Clothing designed to wear while swimming, typically covering the torso and sometimes the legs.
'Swim' and 'suit' combined—literally a suit for swimming. The modern swimsuit emerged in the early 1900s, replacing bathing gowns that covered almost everything.
The history of swimwear is wild—women used to wear full-length dresses with stockings to swim! The shift to modern swimsuits happened in just a few decades and caused absolute scandal, but now no one thinks twice about it.
Female swimwear subjected to constant sexualization and regulation (school bans, competition restrictions), while male swimwear remains functional and unremarkable.
Use neutrally; when discussing regulations or design, note gendered enforcement disparities explicitly.
Women athletes have fought for bodily autonomy in swimwear choice; recognize Margaret Gorman and early swimmers who resisted Victorian restrictions.
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