Historic Happy Hour
July 21
5pm
For so many, a day at the beach is an artform.
It’s all about preparedness. Packing all the essentials for the kids and the adults, getting an early enough start to stake a claim on prime beach real estate, and then pacing yourself to survive several hours in the sun.
But for some it starts weeks, maybe even months, earlier when they pick out the latest trends in sunny weather swimsuits.
Beachwear, like most fashion, has always been a reflection of its time. In the late 1800s and early part of the 20th century, tourists were just starting to gravitate to beaches as resort destinations. Previously, beaches were seen as places of danger, as reflected in tales of shipwrecks; and as hazards, be it from pesky sand or hurricanes. A day at the beach wasn’t the relaxing escape like it is today.
But as Americans started to find their way to the shores, beachwear became a showcase of a new kind of fashion -- one that would be seen, in some ways, very conservative by today’s societal standards.
Early women’s swimsuits were sometimes more concerned with full coverage than a sun tan, incorporating pants and even hats to protect a woman from the sun and societal scorn. Men, meanwhile, were known to wear very short shorts, even shorter than most men would wear today. Going to the beach wasn’t just about a day of sand and surf, it was yet another way of engaging with culture.
In July, The Old Baldy Foundation’s latest Historic Happy Hour will also indulge in that seaside culture with a blast from the beachwear past.
Join local historian Elaine Henson on July 21st for a lively lesson in the beach wardrobe of yesteryear, using vintage garments to show how beachgoing has changed through the decades. Why do we go to the beach and how has what we’ve worn over the years reflected the society around us?
Henson will speak on the grounds of the Old Baldy Lighthouse, 5-7 p.m. Admission is free, but you must sign up for tickets in advance.
