FROM SARONGS TO THONGS:
50 YEARS OF BEACH FASHION AT WAIKIKI
Today's youth have grown up exposed to endless images of the beach. Hollywood has glorified the young, muscular, tanned body for the past thirty years. The glamorous lifestyles of movie stars established a model for living, which Americans were eager to imitate. Hollywood stars were photographed vacationing in Hawai'i and wearing aloha attire. Beach movies released in the 1960s fueled fashion not only in Hawai'i but also on the mainland where designers were inspired by Hawaiian beach fashions.
The baby boom generation has had an impact on fashion in two respects--fashion has shifted toward more youthful styles, and clothing has becoming increasingly casual. Hawaiian beach fashions, embraced by the youthful sub-cultures of the 1960s and 1970s, served as an impetus toward casualizing everyday clothing. The trend toward accepting Hawaiian beachwear as everyday leisurewear began in Hawai'i. Increasing tourism and the surfing craze resulted in the trend migrating to the mainland where Californians began to wear more casual dress for leisure activities. In the 1980s, casual Fridays began in California mimicking Aloha Friday which had originated in Hawai'i in the 1960s. More people began wearing aloha shirts and other casual garments to work.
1940s
By the 1940s, men wore swim trunks and women wore one or two-piece swimsuits. Some Waikiki hotels provided swimsuits for their guests. At the Royal Hawaiian Hotel, these outfits consisted of blue shorts for men and matching shorts and halter-tops for women. As we see in this exhibit at the Royal Hawaiian Hotel,
A very comfortable sun parlor is at the south end of the ballroom, which is used to serve luncheon to guests in their bathing suits. The luncheon service to hotel guests in their beach attire is a feature much enjoyed. (Territorial Hotel Co., ca. 1935).
The sarong, of Southeast Asian origin, was adopted and made popular by
Dorothy Lamour. The sarong consisted of a long strip of printed fabric worn as a skirt
tucked in at the waist. This style was adapted to women's dresses and swimsuits in the
1950s.
1950s
After
the introduction of the bikini in 1946 by French designer Jacques Helm, women began
wearing less on the beach. By the 1950s, both one and two-piece swimsuits were commonly in
use. Men's fashions reflected a trend in coordinated outfits. The cabana suit
consisted of a loose, short-sleeved shirt with matching swimtrunks.
1960s and 1970s
In Hawai'i, swimwear became a major fashion focus during the 1960s and 1970s as youth and sport became highly valued in America. Surfing had been a significant sport in Hawai'i for a long time and the sport required sturdy and functional garments. Hawaiian surfers contributed to the direction of beach fashions in the 1960s. Board shorts and board-short bikinis became the surfer's uniforms. The board short influence was still strongly felt in the 1970s, but beachwear for women evolved toward a more revealing style.
1980s
Toning
up and being physically fit became a health craze that swept the nation. Those with
well-conditioned bodies could wear body-hugging clothing like swimsuits, and the beach was
the ideal place to display a shapely physique wrought from hours of hard work. In Hawai'i,
sunny skies and beautiful beaches became the natural backdrop for volleyball matches.
Neon and neoprene became trendy fashion statements and appeared along with the more traditional Miss Hawai'i swimsuits. Many traditional suits actually exposed more skin than a first glance revealed.
1990s
As
we move toward the 21st century, the mood in fashion is "anything goes." Two
trends in women's beachwear are exhibited here. The "bare look" as observed in
today's thong surpasses earlier versions of skimpy bathing attire. The sheer cover-up
shown here is the wearer's concession to modesty and local regulations.
Another popular trend today is the retro look. Wearing fashion reminiscent of earlier periods is very popular for both street and beach wear. The two-piece bra and boxer short swimsuit shown here recalls earlier styles of the 40s and 50s updated with newer fabrics and colors.
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