Makayla White
In 1946, LIFE magazine documented Sam Shere captured the “indecent exposure” phenomenon at Rockaway Beach, New York. Women can be seen sunbathing in high-waisted two-pieces, men walking the boardwalk in only their shorts, and beachgoers unaware of police tickets for “indecent exposure.”
Swimming suits were considered “indecent” outside of the beach in 1946. In the early 1910s, most American seaside resorts had an ordinance requiring bathing suits to cover shoulders and extend to the knees. The ballooning dress for women and the close-fitting bathing suit for men was designed exclusively for bathing. Bathers needed to wash and change at the bathing establishment after they left the water.
The mid-1910s brought about a change in this situation due to a convergence of several factors. The women wore dark one-piece swimsuits extending to their hips to make swimming easier. The one-piece swimsuit for men was one such revolution that disrupted the established order. Annette Kellermann, a famous swimmer, known for her swimming achievements, was spotted wearing this new costume in 1907. The outfit became popular across the country. In addition, sunbathing was becoming popular among the middle and upper classes, which encouraged people to reveal more of their bodies.
Men in Atlantic City, New Jersey, were required to wear shirts at the beach or pool. The police could issue warrants for persons wearing bathing suits that were too short in 1922. They even employed “bathing suit” patrolmen who measured bathing suits to ensure they were the proper length. Back then, bathing suits were limited to 6 inches above the knee. Men wore swim trunks and no shirts to summer beach events in 1937.
In July 1946, French mechanical engineer Louis Read introduced the bikini. Women used to roll up the edges of their swimsuits to tan better, which inspired the bikini design. However, bikini sales did not take off quickly because women preferred traditional two-piece suits. Laws became less strict and more relaxed as two-piece bathing suits became more popular. The bikini trend grew slowly in popularity among upper-class European women. Bikinis became more popular in the 1960s because of Bond Girl, Ursula Andress’s scene in Dr. No emerging from the ocean in a white bikini.
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