Riviera Style Resort & Swimwear Since 1900

As a goodbye to summer, I (finally) went along to the latest exhibition at the Fashion & Textile Museum in London: RIVIERA STYLE. The exhibition is a wonderful collection of resort and swimwear pieces since the 1900s, and I enjoyed seeing the drastic change in swimwear over the decades.

One of the earliest pieces in the exhibition is this nautical inspired bathing dress from the 1900s. Its made of wool so would have been extremely heavy when wet. I can't imagine what it would be like to swim in it!

I love the floral print on this sarong style piece from the 1940s, and the flattering shape of the top. 

This playsuit is super cute! The feminine bodice and flared shorts work well together and seems more modern than the forties - it wouldn't surprise me to see girls wearing this style today. 

This fifties beach ensemble is gorgeous. I love the relaxed shirt paired with the full skirt, and the print and light cotton make this outfit an elegant summer ensemble.

 This pink corselet (1950s) stood out to me as I think that vintage lingerie is so elegant. This piece was exhibited to demonstrate how the design and cut of lingerie was adapted for swimwear.

This suede 'Casino' bikini was similar to the one worn by Ursula Andress in the 1962 Bond film Dr. No. It caught my eye as it reminded me of the current suede trend. 

More sixties bikinis, its interesting to see how designers experimented with different shapes whilst still being quite revealing. I particularly like the one with black mesh.

How elegant is this bathing cap? A far throw from that awful rubber thing I had to wear during school swimming lessons!

Overall, I loved this exhibition! I worked at a swimwear company this summer so have become a lot more in tune to swimwear trends. Looking back at resort fashion from the past century was a nice refresher. A perfect way to round up the summer. This exhibition has finished, but I would recommend the Fashion & Textile museum to any fashion enthusiasts. Their next exhibition is on Liberty I believe and they also offer short courses for those interested in fashion as a career.