1930s Vintage Beach-wear Patterns 

By the 1930s, necklines plunged at the back, sleeves disappeared and sides were cut away and tightened. With the development of new clothing materials, particularly latex and nylon, through the 1930s swimsuits gradually began hugging the body, with shoulder straps that could be lowered for tanning. Hollywood endorsed the new glamour with films such as Neptune's Daughter (1949) in which Esther Williams wore provocatively named costumes such as "Double Entendre" and "Honey Child".  Coco Chanel made suntans fashionable, and in 1932 French designer Madeleine Vionnet offered an exposed midriff in an evening gown. The Busby Berkeley film Footlight Parade of 1932 showcases aqua choreography that featured bikinis. Dorothy Lamour's The Hurricane (1937) also showed two-piece bathing suits. The 1934 film, Fashions of 1934 featured chorus girls wearing two-piece outfits that look identical to modern bikinis. In 1935 American designer Claire McCardell cut out the side panels of a maillot-style bathing suit, the bikini's forerunner. The 1938 invention of the Telescopic Water suit in shirred elastic cotton ushered into the end of the era of wool. Cotton sun-tops, printed with palm trees, and silk or rayon pajamas, usually with a blouse top, became popular by 1939.

Our 1930's vintage Beach-wear pattern collection is available in sizes ranging from XXS – XXL. We offer either the original pattern, a high-quality true to scale 1930s sewing pattern reproduction or an easy PDF sewing pattern to download at home.

References: Witness2Fashion