Call them bathers, togs, swimsuits, swimming costumes or whatever you fancy, here in Australia while the weather is roasting, it is most deffinatly swimsuit time !!!
My darling friend Brooke gave me the most wonderful book for Christmas - "The Swimsuit" by Sarah Kennedy - and I have been gobbling up its pages for the past few weeks ! Picture if you will, sitting in the shade of a big willow, beside a pretty little lake while the kiddlie-winks splash and play, I lol on my towel in my replica vintage navy and white spotted cossie, reading this treasure filled snapshot of aprox. 100 years of bathing culture. It has been a wonderful summer so far, thanks to this highly informative reading adventure........
I simply adore vintage swimsuits, but unfortunatly, have yet to own an authentic original. I have a couple of replica's, and am continuously hunting for good vintage bathers patterns to make some of my own, however, both vintage bathers and vintage bather patterns are as elusive as deep sea pearls to a person who mearly splashes at the shore ! Once again, my darling friend Brooke to the rescue - she has a couple of gorgeous vintage bathers that she has used in her photo shoots........
(Hubby and I model for Brooke in one of her darling Jantzen vintage swimsuits - above)
I can also reccomend My Sister Pat for lovely cotton vintage style one and two peice bathers. Great for swanning by the pool and looking glamerous, probably not so hot for intense training and laps !!!
In last years January edition of "Notebook" magazine, the following replica vintage bathers appeared on the cover, to my utter delight and I promptly raced out and bought myself an edition of the magazine hoping to find details of stockists. To my disapointment there was no listing of the stockists to be found anywhere in the magazine - can anyone help with this information?
And finally, something for all Wintersun, Circa Vintage and Lindy Charm School for Girls devotees to get excited about !! Appearing at this years Wintersun festival will be the following:
Ooooooh, I am so excited about this !!! I have been wishing Wintersun would include fashion parades at their festival for years and years !! Now my dream has finally come true !!! I am so delighted to see vintage love spreading more and more to fashion and cultural history, and not simply music and cars (though I love them too!!)!!! Be sure you get there and support this wonderful event !!!
Dita Von Tease looking resplendant as always !
Blonde bombshell Mamie Van Doren
I would love to hear any vintage bathers stories my friends and readers would like to share, any great shops for bathers and patterns, any advice and tips on caring for vintage bathers - please leave your comments and lets all share our vintage bathers love !!!!