The bikini story
The summer swimming was the favourite entertainment of the ancient people. But of course it is difficult to talk about the beach fashion of that time. At that time people were bathing either without any clothes at all or in the underwear that was not adapted for swimming at all.
Some of Roman wall paintings show women wearing something similar to bikini, but this tradition was forgotten very fast. And the next several years women were bathing in the long white chemise as the moral values of that time prohibited to show the body and to bath with men.
The appearance of the special swimming suit refers to the middle of 19th century when swimming was considered to be not only the entertainment but also the activity good for the health. This costume also had the special hat and shoes.
In the end of 19th and the beginning of 20th centuries the swimsuit became more practical and shorter and gloves, hats, shoes disappeared at all. In the beginning of 20th century the necked fashion appears and becomes popular very fast.
The revolution in the swimsuits fashion took place after the World War II when people got to know the phenomenon of "bikini" that consisted of the thin bra and very short panties. And the first model to demonstrate bikini was the dancer of one of the Paris clubs. She put on the bikini without any hesitations impressing even the most risky women of the whole world.