Hi, everyone! I’m off to the Malice Domestic Convention this weekend, reveling in the multitude of panel discussions of murder and mayhem, including the latest poisons that Luci Zahray, otherwise known as “the Poison Lady” has to share with us (over lunch, LOL). In addition, I’m looking forward to meeting cozy mystery writers galore, and mingling/ networking/chatting about all the books we love. Rumor has it that there will be food and libations involved, too.
But I’ll miss you! While I’m gone, here’s a post from last spring, about Victorian bathing suits. Enjoy!
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The Land’s End catalog arrived in my mailbox yesterday. Why is that noteworthy? Because it’s the issue that, each spring, strikes fear in the heart of every female who’s been stuffing her pie-hole with Doritos while parked on the sofa watching re-runs of “The Office” all winter long:
Swimwear Headquarters
…is now open!
Uh-oh. Give me a minute to wipe the powdered donut sugar from my hands and lace on my sneakers. It’s time for a run.
Before we all panic and rush to our closets to see if our swimsuits still fit, let me take you back to a time when it didn’t matter if you were sharing a beach with stretch-mark-free twenty-somethings who badly needed a sandwich. A time when you didn’t need SPF 95, or whatever number they’ve gotten up to by now.
The Victorian Period
See? It’s all about the layers. Layers hide a multitude of sins, making modern tummy control panels and underwires seem amateurish by comparison. And skin cancer? No problemo – these women didn’t want a tan. No self-respecting lady of leisure went out in the sun without a hat and an umbrella. The farmer’s-wife-look wasn’t very popular among the middle-class set back then.
Okay, just to reassure you that I haven’t gone completely ’round the bend, I’ll admit there are some drawbacks if we were to adopt this look today. Especially for you surfer girls. No way could you hang ten in one of these get-ups. And a rip tide? Forget it – your water-sodden skirts would take you on a quick cruise to meet your Maker.
The outfits look hot, too (and no, not hot like the Lands End girls). However, compared to a Victorian woman’s everyday clothes, these outfits no doubt felt very freeing.
Okay, nostalgia trip is over. We can all rush to our closets now. So that’s where I left my thighmaster…
So, what are your feelings about the upcoming swimsuit season? Do you find additional motivation to take better care of yourself? What sights on the beach make you cringe or laugh? I’d love to hear from you!
Until next time,
Kathy
I’m ok as long as I can find swim shorts and long torso tankinis. Land’s End is good for that. But I always want to be like the women in the pictures. . . . Airbrushed. Thanks for a fun post. 🙂
I like to think they’re airbrushed, too! Mine would take a lot more photoshopping, though. 🙂
Thanks for stopping by and leaving a comment!
Super fun post, Kathy.
I often tell myself that it’s ok to no longer look like I did when I was 17. (I’m almost 49 now) But I REALLY wish I did! I don’t know if it’s vanity,wishful thinking, or both.
Ooh, I know what you mean! And back when I was 17, I wasn’t happy with how I looked, which now seems such a waste. (Youth is wasted on the young?)
Sometimes, though, when I study what people long ago went through in their day-to-day lives, I’m grateful that everything still works and not much of it hurts, LOL.
Thanks for commenting, Georgeanna. Great to have you visit.
Excellent article and easy to understand explanation. How do I go about getting permission to post part of the article in my upcoming news letter? Giving proper credit to you the author and link to the site would not be a problem.
Use the whole post if you’d like. Other bloggers have done the same for me on occasion.
Happy to help, and glad you liked it!
Cheers,
Kathy
I had missed this one before! Glad you reposted it. I can’t imagine trying to swim in those. However, I’m not too keen about swimsuit makers these days either. I’m happy that swim skirts and board shorts have made an appearance because I hate tugging on a swimsuit all day at the beach or pool.
Hubby often reminds me that in 10 years, I’ll look back and wish I had THIS body to ROCK out to…so I channel that and let it all hang out! LOL!!
Hope the weekend convention rocked. Loved that you were having lunch with the poison lady…WAHAHAHA!!!