... must say--even in the columns of _Frank Leslie's
Illustrated_--that they don't look very picturesque or pretty
when _a la Naiade_.... Rather limp, sacks tied in the middle,
eel-bottles, hydropathic coalheavers and "longshoremen," and
preternaturally dilapidated Bloomers, would appear to be the
ideals aimed at.[41] [fig. 11.]
[41] Loc. cit. (footnote 18).
This use of the term "Bloomers," referring to long full drawers or
trousers, is a reminder of how similar the 1855 bathing gown with
drawers (see fig. 8) was to the reform dress introduced in 1848 and worn
by Amelia Bloomer, the feminist, in 1852.
Despite the evident use of a new waistline treatment, the most popular
bathing costume of the 1870s, according to _Harper's Bazar_, continued
to feature the yoke blouse that reached at least to the knee. This
combination of blouse and skirt was held in position at the waist by a
belt. The high neck was finished with a sailor collar or a standing
pleated frill, while the long sleeves and full Turkish trousers,
buttoned on the side of the ankle, concealed the limbs. In 1873 a column
on New York fashions reported an effort to popularize short-sleeved,
low-throated suits then in favor at European bathing places and which
had been illustrated in the _Bazar_. Nevertheless, the writer hedged
this report by adding that
It is thought best, however, to provide an extra pair of long
sleeves that may be buttoned on or basted in the short puffs
that are sewn in the arm holes. Sometimes a small cape fastening
closely about the throat is also added.[42]
[42] "New York Fashions," _Harper's Bazar_ (July 19, 1873), vol. 6,
no. 29, p. 451.
Nevertheless, sketches of bathing scenes from the seventies indicate
that some American women wore even shorter sleeves and trousers than
those prescribed by the fashion magazines.
Linen and wool fabrics were both suggested in the 1840s, but by the
1870s flannel was most frequently used for bathing dresses, with serge
also being recommended. Navy blue, and to a lesser extent, white, gray,
scarlet, and brown were popular colors in checks as well as solid
colors trimmed with white, red, gray, or blue worsted braid.
[Illustration: Figure 10.--"HOW SHE WENT IN," from _Harper's Bazar_,
August 1870. (Smithsonian photo 61585A.)]
Bathing mantles or cloaks were worn to conceal the moist figure when
crossing the beach. These garments were made of Turkish toweling with
wide sleeves and hoods, and were so long as "to barely escape" the
ground.
In 1873 one good bathing cap was described as an oiled silk bag-crown
cap large enough to hold the hair loosely. The frill around the edge was
bound with colored braid. Many ladies preferred, however, to let their
hair hang loose and under a wide-brimmed hat of coarse straw tied down
on the sides to protect their skin from the sun (fig. 9).
Bathing shoes or slippers were generally worn when the shore was rough
and uneven. In 1871 manila sandals were worn, but the most functional
bathing shoes are said to have been high buskins of thick unbleached
cotton duck with cork soles. They were secured with checked worsted
braid. Two years later there were bathing shoes of white duck or sail
canvas with manila soles. Slippers for walking in the sand were "mules"
or merely toes and soles made of flannel, braided to match the cloak,
and sewn to cork soles.
Throughout this period the social aspect of bathing predominated over
the therapeutic goals and women were making a greater effort to
transform their bathing garments into attractive and functional outfits.
Motivated by the presence of men at the seashore and by the competition
with other women for masculine attention, ladies were more concerned
with the style of their bathing dresses and appropriate trimmings. Thus
bathing costume joined the ranks of other fashions described in women's
magazines.
[Illustration: Figure 11.--"HOW SHE CAME OUT," from _Harper's Bazar_,
August 1870. (Smithsonian photo 61585B.)]
Now that women were frolicking in the water rather than simply being
dunked several times, their costume became somewhat more functional.
Long trousers gave them greater freedom in the water although the skirts
which continued to be worn, tended to negate this improvement. Even as
early as the 1870s there were efforts to shorten sleeves and eliminate
high necklines. This trend to make bathing dress more practical
increased in momentum toward the end of the century.
[Illustration: Figure 12.--BATHING COSTUMES from a supplement to _The
Tailor's Review_, July 1895.
(_Courtesy of Library of Congress._)]