2015 Swimsuit Edition

This article was scraped from Rochester Subway. This is a blog about Rochester history and urbanism has not been published since 2017. The current owners are now publishing link spam which made me want to preserve this history.. The original article was published June 25, 2015 and can be found here.

Vintage swimwear. Rochester NY. [IMAGE: Albert R. Stone]

By Mike Governale

School's out, Sea Breeze is open, and summer is officially in full swing. But before you head out to the beaches this weekend, take note of the latest trends in swimwear. You don't want to be caught looking silly wearing last year's style.

For 2015, that vintage look is back, and we've dug up some real classics - from Rochester's old natatoriums to the shores of Lake Ontario...

Vintage swimwear. Rochester NY. [IMAGE: Rochester Public Library, Local History Division]

We begin at Crescent Beach, August 25, 1911. These two young ladies are dressed to kill in their early 20th century swimsuits. Hot hot hot. Literally. I'm sweating bullets just looking at these gals.

Let's head to the Sea Breeze pier for a slightly more relaxed look, circa 1915. Our models here are playing coy with the camera, but the chemistry between these two is palpable.

You know, nothing says summertime like a bathing cap and white belt. That's a powerful combination.

These lovely ladies are posing on a slide at Ontario beach, circa 1920. Ok girls, show me playful!

Boys will be boys... trying to catch the young ladies' attention by showing off their giant ball chasing abilities.

These gals are posing at the annual city swim meet at Trout Lake in Seneca Park.

Our swimsuit photo shoots always draw a crowd of onlookers. Scores of eager young lads are lined up on all six levels of the diving tower on Trout Lake to catch a glimpse of the action (August 23, 1914). Ok boys, put your tongues back in your mouths. Let's show a little composure.

Mabel Zimmer is the 1918 "fancy diving" champion. She poses here in a revealing little number. Her knit pants and dark, wrinkled stockings are all business - but that knit top with plunging neckline says "beach party!" Freda Hellenschmidt, wearing a flowered dressing gown, stands in the doorway to the left.

Freda's no slouch either. She's the 100-yard swim champion. She poses (above) in a conservative, one-piece knit bathing suit and wears a tight-fitting bathing cap. Her flowered dressing gown lies on the threshold of the doorway.

Who says the guys can't show off their junk, err, stuff too? The Loeser brothers, swimming champions since their early boyhood, took the 1st and 2nd places in their swim contest. Arthur, on the left, was the winner; Oscar, on the right, took second place. August 21, 1920.

Here's our cover shot! Salome McGregor (above) poses in a swimsuit and bathing cap typical of the early 1920s. Look at those legs. She will break you.

This shot was a close runner up for the cover. Our model sports a sleeveless, knee-length dress over below-the-knee trousers. Her large, gathered bathing cap has rosettes over each ear. And just in case you thought swimsuit modeling was easy work, this outfit weighs 15 to 20 pounds when wet. No joke.

Don't want to look like you're trying too hard? Our model here rocks a casual, yet smart ensemble. The straps on her oversized knit tunic have been knotted up to shorten them, leaving a large loop of fabric under her arms. She wears dress shoes with cuban heels and dark stockings rolled down to her knees.

On August 27, 1922 the Rochester Herald called this woman's style "extreme". We agree... extremely stunning! The newspaper went on to say that her style is "all right if the beach censor isn't looking". Don't worry girl... we won't tell

And now, this year's swimsuit models get together for a final group shot...