1929 Beach Ensemble

Fabulous ad from 1929 featuring a wool jersey swimming suit, a bathing frock and beach pyjamas all for Bonwit Teller. The illustration is just magnificent and I hope you enjoy.

Fashionable Beach Swimwear & Cover Ups from 1965

Today we look at 1965 beach fashions of bold color and unusual designs.

Jantzens blazing dune bug stripe and polka dot two piece suit with accompanying cover up.




Jantzens black two piece black nylon midriff creation is called Net Profit.

Two piece hip rider suit by Cole features stunning orange and yellow flowers on a black background. Sleeved Ban-lon jersey outfit also includes a novel fish net coverall.

Coles' orange and yellow swimsuit features a stunning design taken from a Gauguin painting and is accompanied by a coyly seductive pareo, slit to the hip line.


Two piece sweater like swimsuit made of Acrilan off white cable knit with maillot trunks.

Sea B's bridal white lace bikini is paired with a transparent lace jacket which closes in the back.

Jantzens' Net Profit suit is my favorite, how about you?

Seaside Fashion - Towels for the Beach

Today we look a beach towels from 1956.

In addition to seaweed and sun soakers, next summers shores will be strewn with oversized towels with far fetched designs. Printed with everything from mummies to mermaids, the towels offer the sunbather a gaudy background and a good excuse for starting up conversations in the sand.

Turkish toweling, a two faced cotton fabric that is woven with loops on both sides, got it's start and it's name over a century ago when it was worn in that country for clothing. It has been used by American designers for occasional robes and beach dresses in solid colors but this seasons newest styles are being made in widely patterned stripes and checks to be worn with the new plain black swimsuits. Most of the towels measure 36" x 72".

Beach Middy - made of heavy striped toweling with loose turtleneck (Betty Metcalf $30) is worn with straw hat with band of flowers.

Imitation Burnoose, made of striped cotton lined with toweling (Helena Rubenstein $70.) can also be spread out on sand as a beach towel.

A Seaside Serape consists of a giant checkerboard pattern which is wrapped around the wearer and secured with straw beach hat.

Strapless dress made of boldly striped terrycloth and cinched with elastic belt (Mary Blair $18.) is worn with standard towel twisted around head.

Identical stripes which appear on cotton bathing suit (Cabana $18) and fringed towel (Wamsutta $10) match up swimmer to her spot in the sun.

So how about you, how do you re-purpose or use your beach towel?

There's GOLD in Those Panties!!!

This is one of the most beautiful confections I have ever seen and I wanted to share this with you my dear readers, as it must be worth it's weight in GOLD!!! Made from Dupont tricot nylon with 24 kt gold and Chantilly lace the manufacturer (Vanity Fair) advises against dry cleaning.

This Vanity Fair 'Cloth of Gold' panties and bra set is fairly rare and part of the higher end 'Conversation Pieces' line that was introduced in the mid 1950s. The label has the Vanity Fair logo in script which is embroidered in gold.

Then there is the luxury alluring fabric. The fabric consists of Vanity Fair nylon tricot that has been impregnated with 24kt gold. Despite the layer of gold the fabric remains soft, supple and drapable.

This line also consisted of a theatre slip, nightgowns, peignoir sets and these panties and briefs. They were offered in different fabric combinations; either with the all over gold as seen above, or with a base of black or white tricot with the gold applied stencil fashion throughout the Chantilly lace. There were also combinations of gold fabric appliqued or overlaid with Chantilly lace sometimes combined with sheer layers of nylon tricot in black over black or white over pink.

These Vanity Fair 'conversation pieces' were offered in sizes from 32-38 and were priced at $12.95 - $99.95, that's a whopping $105.00 - $805.00 in today's dollar. I'd say those are worth their weight in gold! This set is being offered on EBAY right now, I'll be watching.

UPDATE: Sold for $380.