed beach towels before getting a second wind and racing headlong into the gentle surf once more.

If the spring had been a particularly warm and favourable one, that usually started being able to happen right around this time of the year. Sometimes it might take a little longer, say closer to Canada Day, but by mid-June, you could almost always find at least a handful of robust souls in swimwear inching their way into the lake, that telltale look of surprise over the water's true temperature registering on their face from a mile away. It is the memory of those first swims of the year as a child that spurred on the visual inspiration for today's Flickr Favourites post and which has been on my mind frequently as of late.

Though, for many years now because of my health, I've not been able to much in the way of swimming, I still eagerly anticipate this time of the year, when I'll do a little wading or floating on my back in the water, before setting up camp on the beach and enjoying watching today's generation of children barrel across the sand and leap into the gentle waves. The sound of motorboats humming in the distance, jet skis bobbing noisily closer to shore, and the squeals of excitement coming from young and young at heart alike as they splash merrily in the waves.

In a few more week's time, when the dog days of summer are biting at our heels once more, both lakes will take on a near-bathwater warm quality that's hard to match anywhere else in this country (which is a large part of the reason that Penticton and the Okanagan as a whole has always been such an immensely popular Canadian summer tourist destination). A quality which, I swear, is all the more true if you're game for going for a night swim. This was something else that I sincerely adored doing as a youngster, when I'd paddle out a hundred feet or so from the beach and lay on my back, the rhythmic waves almost hypnotizing me into a zen-like state of serenity as stared up at the twinkling neon lights from all the motels and restaurants on the other side of the street.

These are the kinds of memories that endear summer to our heart and make us nothing short of gleeful to see it return once more, whether we'll be doing much actual swimming this year or not, and which will always help make the return of the warmest season every bit as fun and exciting as those ice cold plunges into the lake that we enjoyed so very much as children.

The kind of vintage piece that pipe dreams are made of

Perhaps it's the pale-as-concrete colour palette nature's been sporting lately, the -20C temps (with the wind chill factored in), or the snowdrifts so high you half expect to see a penguin come sliding down them. Whatever the reason, I think that most of us (in those parts of the western hemisphere that endure winter's icy wrath) start to get a certain jonesing right about this time year for summer's return.

I don't mean a quaint spring day spent amongst the tulips in May or June, no, I mean the full-on, toast your skin in a flash, soul sizzling heat of the dog days of summer, say around the end of July, when the sun is as golden as a nugget and the world is alive with a million rainbow's worth of vibrancy.

Of course, naturally enough, when that time of the year does roll around once more, we'll sit there pining for this very cold, very snowy second half of winter again. Such is human nature. Perhaps more than what the weather is up to these days, it was was the spotting a vintage bathing suit ad a while back that suddenly had me yearning for summer's fiery embrace, and more over, for the swimsuit in the ad itself!

You know those vintage items that you spot somewhere, instantly fall in love with, and just as quickly understand that you have a snowball's chance of ever coming even remotely close to tracking them down? I'm a huge glass-half-full kind of gal, but I'm also a major realist, so I completely grasp that my hopes of every tracking down one of these amazing suits (in my size) is very, very slim.

Nevertheless, a girl can fantasize - and hope that maybe, just maybe, by posting about said swimsuit, someone out there in the vast reaches of the interwebs will one day come across one of these suits (if I don't spot it first) and let me know.

Without further ado, may I present fellow Vancouver born gal Yvonne De Carlo sporting what may very well be my favourite vintage bathing suit of all time, Rose Marie Reid's "Canadiana".

{Image source}

To many this may just seem like a cute novelty print suit, but to this red-as-a-maple leaf blooded canuck, who utterly adores vintage fashion and vintage Canadiana, this is the kind of garment that patriotic meets sartorial dreams are made of (and I love it all the more because the designer, Rose Marie Reid, was herself a Canadian).

I have an eBay keyword search on various possible names for this garment, and have checked etsy and a few vintage other online vintage shops numerous times, but haven't unearthed one of these stellar First Nations imagery covered swimsuit yet, and doubt I will anytime soon (if ever). Still, I'm not one to be deterred and part of me loves that I have a new vintage holy grail to try and track down.

It might not be in time for this coming summer or even the next, but if this bathing suit is out there in my size, I like to think that one - perhaps very distant - day I'll find it and get to bring it home to live alongside my vintage winter coats, always ready and waiting for the summer’s glorious return (just like me!).

A lovely look at the history of vintage swimwear

✯ Day 220 of Vintage 365 ✯

 

For various reasons (not being a jet-set millionaire definitely being one of them ), it's been a long time - far longing than I care to admit, actually, since I last frolicked around at the beach.

Chalk it up to poor health, living away from bodies of water, and a hectic life. Yet, these excuses really don't seem to cut it any more. I miss swimming a great deal (I'm very allergic to chlorine, so I can't use chlorinated public pools and Toronto, to the best of my knowledge, does not have any public salt water pools unfortunately), and wish dearly that I could blink my eyes, tap my heels, and suddenly find myself on a tropic beach somewhere gorgeous, the ocean lapping at my ankles.

Alas though, as the fan whirls in my ear and the constant rush of city traffic roars past below my balcony, I know that such a dreamy vacation is just that, a dream for the time being. Nevertheless, even if (like me) you're not en route to the Caribbean, Mediterranean or Riviera right now, a gal can still have fun thinking about what kinds of vintage swimsuits she's wear to the beach if she was suddenly standing in the sand.

 

 

For a quick, yet thoroughly delightful overview of the history of swimsuits as they evolved through the first decades of the twentieth century to help bolster your vintage bathing suit inspiration file, be sure to check out one of Glamourdaze most recent Youtube videos, a look back at vintage swimwear.

The styles seen in this lovely clip run the gamut from gamine to vixen. Some are relatively modest, others full-on pin-up girl worthy beguiling, leaving just a hint to the imagination.

All, however, share in common the fact that they are beautiful, well-tailored, elegant, becoming, feminine, and marvellously appealing. Whether you prefer one pieces of the 1920s and 30s, or go gaga for flirty 40s two piece suits, these examples of yesteryear swimwear are exceedingly easy to swoon over.

As I sit here, the hours of another beach-less summer day ticking past, I can't help but feel refreshed by this wonderful vintage swimwear video, which has made me even more determined to get to the beach next summer!

Whether you're diving into the lake every day, just get a few hours at the each summer, or have your own backyard pool to splash around in any time you please, I hope that you enjoy this charming look back at the history of bathing ensembles as much as I did. Here’s to hoping we all make to the beach a whole lot sooner than later!

Swim into spring's bright colour trend with this knock-out vintage swimsuit

✯ Day 93 of Vintage 365 ✯

 

Fashion trends are not something that, by and large, I do not follow (preferring to match to my own sartorial drum) in the sense of wearing them, and yet I very much enjoy staying abreast of what's transpiring in the world of style. While I say that I don't prance along with most modern styles - and indeed that's certainly the case - sometimes it's wonderfully fun to incorporate certain "of the moment" elements into your wardrobe, no matter what your decades you favour dressing from.

Trends can remind you of elements of fashion, art, and history that you love. For example, colour - bright, riotous, cheerful colour - is having a glistening moment in the spotlight this season, and who amongst us doesn't enjoy injecting a good hit of a lovely hue into their closet sometimes? Neutrals and dark shades are important wardrobe players, but sometimes you truly need the burst of mood-elevating happiness that colour can bring into your day.

Two shades in particular that are being heralded as smash hits for spring and summer 2011, coral (which was wonderfully popular in the 1950s) and alluring royal blue, are really calling my name at the moment. I went hunting this week for vintage and pieces in these colours to help inspire my looks this spring and chanced upon one the prettiest vintage reproduction bathing suits I've seen in ages.

 

Hailing from the Ester Williams line of swimwear (yes, that Esther Williams!), this super chic one piece swimsuit is cut from a sensual midnight-esque royal blue velvet-like material (made of 80% nylon, 20% spandex), features a tummy control power netting in the front, is fully lined, and is free of any any wire (which one does sometimes find in vintage - and modern - swimwear).

This timeless, pin-up worthy halter neck bathing suit is wildly elegant - it's the sort of dazzling piece that you could easily image instantly imagine Marilyn Monroe, Rita Hayworth, or certainly the beautiful Esther Williams herself posing gracefully in - and would work well on a wide range of different figure types (thanks in no small part to its wonderfully tailoring and flattering rouching).

If you're in the mood to add a new pop of colour to your wardrobe this season, and this marvellous suit (which is available in British ladies sizes 8 - 16) is beckoning your name, you can pick it up from online UK vintage clothing retailer Deadly is the Female for £65.00.

One-piece swimsuits are the only kind I wear, and this is precisely the colour, cut and 1950s style of bathing costume I'd reach for if I needed a new beach look this summer. After all, while modern styles may not be my cup of tea, I adore gorgeous colours like this that will truly never go out of style! :)

Vintage 365: It's never too early to go vintage bathing suit shopping!

✯ Day 46 of Vintage 365 ✯

It's the middle of February in Canada, this means that we're still trudging through the dark, dreary depth of winter (though to it's credit, the sun has finally started sticking around a smidge longer in the evening - which is awesome because it means my darling hubby no longer arrives home in the pitch black!), and the glorious return of summer feels as though its eons away (it's not, of course, but there's only so much snow one's mind can take before it starts forgetting how to even spell summer - let alone what it felt like!).

Recently my wonderful sister had the chance to escape the doom and gloom of winter and spend a few days in the tropics (lucky gal!), which naturally enough, suddenly had me pining for a Caribbean holiday of my own. While that's not in the cards at moment (drat and double drat!), there's nothing stopping me from daydreaming about a sun-kissed beach, miles of coconut and palm trees as far as the eye can see, and the kind of ultra cute vintage swimwear I'd want to toss in my luggage if I was jetting off on a mid-winter vacation.

Actually, for those looking to grow the size of their bathing suit collection (and/or replace any that no longer fit/are too far-gone to use for another season), the off-season can be a stellar time to go shopping (a lot less people are looking for swimwear in February than in July!), whether online or in person.

 

While putting together my (fantasy) beach wardrobe on etsy recently (got to love the "add item to favourites" button!), I chanced upon one of the most darling 1950s swimsuits I've seen in a long time. Bursting with an absolutely beautiful, immensely charming pink and green rose print pattern, this darling vintage bathing suit is such a special gem of a piece.

I love how the bottom is cut a big longer (almost like a pair of short shorts) and that this great one piece swimsuit can be worn strapless, if so desired (you could also very easily slip a pair of short, pants, or a skirt over it and turn it into an adorable summer top).

Measuring in at 34 inches in both the bust and waist, and 39 inches at the hips, this playful, delightfully girly number (which is available for $84.00 from etsy seller Swanee Grace) would look amazing whether worn on a tropical beach, the deck of a cruise ship, while lounging around the hotel pool, or even as you catch a few rays in your very own back yard!

Fabulous vintage inspired Jantzen Heritage Collection swimsuits

Perhaps it’s because if the pounding rain out there keeps up, we may soon find it easier to swim around town, or maybe it’s because I’ve been housebound most days for quite a stretch now, either way, my thoughts this grey afternoon have turned to all manner of warm, delightful summer activities.

Undeniably one of the most enjoyable things to do once the temperature starts to skyrocket, is make a quick beeline to the nearest body of water (be it a lake, ocean, river, or outdoor pool) as a means of at least trying to stay cool. Though it’s been a fair number of years since I last had the pleasure of gracing a shoreline (or pool’s edge), I still enjoy the fun of admiring beautiful bathing suits, which I then often daydream about wearing to some far-flung tropical destination (or, failing that, either one of the two lakes in my hometown out in B.C.).

Recently I got wind of the fact that famed swimwear brand Jantzen is celebrating their 100th anniversary this year, an event that’s been marked by the release of several swimsuits modelled after patterns that were used by the company in decades past. This charming homage to the past translates into several absolutely smashing bathing suit designs, all of which are meant to capture the spirit of the early to mid twentieth century.

Dubbed the Heritage Collection, these new suits do a wonderful job of conjuring up thoughts of yesteryear bathing beauties thanks to their classic, feminine lines and flirty details.

Jantzen is one of the most iconic names in swimwear. Their styles once graced many a fashion magazine’s pages (both as part of spreads and via ads) as well as the bodies of countless real world women, too. To this day many who appreciate the elegance and beauty of a well made, stylish bathing costume remain loyal Jantzen fans – and as the Heritage Collection shows, it’s clear to see why.

Below are some of the stylish suits in this striking collection – any one of which most of us would love to sport come the dog days of summer (or while on vacation to some marvellously sun-kissed destination any time of the year).



{This darling emerald green one-piece conjures up thoughts of glamorous Hollywood starlets and stylish women of yesteryear sunning themselves around the pool, a cold drink never far from sight. Vamp Maillot bathing suit, $98.00 US.}



{For those who dare to bear nearly all, this playful and alluring two piece is sure to set hearts aflutter when you stroll past looking gorgeous as the summer is hot! 1930-1940 Bandeau Top and Skirted Bottom bikini set, $146.00 US.}



{Sleek and evocative of how women’s fashions in the distant future were sometimes viewed during the fifties, this shirred gunmetal hued suit features a removable halter neck strap and a ruffle bedecked neckline, both of which add to the enticing vixen appeal of this shimmery number. 1950-1960 Maillot swimsuit, $120.00 US.}



{Bright and blissful as the most azure of seas, this classically tailored bathing suit would look excellent on an array of figure types, skin tones, and alongside hair colours of nearly every shade. Pleated Solids Maillot swimdress, $106.00 US.}


These lovely Jantzen suits fall into what I consider to be the midway price range for swimwear these days. While their prices are not exactly bargain basement, they’re also not steep enough to cause complete sticker stock either. And with a month or two to go until summer really swings into high gear (well, in some parts of the world at least – including, by the look of things at the moment, Toronto!), it means that if any of these bathing suits is really beckoning you, you still have a bit of time to save up it.

While I found the examples above on Dilliards.com (which seems to have most styles in various ladies sizes), I’ve also spotted Jantzen swimwear on sites such as swimoutlet.com and Overstock.com, and am now curious is any of the larger departments stores (or swimwear specialty shops) are stocking them up here in Canada.

Though I’ve never worn a Jantzen myself, when my mind starts to wander to those summery daydreams in which I’m nestled up on a pearl hued beach, a warm breeze rustling through my hair, it’s suits in styles like these that I envision myself in. Are these gorgeous vintage inspired bathing suits also the sort that you can easily imagine yourself wearing?

From one lover of vintage style to another, happy anniversary, Jantzen, here’s to your next hundred years!