Bikinis in the United States, from 1946 to the 1960s

Abstract

Bikini, a brief two-piece bathing suit revealing the wearer's navel, was first introduced in Paris, in 1946. However, it was not until the late 1950s that Americans were ready to adopt bikinis. Therefore, I focused on the following research questions to understand the popularization process of bikinis in the United States, from 1946 to the 1960s: 1. Why were Americans initially hesitant to adopt the bikini? 2. What were the factors that influenced the popularization of the bikini among Americans in the late 1950s? Primary sources including Bazaar. Madmoiselle, Vogue, The New York Times, and Life were reviewed. I referred to secondary sources on the history of fashion and American popular culture to interpret primary sources. According to the primary sources, Americans were hesitant to adopt the bikini, partly due to the excessive demand on the wearer's figure. However, the conservative social atmosphere during Cold War would not accept immorality and obscenity which would threaten America's future. Therefore, the campaigns against the sex industry, which developed prominently after WWII, predominated American society during the 1950s. Under this atmosphere, a small number of pictures and articles on bikinis appeared in the primary sources. Bikinis were only found in advertisements including sun lotions and hair removers. However, American society had to accept the change in sexual mores by the end of the 1930s. Body-revealing fashions including miniskirts, hot pants, and see-through material reflected the change in social convention. By the end of the 1950s, the number of pictures and articles on bikinis also began to increase in the primary sources. More Americans adopted bikinis with the increasing number of private pools and European trips. The vogue of sun-tanning and movies featuring bikinis further contributed to their popularity in the late 1930s and into the 1960s.

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