It’s a sad fact, but I am a bit obsessed with vintage swimwear right now! I still don’t have time (or fabric) to make my own at the moment, so I suppose doing a multitude of posts (I still have a few left in me) on the topic and spending too much time browsing the internet for pictures makes up for this?
[ 1947 swimsuits. ]
First up is a scan from a 1947 “summer sale” Sears catalog I happily stumbled upon recently (more scans to come). Two pages of fantastically fun swimsuits!!! I’m starting to really think that a jaunty little two-piecer may be the way to go (when I get around to making my own version, that is!)…
[ mid 40s two piece swimsuits. I adore the stripy one on the right! ]
[ more bathing beauties from the mid 40s. check out the lacing detail on the bottoms of the right swimsuit. ]
[ a lovely print and solid mix swimsuit (1947). ]
Today is my birthday, and I am off to spend the day doing some sewing and sketching–a rather enjoyable way to spend the day! We don’t have any exciting plans for my birthday this year (I’m not even baking a cake… yet! That’s partially because my sister is coming down in a few weeks, and I’m going to bake a birthday cake for the both of us!). I admit I’m feeling a bit bummed and lonely this year without anything special going on; doesn’t that seem silly? Eventually one year I’ll get my act together and plan a little party ahead of time! lol. Oh well… mustn’t mope over my own lack of planning! I hope you all are having a fantastic Tuesday!!!
Happy Birthday! Celebrating later with your sister sounds fun…maybe you could plan a little party for then?
Have a happy happy birthday!! Wish you all the best!
Happy Birthday!! I hope you have a fantastic day, despite your lack of plans
May this next year be a year filled with happiness, growth, increased closeness between you and your husband, a much sewing!
HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!
Happy Birthday Casey! Stitching and Sketching sounds like a wonderful way to spend the day! And sharing the cake with your sister will be fun too. Have a great day!
Happy happy Birthday!
Here’s wishing you a loverly day full of craftiness. To celebrate your love of all things vintage, here’s an awesome link for you:
http://pzrservices.typepad.com/vintageadvertising/
First off, Happy Birthday! I’m turning 31 this year, so I am at the point that I just wish all notice of it would go away. I just don’t get excited about it anymore; Guess that is the old lady in me settling in!
I am oohing and ahhing over these. I had decided to make Burda’s Allison, since I can’t find another that I like as much, but can’t find any swimsuit material that I would like to make it out of.
Main reason I am writing is that I found a site last night looking for patterns and I got really excited about it. This is the perfect time to share, as your post echoes my thoughts from last night!
There is a retired guy that made custom swim and dancewear and has set up the most awesome site to share blocks and patterns. Besides thinking that that is so great that he went through the trouble to set that up just to help the home sewer, it is fantastic the way the site is set up for swimsuit “dummies” (not his word!) You input your detailed measurements on one page and when you download the blocks, they are already sized for you! This didn’t work for me, but it may be because of my system or browser (Mac/Safari), but the idea is just so great. He also offers swimsuit patterns. One of which looks a little retro, and says to email him a drawing if you don’t find what you like. Really? I am dying to send him one; maybe one of the styles above!
Check it out here: http://www.patternschool.com/
HAPPY BIRTHDAY! Don’t be bummed…just enjoy all the little pleasures of the day…and have a drink. lol
Ooooh! Those are fabulous! How did you KNOW I was pulling out a swimsuit pattern just last night to think about making for summer??
I’m so behind on commenting on your wonderful posts (and email! Sorry!), but I’ve been following everything and love all you’ve been up to! Truly inspiring, as usual!
xoxo
Lauren
Happy Happy Birthday! Thanks for such a great post filled with eye candy! A year or two ago (I can’t exactly remember) I ordered two swimsuits from the Esther Williams website, and I LOOOOOOOOVE them. They completely celebrate a woman’s curves, are crazy cute, and are comfortable. I can’t say enough great things about them, other than the fact that I wish I had one or two more!
Hey Casey,
I was looking at your blog a couple of months ago and I really liked it. Sadly, I lost it again. Now that I started my very own blog I found your again and can link it! By the way, Happy Birthday!
Visit me at http://www.rubys-attic.blogspot.com
Greetings from Germany,
Ruby
Happy Birthday! Mine is on Saturday and I can’t wait! I do love my birthday even if it is only an excuse to make everyone worship me. Ha!
I just cut out a navy blue swimsuit yesterday, in a high-waisted vintage style and I can’t wait to see how it’s going to turn out! As soon as my little girl takes her nap today I’m going to start sewing. I’ll let you know how it turns out. Meanwhile, I’m going to go check out that patternschool website. Sounds interesting….
Have a fab birthday! I love all the swimwear inspiration you’re providing, and it’s very impressive that you’re going to sew one, can’t wait to see it when it’s done xx
happy birthday! i’m a new follower of your blog and simply adore it. i’m really digging these vintage swimsuits so please keep posting them!
Love these so much. They so remind me of that proj runway season one bathing suit challenge, where Austin Scarlett was getting his inspiration from old school Hollywood.
Happy birthday, too! Bet your swimsuit will turn out awesome.
Loving the swimwear, especially the two-pieces! Too bad I already have more swimwear then there are likely to be warm enought days to swim this summer. *Sigh* Anyway, hope you’ve had a great birtday!
Gorgeous photos of 1940′s swimwear.
Ugh, enough to make any vintage lover’s heart ache.
I hope you do have a Happy Birthday!
happy birthday lovely!
Just wanted to wish you a very happy birthday (from The Netherlands!)!!!! 25, a quarter of a century (hihi, that makes it sound even worse :p! Sorry!). May the next quater be filled with even more love, happines, health and creativity!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Enjoy your day, and all to come!!!
I hope you have a lovely birthday casey! I share mine with mothers day this year so that should make it easier for partner to remember lol I too am obsessed with vintage swimsuits, so much more glam! I made several over summer, It’s so hard to find decent patterns though, I’m too fussy and end up drafting my own!
I absolutely love vintage swimsuits. Last year I went looking for a pattern, but then had no time with trying to make dipes for baby number 4. This year I ahd high hopes and now am pregnant with number 5. I love the one pieces though. They are awesome with hiding the little flaws and I am not without those anymore.
If only today’s suits covered as much and as nicely as these did.
Happy Birthday! I am a fan of vintage bathinhg suits myself. Jantzen swimwear is celebrtating their 100th anniversary and they’ve come out with a heritage collection line with pieces inspired from the 20s-70s, the early decades are so cute!!! I just bought one of their swimsuits on overstock.com (quite a deal!)
Happy birthday!
The swimwear’s lovely, summer really can’t come too soon! =) I esp love the one on the middle left in the first picture. Seems to be comfy abd supported for the bust, and falls from the hips like a short dress. Wonderful!
I hope you’ll have a wonderful birthday! Despite the lack of a proper cake… I’m a bit in the same situation, it’s my birthday on Sunday and I’m trying to decide whether to invite some friends over for dinner or not. We’ll be dancing all weekend, so everybody’s going to be tired. And this year my sister is living here, next year I’m on my own again up here in the north… So I’m leaning towards just me and sis, and then invite everybody over at a later date… Sorry, rambling! This has gone round and round and round in my head the past few days =)
Have a great day, and remember: just you and someone you love is a perfect recipe for a nice evening!
Cheers!
Belated happy birthday lovely! Hope you enjoyed it
xx
Hello Casey- I love your wonderful blog and have been reading it for a while, as well as trying to get the hang of your 40s hair tutorials! Reading your musings about vintage swimsuits made me think you might like to see this picture of my grandmother in the 1940s http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_1gv3CwPYSPg/S-bqkq9bLJI/AAAAAAAAAPQ/agWEqMAdM-A/s1600/%2314+Honeymoon+1945.jpg I would love to see it recreated by someone with the figure to wear it (not me sadly). Charley x