1880-1919
In the Good Old Summer Time

The last two decades of the 19th-century and roughly the first two of the 20th offer us a glimpse of a world very different from our own. Even while partaking of the relaxed atmosphere found in towns located on the shore people continued to abide by formal rules of decorum that were part of the Victorian world. This formality was upheld, in no small part, by the prevailing styles of dress which varied little between the city and the sea.
Developed by Guest Curator, James Hanley
Please scroll through the timeline below.
Indicates what can be viewed at The Bryan Museum
Indicates Galveston History
1880
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Boardwalk Rolling Chairs
Boardwalk rolling chairs or sometimes called rolling push carts were made popular in Atlantic city dating back to the 1880s through the early 2010s. You can still find some variations of the push cart to this day in Atlantic City but their popularity was diminished due to city regulations in 2010.
*On view at The Bryan Museum
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Men's Swimwear
From the 1880s through the first two decades of the 20th century, men’s swimwear changed very little. Although there were variations it is generally a one-piece form-fitting short-sleeved garment resembling long underwear with horizontal stripes. The legs on these suits extend down the thigh to just above the knee.
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1881
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1882
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1890
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Woman's Bathing Suit
Two-piece bathing suit. Made from dark-colored wool, this hot and restrictive costume was designed for wading or immersion rather than physical exertion. It consists of bloomer-style legs, a ruffled neckline, and puffed short sleeves.
*On view at The Bryan Museum
Courtesy of Rosenberg Library, Galveston, Texas -
1891
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Women's Bathing Suits
Women’s bathing suits were mostly made of wool and cotton. These bathing outfits were heavy when dry and became heavier when wet. They included a full set of undergarments, corseting, an overdress, bloomers, stockings, and a hat. The hat was frequently in the form of a turban or mop cap.
1895 -
1897
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1899
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September 8, 1900 The Great Storm of 1900
1900 -
Kodak's Brownie Camera
FIRST CAMERA ENABLED PEOPLE TO TAKE SNAPS
The beginning of the 20th-century was a time of remarkable technological advances. Due to the introduction of the small, portable, inexpensive Brownie camera, by Eastman Kodak, enabled people to take “snapshots” for the first time in history.
* Object on view at The Bryan Museum
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Keeping Private at the Beach
A swimmer would enter the bathing machine while it was parked on the beach and change into their bathing suit. They were rolled or drawn into the ocean by either horses or men. Once the bathing machine would be dragged out far enough into deeper water, the swimmer would emerge from the opposite door and dive into the ocean, far away from the prying eyes of those on the beach.
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Dippers & The Bathing Machine
A particularly interesting feature offered at some locations were women attendants called “dippers” who served as assistants to the lady in the machine by helping her into the water (often by just pushing her out of the carriage). Dippers had to be strong because they were also charged with getting them employers back into the machines after they were through paddling around.
Little actual swimming took place under the circumstances. Since a swimmer’s wet clothes could easily add twenty or more pounds to her weight, dippers needed to be able to shoulder this added bulk in the form of soggy swimwear. They also needed to be watchful and make sure the lady they were serving did not get sucked underwater and drown in her heavy clothes.
A small flag was usually raised by the occupant of a bathing machine to signal that she wanted her carriage to be pulled back to the shore.
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1902
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Bathing Slippers
These slippers were commonly made of twisted straw or felt, and they had laces. Women would sometimes make them look more stylish by adding ribbons, bows, or braids. Due to popularity, these were continued to be worn commonly through the 1920s. You can often see these paired with stockings rolled partially up the calves.
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September 1902
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1904
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July 29, 1904 Seawall Initial Segment Completed
July 1904 -
Annette Kellerman, Swimsuit Pioneer
An incident that served as a catalyst for a significant change in the design of women’s swimwear:
Annette Kellermann, a world-renowned athlete, was found wearing a one-piece bathing suit that hugged the contours of her shapely body. As a result, she was arrested on Boston’s Revere Beach. She had designed a bathing suit for herself is known as “figure suit”. The police released her after she agreed to cover up with a cape until she enters the water. Annette Kellermann is credited as the first woman to wear the modern bathing suit.
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1908
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1909
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1910
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Swimwear and the Movies
The Water Nymph, or The Beach Flirt, starring Mabel Normand, Mack Sennett, and Roscoe (Fatty) Arbuckle of 1912.
This short movie features Normand diving and cavorting in the sea in a figure-flattering tight one-piece bathing suit. Due to movies like these, attitudes were changing quickly regarding more revealing swimwear.
1912 -
Bathing Suit Regulations
The American Association of Park Superintendents published its official “Bathing Suit Regulations,”
The requirement of men’s suits to have a skirt that covered the shorts and for women of the era, stockings were still a customary part of the bathing suits. These strict rules began changing in the1920s, as evolving social norms allowed men and women to spend time together near the water and show a bit more flesh.
1917
1919