Beach Culture and Bathing Costumes

Swimming in Tauranga harbour, circa 1910s: From left to right, Rennie Daines, Connie Humphreys, Mamey Hesket, Rennie Hesket. Te Ao Mārama - Tauranga City Libraries, Pae Korokī Photo 04-041

While it may be the dead of winter, the importance of beach culture to our city’s identity has been on my mind. Happily, the TaurangaHeritage Collection has a fantastic array of artifacts connected to long hot summer days spent at the beach, from parasols and skurfing boards to picnic baskets and Q-tol.

Indeed, our collection of eighty-three bathing costumes, spanning more than 100 years, highlights innovation in materials and design as well as changing attitudes around what we are willing to expose to the sun, and each other. While Victorian morals had swimmers completely covered, and often in tents or bathing machines, by the 1910s Edwardians were seeking more practical costumes which would allow for movement, and fun, in the water. The push for more freedom was championed by celebrities such as Annette Kellermann, a professional Australian swimmer and diver credited with being the first woman to wear a one-piece suit.

Left: A ‘Petone’ Canadian style swimsuit made in New Zealand. Tauranga Heritage Collection 0044/12. Right: Postcard of "Miss Annette Kellermann, Champion Lady Swimmer and Diver of the World." Tauranga Heritage Collection, 0095/23

Known in this part of the world as a ‘Canadian’ swimsuit, presumably after its country of origin, the costume seen above was made by the Wellington Woollen Manufacturing Company and sold under the brand ‘Petone’. This style was worn by men, women and children and simplified earlier bathing costumes. Often made from machine-knitted cotton, this suit is woollen and has two buttons along the shoulder line to make it possible to get into (the shorts are attached to the top), and a small label declares that it is ‘OS’ or one size.

Left: ‘Pacific’ swimsuit. Tauranga Heritage Collection, 0385/87. Right: Kitty Hardy (centre) with two companions at the main Mount beach circa 1920s. Borrell Collection, Tauranga Heritage Collection

Other New Zealand textile manufacturers also entered the swimwear market in the 1910s. Lane, Walker Rudkin Ltd, who up until the early 2000s was one of New Zealand’s most successful clothing companies, is well represented in our collection. Initially known for its ‘Pacific’ brand, the company went on to make swimsuits under their ‘Canterbury’ label and were also licenced to make ‘Speedo’ and ‘Catalina’. In the 1930s they pioneered the use of elasticised woollen fabrics and were quick to capitalise on the trend of men baring their torsos.

Left: Speedo bathing trunks. Tauranga Heritage Collection, 0015/00. Right: Standing in shallow water at Mount main beach from left, Ira Taylor (wearing Speedo), Yvonne Tootell, Alectina Gunn, Barry Tootell and Monty Tootell circa 1940-41. Arabin Collection, Tauranga Heritage Collection

In the 1930s and 40s new fabrics were introduced, sleeves disappeared, and the two-piece reappeared having first been worn in ancient Rome. Swimsuits in vibrant colours were produced and sold with matching rubber caps. The American label ‘Jantzen’, licenced to New Zealand company A. J. Coleman Ltd, transported Hollywood trends to our beaches with stars Ginger Rogers and Loretta Young featured in their 1930s advertisements.

Left: A green Jantzen suit made of tufted cotton, also known as chenille, featuring adjustable straps. Middle: This suit has “Shouldaire” technology which allowed the wearer to drop their shoulder straps for ‘strap-free tanning’ - it was controversial when launched by Jantzen in 1931. Right: A bright red woollen Roslyn suit. Tauranga Heritage Collection, 0071/18, 0268/11, 0060/93

Post WW2, achieving the right look was often more important than a swimsuit’s practicality or even durability. Boning, firm bra cups, and rubber lining were deployed to give the wearer an hourglass shape. The Princess Bathing Suit, which generally had a sweetheart neckline and a tight skirt covering the front, and sometimes the back, epitomised the glamourous style of the 1950s.

Left: This striped suit was designed to highlight the wearers femininity and features ruching, a synched waist, and removable straps for sunbathing. Tauranga Heritage Collection, 0021/08. Right: ‘Bathing beauties on the beach’ Matakana Island, circa 1950s. Te Ao Mārama - Tauranga City Libraries, Pae Korokī Photo 01-334

Bikini clad sun-bathers on the main Mount beach. Neal Collection, Tauranga Heritage Collection

The 1960s saw the explosion of youth and surf culture which pushed for change. The bikini began to outsell the two-piece, with ‘Bond-girl’ Ursula Andress and magazines such as Sports Illustrated playing their part in its popularity. Men’s swimwear also shrank with ‘briefs’ making an appearance at the 1972 Olympic games. During the 1970s swimwear designers finally let go any inhibitions and embraced the benefits of Lycra - a relatively new fabric that allowed everything to stay in place. String bikinis, thongs, shear fabric and cut-outs were increasingly popular as ‘sexy’ became fashionable. 

Left: Expozay bikini. Tauranga Heritage Collection, 0014/00. Right: Emroce 'G's up She's in it' bikini. Tauranga Heritage Collection, 0164/23/1-2

In 1976, locals Judy and Tony Alvos were inspired to start their own swimwear company, Expozay, which embodied this spirit. By 1982 their designs were being exported around the world and the company employed 120 people, making over 1000 swimsuits a day – right here in Tauranga. Today the local swimwear industry continues with businesses such as Papamoa based Emroce garnering international attention with its focus on eco-conscious design and fabrics, as well as inclusivity. In 2023 we were delighted to add several of Emroce’s swimsuits to our collection.