Not too much has changed about a summer’s day spent on the Chesapeake- except, perhaps, for the bathing suits! Wool one-pieces like these worn by Virginia bathing beauties in 1910 were considered modest as well as “healthy” (the wool was thought to keep the swimmers warm). It’s no surprise, however, that drownings occurred frequently as a result of the voluminous costumes. 

While we may not always relish the imminent arrival of bathing suit season and the subsequent exposure of our winter-plumped figures, its clear that things have certainly changed for the better, where swim suits are concerned!

From the collections of the Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum. 

For more on the history and changing hemlines of the modern bathing suits, check out this great post by Consuming Cultures: http://bit.ly/1jH5Jl6