Evolution of the swimsuit
Competitors in the first Miss World contest at the Empire Rooms on Tottenham Court Road, London on July 27, 1951.
(Edward Miller / Getty Images)
French actress Brigitte Bardot sitting on the beach during the Cannes Film Festival in 1953.
(Hulton Archive / Getty Images)
Rudi Gernreich’s risque monokini from the 1960s.
(Shay Peretz / For The Times)
Holly McPeak of Manhattan Beach in action against France in the women’s beach volleyball event at the Summer Olympics in 1996.
(Bob Galbraith / Associated Press)Advertisement
U.S. swimmer Michael Phelps jumps out of the starting block in a full-body performance-enhancing suit for the first leg of the men’s 4x200 freestyle relay at the 2008 Beijing Olympics.
(Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)