Angela J. Latham

One dramatic change in American fashion has been the evolution of women's bathing suits, from the nearly full—body cover—up still worn in the late 1800s to today's thong bikini. This evolution reflects not only changing tastes in clothing, but also new attitudes about health, modesty, and the female body.

Bathing suits first became the focus of public controversy in the 1870s, the period when swimming became a popular national sport. Women's clothing at that time was still conservative, though feminists were beginning to rally for dress reform-more comfortable, practical clothes for everyday wear. The beach became one of the battlegrounds for the debate. "Bare limbs will not be tolerated!" warned one of the rules posted regarding women's beachwear at a 1920s Atlantic City seaside resort. Similar...