Women's Cole of California swimsuit
Maker
Cole of California
(American)
Date1950s
Object number00003364
NameSwimsuit
MediumCotton
DimensionsOverall: 650 x 415 mm, 0.25 kg
ClassificationsClothing and personal items
Credit LineANMM Collection
DescriptionMade in Australia in the 1950s by Cole of California, this floral print 'white collar girl' swimsuit features a shirred back, half skirt and decorative cuffed sweet heart neckline. The design incorporates a structured inbuilt bra and shoulder straps that fasten at the back with plastic buttons.HistoryIn the 1950s and early 1960s swimsuits and sunsuits were often shaped with paneling and built-in supports in order to create a curvaceous, ultra-feminine silhouette that emphasised the bust, waistline and hips. Known as a 'constructed' swimsuit, they were first developed by a Canadian designer, Rose Marie Reid, in the 1940s.
Various swimwear designers drew on engineering and corsetry technology incorporating internal wiring, padding and elastic panels to achieve a sculptured cantilevered bust over a pinched-in 'wasp' waist. This voluptuous look was championed by film sirens Brigitte Bardot, Jayne Mansfield, Jane Russell, Sophia Loren and Marilyn Monroe.
SignificanceThe swimsuit is representative of women's beachwear fashions in the 1950s.
1950s-1960s
