If you like to swim, you've probably gone to the pool or beach many times without giving a thought to how the equipment you use developed. Swim equipment has been around far longer than you might expect, and learning a little about earlier versions may help you enjoy your sport a little bit more.
Swimwear
Humans have probably been swimming in the nude for as long as they have existed on planet earth, but the first record of clothes specific to swimming comes from Greece in 350 B.C., reports the University of California at Berkley. The university reports that swimming and bathing fell out of fashion during the dark ages, only to reappear in the 1800s. When swimming became popular again, men's and women's swimsuits developed differently.
Women's Swimwear
Early modern swimwear for women focused on modesty rather than practicality; early woman's swimsuits resembled smocks worn over bloomers covering the upper legs and black stockings covering the lower legs, reports the University of California at Berkley. As swimming became more popular, and social conventions regarding exposure of skin relaxed, swimsuits became lighter and more practical.
Men's Swimwear
Men's swimwear developed differently than that intended for women. Men bathed nude until the 1800s, when Victorian social moors took over. Early men's swimwear, reports the University of California at Berkley, resembled men's boxers combined with an undershirt. The university reports that styles diverged beginning in the 1940s, with the men's swim top gradually falling out of use, while men's swimsuit bottoms took on the boxer or Speedo styles used today.
Swim Goggles
Swimsuits aren't the only thing you need to enjoy a day at the pool or beach; swim goggles protect your eyes from chlorine, sand, and contaminants. Swim googles have been in use since the 14th century, when Persian swimmers used goggles made of polished turtle shells, reports the International Swimming Hall of Fame. The Hall of Fame also reports that later goggles were made of wood and functioned by trapping a bubble of air near the eyes, and that modern goggles were invented in 1916.
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