Theo St Mane

Censors, Swimsuits & Scandal Theo St Mane

From the late eighteenth to early twentieth centuries rigid attitudes about how people ought to look and act elevated the discussion of swimsuits and beach wear from fashion news to social maelstrom. The societal debate over who ought to wear what while bathing grew so contentious that some communities employed censors to patrol their beaches. Fines and time behind bars were real possibilities if one were caught exposing more than the recommended amount of skin. From horse drawn bathing machines to the rebellions of beach going flappers, this book offers opportunities to examine societal norms and conflicts around bathing costumes that may seem silly now, but are useful in reminding us that our current freedoms have come through the struggles of earlier generations, and that further progress is only possible when repressive attitudes and laws are challenged by everyday people.