The men's swimming costume has evolved a lot since the first one designed by Charles Goodyear. This summery garment has been able to adapt itself decade by decade to the trends and needs of each moment. In Gerry St Tropez we would like to take you on a brief tour of the evolution and changes that the swimming costume has undergone until we arrive at what we know it as today.
The swimming costume in the 20th century
In the early years of the 20th century, the gentry became interested in going to the beach for the summer. To do so, they needed a special garment for the occasion.
This is when a jersey appeared, a one-piece model that covered from feet to shoulders with traditional horizontal stripes. This garment was born out of the need to find a garment that would not fall off when wet and was relatively comfortable. Straps were eventually added to allow the neckline to be lowered to show off the tan, a status symbol at the time.
The 1930s
It was not until the 1930s that a more modern version of the swimming costume began to appear, with a smaller swimming costume, the famous "shorts". Little by little it evolved and added new colours, designs and accessories. As a detail, the belt marked the trend of this period.
As the years went by, swimming costumes became smaller and the fabric used became tighter and tighter. New fabrics appeared that mixed cotton and elastic fibres, making them more comfortable, stretchy and quicker drying.
The 1960s
The 1960s saw the appearance of patterned swimming costumes. And men's swimming costumes began to look more like today's swimsuits, more like shorts than tightly woven briefs.
The 1990s
In the 1990s, knee-length swimming costumes with floral prints made a comeback. This surf trend lasted until 2015. From this point onwards, short swimming costumes in brightly coloured shorts make a comeback, with a more eighties trend in which fluorescent colours predominate.
And so year after year, the men's swimming costume has evolved into the current trend, short swimming costumes in bright colours and prints. At Gerry St Tropez, we are committed to the latest trends with classic cut swimming costumes and original prints.