Hardcover. London, Carlton Books Ltd, 1st, 2007, Book: Very Good, Dust Jacket: Very Good, Hardcover, 304 pages, illustrated in color and b&w. An illustrated fashion history from the 1920s to the present. Chock full of pictures and information, cataloging our love affair with the swimsuit and beach life in general. This book covers the period from the mid-nineteenth century, when the railways first made the seaside accessible to all, right up to the modern day, with supermodels strutting their stuff on the catwalk for Gucci and Versace. There's tons of info on the chronology of fabrics, from heavy felts and wools, up to modern synthetics. And a wealth of illustrations show bathing machines, 30's lido's, knobbly knees contests - and my favourite of all - dozens of vintage adverts for swimwear.
