From gowns and coats to bikinis and tankinis, the way individuals dress when they’re heading for a swim has changed a lot over the past few centuries. Through new inventions, updated regulations, and simple style preferences, swimsuits have gone from being quite conservative to a bit more risqué.

Below are How The Swimsuits Styles Changed Over Time:

Women’s Swimsuits in the Early 1900s Look Probably Included Bathing Caps

During this time, it was also common for women to accessorize their bathing suits with small hats called bathing caps. They were oftentimes used to protect one’s hairstyle. Some women also wore fancy hankerchieves or scarfs on top of their cap to make it a bit more stylish.

Around 1910, The Swimsuits Became Shorter and More Form-fitting

After years of piling on the clothing to go in the water, women traded bathing gowns for more form-fitting swimsuits that featured shorter skirts. But around this time, women began being called out in public and punished for wearing swimsuits that law enforcers considered to be too revealing. In 1907, record-breaking Australian swimmer Annette Kellerman was arrested on a beach in Boston, Massachusetts, and charged with indecent exposure because she’s been wearing a knee-length swimsuit that resembled a unitard and showed her arms, legs, and necks. She is noted to have been one of the first women to wear this style of one-piece swimsuit.

In 1920s, The Swimsuits’ Neckline Got Lower

As swimsuits became more practical, they also showed off more of a woman’s body. Deep boat necks or V-necks became more popular and armholes on suits got bigger. The colours of swimsuits also became brighter and the suits were sometimes accessorized with belts. Women still commonly wore swim caps and these special hats began to feature chin straps to help them stay in place.

Tankinis (Swimsuits) Were Everywhere in the Early 2000s

The early 2000s featured many styles that were popular in the ‘90s. Notably, the tankini emerged Anne Cole, a designer,is credited with inventing this style. A tankini is essentially a more modest version of a bikini: the top resembles a tank top and the bottoms are standard bikini bottoms.

Today,The Swimsuits with Trends are Very Broad

In the last few years, swimsuit trends have included one-piece suits making a comeback and high-waisted  suits gaining traction.In the 2010s, it seems like the most popular swimsuits range from vintage-inspired trends to slightly more revealing options. In 2019, swimsuits designed for poolside posing- not for actually swimming in – are also popular albeit widely criticized.