"Let's talk about gloves.
First of all I must tell you that one can never blame enough the habit of certain ladies who, in order to show a small hand, narrow it within a glove so tight as to prevent the circulation of blood, without thinking of the bad impression they arouse."
This is a quote from an article in the "Moda Illustrata", an Italian weekly magazine of which I have the complete collection of the year 1898. The text continues talking about how to wash the glove, an indispensable accessory for any lady of good family when she goes out for a walk: in soap and water, with a mixture of milk and carbonate, or for those who want a " fast result - but also expensive - washing them with gasoline".
In another article, published on August 11, the magazine depicts swimming in the sea. Since Summer is now approaching, it seems to me an interesting topic! The text says: "I can only repeat to you what my doctor thinks, bathing in the sea in this season can last from fifteen to thirty minutes (...) However, very sensitive people must start with very short baths of two or three minutes. Then you can stretch (the bath) day by day... until you get to stay in the water for half an hour and even more".
Usually Victorian ladies would change their clothes with bathing costumes in specific bathing machines, which were set near the seaside.
And again in an article of July, written by the same journalist named Lina: "Why do women want to disfigure themselves with grotesque trousers? Much more aesthetic is the new skirt model. The colors are at will (...) But the skirt is a hindrance to the daring swimmers and then better the three-piece swimsuit formed by the blouse, the shorts and the skirt that you can put on or take off at will. And don't forget a small corset (...) in light tulle, which is worn on the skin under the costume, which does not tighten the body but supports the breast and corrects some slight imperfections".
A very popular swimsuit that included both trousers and a skirt during late victorian era was the so called "Princess Suit" - this is probably the kind of costume Lina spoke about: a one piece main dress that had the blouse attached to the trousers, while the skirt was a separate piece of clothing that could be taken away at will. Usually the skirt would be mid calf lenght during mid victorian era, but became shorter towards the last decade of the 19th century. For many this costume was the precursor of the one-piece modern costumes.
A picture from my antique magazine.
In the articles of my magazine there are also some descriptions of the colours and fabrics in vogue at the time: as it is said above the shades are chosen by the wearer depending on her taste, but black was widespread for silk. Among the popular fabrics there were cotton, wool (alpaca in particular), terry for bathrobes. And long and black socks were often a must "to decrease the curve of the legs and make them appear thinner", white socks "are for thinner women", striped ones "if vertical lengthen, if transverse they enlarge".
In short, this is not a modern invention: slimming (or enhancing) visual effects already existed from many centuries before ours.
An early edwardian Bathing costume, with a vertical stripes pattern. This costume is an antique from Met Museum. I made a, inspired reproduction of it which I sold to a customer some years ago.
Bathing costumes could have different frills, trims and decorations during late Victorian and early Edwardian eras. While early victorians considered bathing mainly as a medical treatment, late victorians started to think of the Seaside as a place to meet friends and have social interactions. Therefore women Swimsuits started to be shorter, more colorful and more decorated. Fabrics may have plain or striped patterns like previously stated (stripes could be combined in different directions too), but also more peculiar patterns like tartan.
Talking about oddities: did you know that many Victorian bathing costumes had weights sewn in the hems? This was done to prevent the water to lift the skirts of the dresses while swimming. Otherwise it would have been very embarassing if the ladies legs and upper parts went exposed!
