Jump to content

Menu

s/o Modesty...1860s Male Swimwear--So much awesome.


Veritaserum
 Share

Recommended Posts

What I want to know is why are they wearing top hats? Of all the hats to wear at the beach, top hats seem to be among the least practical.

 

Any guess I would hazard to make would be fairly obscene.

 

You know the old saying...(video is not obscene, fear not)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

http://www.photohistory-sussex.co.uk/BrightonSwimmingClub.htm

 

They seem to get more modest by the 1890s...

 

It also mentions that before the 1860s, they all swam naked, which maybe means this post should be in the other thread.

In the article you linked, it is noted: "During the early years of the 19th century men habitually swam naked. It was not until the mid-1860s that local authorities and swimming clubs introduced regulations to ensure that male swimmers wore bathing costumes when swimming in public, particularly when in the presence of women and children."

 

Of course, the article is discussing British swim attire, but one wonders if that same was true of American swim attire of the time. George Washington skinny dipped here?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

So as per the article, they wouldn't let the photographer join unless he took this picture? They really did think they looked awesome. :)

 

Also, if you keep scrolling down the page, that Rev. Kilvert is way too upset about not being able to swim naked, lol.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

http://www.photohistory-sussex.co.uk/BrightonSwimmingClub.htm

 

They seem to get more modest by the 1890s...

 

It also mentions that before the 1860s, they all swam naked, which maybe means this post should be in the other thread.

There's a 100+yo community center here that used to be a Y. They have vintage pictures (not in public view) of naked boys and men standing around the swimming pool. It just the way it was done, and it's not like most of the clientele could afford swimwear.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Oh, thank you, thank you for entertaining me on a 9 hour road trip!!!

 

Further down the Rev Kilvert's thoughts on modesty:

"Bathing yesterday and to-day ... At Shanklin one has to adopt the detestable custom of bathing in drawers. If ladies don't like to see men naked why don't they keep away from the sight?"

 

Precisely! LOL

Link to comment
Share on other sites

LOL!!! I just showed the picture to my sons. They lost it - in laughter, that is. These are the fellas who won't swim in trunks that are much above their knees. I don't know why; that's just what they like. We were wondering if there was anything significant about the size of the top hats :p (why some are taller than others).

 

Truly this is ammunition against those who think that the Victorian era was one of great modesty - there isn't much left to the imagination with some of those suits :D (oh, and this is in reference to many of the folks with whom I attend church as well as in our homeschool groups).

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Is it wrong that I want to print the picture, frame it, and hang it in my bathroom?

I have an old print showing some young boys (probably 10 and under) beachcombing in a Victorian seaside...they are all naked (but only the rear shows). I have it framed in my bathroom. My boys have gotten a lot of comments from their homeschool friends - to the effect of, "Is your mom a pervert?" It is a beautiful, sweet print of 4 little boys. It makes me fondly remember the little naked boys that ran around my property years ago.

 

So frame away, but be prepared for the comments :)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I have an old print showing some young boys (probably 10 and under) beachcombing in a Victorian seaside...they are all naked (but only the rear shows). I have it framed in my bathroom. My boys have gotten a lot of comments from their homeschool friends - to the effect of, "Is your mom a pervert?" It is a beautiful, sweet print of 4 little boys. It makes me fondly remember the little naked boys that ran around my property years ago.

 

So frame away, but be prepared for the comments :)

What do they answer? I think you should have them say, "Why yes, of course."

Link to comment
Share on other sites

What do they answer? I think you should have them say, "Why yes, of course."

LOL! I think they probably do say something like, "yeah, my mom is weird like that". I also have a huge full page advertisement from a newspaper framed in my downstairs bathroom...it shows a little naked kid on a trike (from the back) and the admonition that one can get enough Vitamin D by playing naked in the sun, or one can just eat XYZ bread :)

 

I'm not brave enough to put both pictures together in the same bathroom :D

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

 Share

×
×
  • Create New...