Red and white bathing suit, made by Slix, England, c1955

Red and white striped swimsuit for a baby girl of about 1 year old. The front of the suit has a central seam and the fabric has been aligned to create a downward pointing chevron strip. The suit has a v-neck and halter neck fastening of thin matching striped material. The front of the suit is lined with a white synthetic silky fabric. The back of the suit has two frilled overlaid skirts and a smocked back for decorative purposes but also to enable the swimsuit to be taken on and off.

Gift of Caroline McIntyre

This swimsuit was worn by the donor, Caroline McIntyre (b.20/02/1954) when she was a baby.
It is a part of a larger gift ranges in size and age group from the donor’s and her brother’s baby clothes throughout her childhood up to the age of about 14. This is a rare opportunity to follow the changing size, fashions and clothing choices (either her own or those chosen for her) of one individual throughout their childhood of the mid 1950s-1960s including those clothes worn for every day as well as those saved for best.

This garment is part of a larger gift of childrens clothes worn by a girl called Caroline (and some by her brother) spanning the mid 1950s-1960s. The range of clothing shows both the developments in fine quality brands, designs and fashions bought for her and available to many girls in the post war period and, through the increasing size and sophistication of the garments, charts Caroline own developments from a toddler through towards her teenage years.

B.301-2011