The Washington times., 1908-07-30
BATHING SUIT PRETTY GARMENT
is SPOILED BY WATER,
RUINED BY SALT.

There are many garments that have
undergone an astonishing evolution in a
short life. There are several that have
begun humbly and ended in a blaze OF
glory, but none perhaps has changed
it's character more in a comparatively
limited career than the bathing suit
When the bathing suit was invented
by some modest lady VINO liked TO
prance in the surf it was purely a utili-
" garment.
Evidently It's inventor argued that one
could not be expected to look pretty and
wet at the same time. Also water. she
doubtless remembered, spoiled the best
laid plots Of mice and men-and flannel;
so what was the use OF wasting work
on a frock the mission of which was In
no wise ornamental?
Modesty in Extreme
I have seen but one old-fashioned
bathing suit and that 1 was introduced
to at a farmhouse There was no bath
tub and the family used the river in
stead Of one. There was a maiden aunt
In this family, and 1 shall never forget
my sensations when I first saw her ar
rayed for the dip. She wore flannel pan
teIettes-I shall call them panteNettes
for want OF a better name-Which came
quite down to her ankles and were
gathered about them snugly. over this
she wore a skirt which came well be
low her knees, the bodice OF which was
brought UP about her ears in regular
NazimOva fashion
There had been no attempt mado 10
lit this costume to It's wGarer and so
she looked as if she were encased IN
very clumsy bag
This" said she to me, rs what L
call a modest bathing suit
so do ], - 1 returned heartily. When
did you have il nader
sOh. it is fashioned after one my
mother had before the war; returned
the maiden aunt, and walked INTO the
water until it reached the edge Of her
skirt, when she came out again and re-
tired to her room well pleased with her
since that time have seen women At
catering places abroad clad In the
most hideOus garments possible, ana
going out in bathing machines into ihs
surf. so that by no chance could the
eve of man rest upon them.
No Charms For the Eyes.
As q matter Of fact, any masculine
eve wandering from home and CHANGING
to light upon such a fantastic object
as thew presented, had it been a beau
ty-loving optic. would instantly have
removed itself and gone IN some other
direction where it would find a more
attractive object.
And so the bathing suit began as a
unitarian article; that il has ended as
snare to the -unwary and a delight to
the eye speaks well for it, and i'll. &C
cording to the moralists, for the sex
feminine
I have been TO a celebrated summer
resort lately. It is a very gay resort,
this playground OF Uncle Sam, and
there are those who. when they go
there. leave their scruples behind and
do not expect TO be held responsible
OF. any. peccadillos they may commit in
their short season Of summer madness.
AT this place the banning suit reaches
Derfection: reaches its highest point OF
development, its most giddy and dis
ipated FORM
Never Went in Water.
I saw one young woman clad in a
princesse costume Of golden-brown silk.
The skirt was very short, barely reach
ing the knees; the bodice fitted po rect
" and showed a V-shaped BIT OF the
throat with this were worn brown
silk stockings and brown, suede shoes