The Bath Corporation official bathing dress code of 1737 prescribed, for women: Those who did not swim in the nude, stripped to their underwear. In rivers, lakes, streams and the sea men swam in the nude, where the practice was common. It is Ordered Established and Decreed by this Corporation that no Male person above the age of ten years shall at any time hereafter go into any Bath or Baths within this City by day or by night without a Pair of Drawers and a Waistcoat on their bodies. For example, the Bath Corporation official bathing dress code of 1737 prescribed, for men: In the United Kingdom until the mid-19th century there was no law against nude swimming, and each town was free to make its own laws. The bathing gown in the 18th century was a loose ankle-length full-sleeve chemise-type gown made of wool or flannel, so that modesty or decency was not threatened. The Gentlemen have drawers and wastcoates of the same sort of canvas, this is the best linning, for the bath water will Change any other yellow. The Ladyes go into the bath with Garments made of a fine yellow canvas, which is stiff and made large with great sleeves like a parson’s gown the water fills it up so that it is borne off that your shape is not seen, it does not cling close as other linning, which Lookes sadly in the poorer sort that go in their own linning. Celia Fiennes gave a detailed description of the standard ladies' bathing costume in 1687: It would appear that until the 1670s nude female bathing in the spas was the norm and that after that time women bathed clothed. 17th century įemale bathing costumes were derived from those worn at Bath and other spas. In the Renaissance, swimming and outdoor bathing were discouraged in the Christian West and there was little need for swimwear. The end of the era saw more restrictions placed on bathing attire. Contemporary illustrations depict men and women bathing together, either nude, or with cloth wrapped around the groin. The Middle Ages saw a resurgence in bathing, both in indoor bathhouses and open air, and was largely still without clothing. a loincloth such as the Japanese man's fundoshi. In various cultural traditions one swims, if not in the nude, in a version in suitable material of a garment or undergarment commonly worn on land, e.g. All classical pictures of swimming show nude swimmers. However, there is no evidence that they were used for swimming. There are Roman murals which show women playing sports and exercising wearing two-piece suits covering the areas around their breasts and hips in a fashion remarkably similar to the present-day bikini. In classical antiquity swimming and bathing were done naked. Since then, swimwear for women has become increasingly more scanty and form-fitting, and the use of high-tech materials has become more common. Since the early 20th century, swimming came to be regarded as a legitimate leisure activity or pastime and clothing made specifically for swimming became the norm. In the Victorian era swimwear was of a style of outer clothing of the time, which were cumbersome and even dangerous in the water, especially in the case of dress-style swimwear for women. In the Renaissance, swimming was strongly discouraged, and into the 18th century swimming was regarded as of doubtful morality, and had to be justified on health grounds. In classical antiquity and in most cultures, swimming was either in the nude or the swimmer would merely strip to their underwear. The history of swimwear traces the changes in the styles of men's and women's swimwear over time and between cultures, and touches on the social, religious and legal attitudes to swimming and swimwear. Swimmers depicted in the satirical magazine Le Suprême Bon Ton.
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