Measuring Swimwear 1920s

Measuring Swimwear 1920s

1920s

At this time there were still many cities and states that had laws that claimed that swimwear could not be more than 6 inches higher than the knee. In this picture you can see a city beach sensor actually using measuring tape to make sure the woman was not breaking the law. The material is also a lot thinner than previous bathing suits and capable of getting wet without soaking up all the water and becoming to heavy to effectively move around in the water. This is after the 1912 Olympics so by this time the world had become a bit more accustomed to understanding women and the idea of them competing in swimming. So as women become more accepted in this sport, the social norms that kept them all covered up began to relax a lot by this time. People understood that if a woman was going to compete in the Olympics she needed to train. And you cannot expect someone to train and succeed in a sport if they are forced to wear tons of layers of thick clothing that allow limited mobility and added weight.