Well it’s here— summer, although it might be spring still technically if you’re consulting a calendar. But the 90 degrees temperatures we’ve been having lately beg to differ! And with summer comes summer fun, which we’re planning to indulge in this weekend with a visit to see family at Table Rock Lake. My new vintage-inspired bathing suit has triggered a renewed interest in vintage style and I have to say….aren’t any of these suits better than those cheap stringy bikinis? And aren’t all of these ladies beautiful, hips and bust and all?
Rita Hayworth
I’ve come to the conclusion that although it is popular now to be waifish (and don’t all the people we see in magazines and blogs tend to be oh-so waifish? How did everyone get so diminutive?) that these ladies– particularly from the 40s and 50s are going to be my ideal.
They say you get more confident as you grow older, and maybe I have. I think it’s ridiculous that fashion insists we retain the bodies of a 15 year old (or even more difficult, the bodies more similar to a 15 year old boy!) I think it’s very interesting that we can look at the vintage photos of these women who are a good 20-30 lbs. heavier than today’s models and think they’re beautiful, yet if we look at our own similar selves and compare them to today’s ideal, we feel like we come up short. It’s nonsense!
Of course I should clarify that this doesn’t mean I am putting down women who are naturally thin. What I’m trying to say is– we should be proud to work with what we’ve got and not tie ourselves up in knots or deprive ourselves or berate ourselves because we can’t force our bodies into being some unattainable ideal. Have you noticed that 90% of the bathing suits you see in the store work well for about 10% of the population? It just strikes me as odd.
Jane Mansfield
Marilyn Monroe
How about you? What do you think of these ladies and their swimming suits? Do you prefer the modern ‘itty bitty teeny weenie’ ones, or would you like to see the vintage style make a come back? Because I really think it is! I see them more and more and I think they’re so flattering, but they’re not for everyone, I know. I think it’s fun too that many of these old bathing suit photos have lots of accessories with them too— high heels, hats, red lipstick. I think it’s gorgeous!
Whatever you’re doing this weekend, I hope you have a good one! I plan to come back with no tan (I’m embracing the pale!) but worn out from being on the water.
Talk with you next time,
~H
PS: Wanna see more curvy girl inspiration? Check out my Pinterest board 🙂
Sleightholm Folk Art 
Heather , I agree with you here on the bathing suit selection. The ultra thin look has set millions of young girls and women into years of eating disorders and sacrifice of health! It is truly sad and just plain nuts!! I hope there is a true comeback of healthy weight models to turn around the damage of the past few decades in fashion! Oohhh, the lake place looks beautiful for a weekend visit. Enjoy the beaches with Audrey!
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I love the curvy Marilyn look and the Vintage suits out these days are tempting! I have always been thin, high metabolism, I just do not gain weight!
But now that I am expecting, I'm slowly putting on some pounds and to tell you the truth, I am so comfortable and excited about not looking like a stick figure! 🙂
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Winnie!~I very much agree! I think the issue isnt really with 'down with thin' if you happen to actually be thin naturally, but the idea of forcing your body to be something it naturally is not, and if you cant force it, then you feel bad about it. I also think there is nothing wrong with looking like a woman! I think its strange they we try to whittle away those things that make us what we are. We should be proud of them!
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Kelsey, congratulations on your coming little one! Motherhood will change a woman's body like no other, that's for sure! Honestly, I think it makes us more mature and beautiful! Best of luck and take good care of yourself!
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Hear hear all the way!! And back again!I am not into itty bitty. I like suits with a ruffle ever so gently covering bottoms and such.Strings and bandaids freak me out ;)tee heee.Wonderful selection of photos and words dear Heather!xoxo
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Such a wonderful post! Since going from childhood to my teens, and now to adulthood, I was NEVER skinny. Then again I have been the same size since the 7th or 8th grade and I suppose now I've grown into that.Curves are beautiful. My icon is for sure Christina Hendricks. Can't help but be jealous of her bust 😉 I do wear the itsy bitsy string bikinis most of the time but it's really more for convenience. I can't find a cheap vintage style swimsuit, any suggestions? The regular modern bikinis are 5 bucks a piece at Wal-Mart!
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These photos are beautiful! I've repinned just about all of them! Ha ha! I love that the vintage styles are coming back en vogue. Now, I'm hoping for the vintage body size to come back… Back when dimples in the elbows were alluring. Love this post! I'm off to check out your pinterest board!Genevieve
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wonderful here!!! I have been so busy with a lot of things..and the last days I´ve been so sad about a thing, I will tell you later I promise!happy when see those pictures! you are a sunshine sweet you ***love Lycke
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I am so with you on the vintage bathing suits, especially after having two kids! I also worry very much that our daughters are worrying at younger and younger ages about looking \”perfect\”. I can't wait to show my girls your post:) It's been warm here in Ohio the last couple of days but we are suppose to get rain and cooler temperatures this week. I'm hoping for the rain – have a Blessed week.
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I love these vintage ladies and their suits! So much more pleasing to my eye than the tiny suits nowadays. And I buy all my suits at Lands' End – have for years. My current one is a little sporty, but has the cutest boy shorts – a little retro.I heartily agree with embracing what you've got. It's so attractive to meet a confident, self-loving woman.
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Yeah for curves! These baby mama curves may not disappear. Where did you get your vintage suit? I must see this!
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Hooray for curves! I do think the women of the past look a whole lot better and healthier. The styles are sweeter, too. These vintage photos are fabulous.
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