Happy 60th Birthday Bikini, or perhaps 3,400?

Happy 60th Birthday Bikini, or perhaps 3,400?




July 5, 2006 marked th 60th anniversary of the bikini, invented by by French engineer Louis Reard and fashion designer Jacques Heim. It was introduced at the fashion show in Piscine Molitor in Paris in 1946.

The Bikini was named after the Bikini Atoll islands, a site of numerous nuclear atomic tests, on the assumption that the introduction of the swimsuit would create an atomic reaction. Jacques Heim had named the swimsuit the "Le Atome" in May of 1946. Louis Reard would split the "Atome" in half, but couldn't find anyone who'd wear it at the show. He ended up hiring a nude dancer from the Casino de Paris, Micheline Bernardini (above: right), as the model.

Reard and Heim noticed an immense interest in the two piece swimsuit as women were wearing them in Paris for more than a year. Life Magazine had documented the swimsuit in its July 9, 1945 issue. It would take another 15 years for the bikini to be accepted in the US and by early 1960 every woman was wearing it, thanks in part to Brigitte Bardot, Frankie Avalon and Annette Funicello, The Beach Boys and Brian Hyland's 1960 "Itsee Bitsy Teenie Weenie Yellow Polka Dot Bikini".

All this having being said, the bikini or two piece swimsuit has its origings dating as far back as 1400 BC. Many Greek Urns, murals and mosaics (photo: left) depict the two piece garment used by women for athletic competitions. Aristocratic women were wearing them to Greek and Roman baths, sunbathing or as part of relaxation in their villas. Although it was not a required garment for public baths (nude bathing was common practice then) many men and women wore the toga like outfit. The practice of swimming and bathing fell out of popularity after the fall of the Roman empire.

During the Middle Ages, public bathing was seen as an unchristian practice and thus shied upon. People did not bathe often. Although it was common for people to wash their hands and face, full body bathing was not practiced often. Rich people would bathe several times a year. Peasants would be expected to bathe twice in their lifetime, when they were born and when they died. Personal hygiene was non-existent. No one knew that germs could be spread by dirty hands.

Public bathing started to re-emerge in the 18th century as citizen began to flock the beaches and seaside resorts and amusement parks. The railroad was making it easier to travel and thus it became necessary for ladies to wear stylish garments for the ocation, known as bathing gowns (photo: right). The 19th century bought on the introduction of the two piece belted bathing garment which consisted of a top gown (photo: left) down to the knees and underpants that covered the lower part of the body.

The Early 1900 liberated women from skirts and gowns of earlier times and introduces the jersey sleeveless tank suits which resembled earlier models of men swimwear (1920's photo: right). The early 1900's swimwear were not much different that the clothes women wore on the streets, but one Australian swimming champion and film star nemed Annette Kellerman (photo: left), was invited by King Edward the VII to exhibit her swimming and diving skills at the London Bath Club, where at the shock of the audience, she introduced the alarming one piece swimsuit (photo: left). In 1907 she moved to the US and was arrested in Boston for indecent exposure for wearing the one piece swimsuit.

Today women wear various versions of the bikini: Thongs, T-back, G-string, Tankini, Bandini, Monokini (topless), Halter Bikini, V-kini. The bikini has become such an important aspect of modern western culture that variations of will be coming out for ever, or until full nudity becomes the modern norm. But then, a woman's body expression can't be appreciated as when viewed by wearing a bikini that has been with us for 3,400 years?