How did pre-Lycra suits fit

[JamesSwim]

Before Lycra suits became popular, how did the suits fit, especially the ones that had some stretch. (And let's got to the era after the wool suits).

It seems that some makers had suits with some stretch -- perhaps like some polyester knit, or maybe they had some rubber in them (just like how some items like ankle or knee supporters have rubber woven into the cloth).

So people were looking for a tight fit, but without a modern fabric made with Lycra, they were probably bulky?

[Swimmboy]

Nylon suits - such as the 1970s/80s Speedos - were available before Lycra, and they could be fairly snug.

[Torchwatch]

At the age of 12 I was bought a pair of bri-nylon square cuts for use in the schools outdoor pool. I really hated this swimsuit, it exposed my shy skinny body while at the same time feeling excessive and imprisoning. It was pretentious having a fake fly up the front.
If you don't remember bri-nylon look at this:
http://flashbak.com/sweat-the-nightie-away-with-these-bri-nylon-adverts-from-the-1950s-and-1960s-16884/
My suit would have looked similar to the light blue bottoms in the Trend advert, though mine was a navy colour.
Please read the text in the Zing advert for a changing linguistics laugh.
Apologies for showing female advert, it was all I could find.

After leaving school I bought myself a 3" side black nylon Speedo. It felt so thin and shiny and liberating. I got hard first time I wore it between the changing rooms and the pool. I soon bought a 2" black nylon Speedo with red and white side trim, even more exciting for me. This was not long before the first Lycra suits started appearing locally.

[SwimTeamSpeedo]

JamesSwim,

My pre lycra swimsuits were made of nylon and poly. They had some stretch to them, but not nearly as much as lycra. Other than less stretch, they pretty much fit just like swimsuits fit today. If you go back to some of the pictures of swimmers like Mark Spitz, I am pretty sure the suits they have on are not lycra. The older Ocean suits were all nylon and while they were technically briefs, I recall they were a pretty loose fit, in fact after we got our first Speedo briefs, we wore the old Ocean 5 inch briefs over them sometimes as drag suits. The old Nylon suits material was a bit shiny, but I had a some suits back then that were really cool looking. They also lasted much longer than lycra blends in the chlorinated water. I had a black and gold Speedo that lasted years, and I wore that suit all the time. I had an Arena suit that looked really cool, and it lasted until I accidentally left it at the pool... it was a favorite and I was heartbroken when I lost it.

The only difference is they were not as clingy. They were also tighter in some ways, and less forgiving to changes inside... so, if your parts grew a bit, the stretch only went so far and then thing like the leg openings might start to pull away, whereas lycra just expands around you.

Even today some of those nylon blend suits are still around. Some of the truly chlorine resistant suits sold today are actually the same Nylon/Poly blends of old.

STS

[zungaboy]

I'm from South America and I tell you that South America has changed a lot since I was a child and my parents were young until today.
When I was a child the clothes were very very durable. not only were the fabrics durable, also the seams were more resistant, and also finishing 70’s and early 80’s the people had less money than today here, them no all the people bought swimwear all the years. For the children who was growing year to year the common was inherit the swimwear from the older brothers, uncles, fathers, etc... And an adult guy kept his briefs for years, years and years.... of Corse for a lot of years. The clothes was very expensives here in early 80’s, but if you bought some clothes you was sure it will be with you a lot of year.
I remember my first “speedos”, it was not made with Nylon, it was made with polyester. The fabric was stiff and hard (no elastic) also the polyester square brief was the common swimsuit for guys. Them finishing the 70’s the lycra briefs for men was not common to see at the beaches here. When my country begin to grow back (and the economy was better) at middle of 80’s arrived the lycra for guys (for women the swimwear with lycra was common) them with the “new speedos” very shortly, reduced, skinny and elastic telling to all the people at the beach “LOOK ME THE BULGE” ( we did not had the “nylon swim brief” between “polyester-brief” and the “lycra-brief”) a lot of guy felt shy about “show the bulge” them only few guys begging to wear “bikini-lycras” and the big majority of the guys (maybe the 99%) begging to wear the swim-shorts (like the 80’s adidas running shorts) them, I never knew about the nylon brief, but I remember very good my fist lycra- square-pant. I remember very good, I was 5 years old...was royal blue with a white line at a side with a red anchor drawn.. Really I remember this brief. I remember when I saw the lycra I thought: “IT IS LIKE A SUPERHERO LOINCLOTH!!!!!!” :-)

[JamesSwim]

I saw references to fabrics like Ban-Lon or Lastex too. They seem to be the miracle fabrics of their day.

http://cdm16038.contentdm.oclc.org/cdm/search/collection/p268001coll14/searchterm/bathing%20suits

and

http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/lastex

[50 Free]

My new Dolfin Ceres Chloroban reminds me of the Speedos from the seventies.

[JamesSwim]

It looks like patterns go in and out of favor. All over prints give way to solids with some side panel, and then back to all over prints. I think all over prints are popular today.

[Dooley67]

My pre-Lycra suits were all nylon. I had a green Ocean brief, about 4 or 5" sides. It was loose but had some stretchability when it was wet. This was in 1967 - I remember it specifically because I wore it when I started graduate school when I went to a lake with a buddy from my dorm that I had just met. The other was a smaller Speedo brand - 2-3" which fit tight and was relatively low cut, and had very little stretchability. Sad thing is that I don't know what happened to them - probably lost them through so many moves at that time.

D67

[JamesSwim]

My pre-Lycra suits were all nylon. I had a green Ocean brief, about 4 or 5" sides. It was loose but had some stretchability when it was wet. This was in 1967 - I remember it specifically because I wore it when I started graduate school when I went to a lake with a buddy from my dorm that I had just met? The other was a smaller Speedo brand - 2-3" which fit tight and was relatively low cut, and had very little stretchability. Sad thing is that I don't know what happened to them - probably lost them through so many moves at that time.

D67

Even if you don't have stretch, I prefer those to some new Lycra suits that may fit tight, but are thin, so you don't feel much support. Plus being so thin means it reveals more curves than I prefer.

[Dooley67]

Even if you don't have stretch, I prefer those to some new Lycra suits that may fit tight, but are thin, so you don't feel much support. Plus being so thin means it reveals more curves than I prefer.


I completely agree with you. That's one of the reasons I like the Turbo water polo suits because they don't show your package in any way that stands out (lol....pun intended).

D67

[PSDave]

Before they started using the lycra all the suits were 100% nylon and fit great. Suits were generally 2 or 3 inches on the sides and either solid colors or stripes. (patterns came just before Lycra hit the market) There were also some all nylon suits that we called tank suits. They were about 5 or 6 inches on the side and had an inner "under pant". (They are now sold as drag or training suits) Lycra had fun patterns but as is the case today, they don't hold up anywhere as long as the nylon suits did. The also had to be treated better with rinsing and hand washing. The nylon suits got tossed in the lockers after practice while still wet with pool water and when washed went in the the reset of the wash. I still have 20+ year old nylon suits while not a single lycra suit lasted more than two. I think that Lycra was used so that guys would have to buy suits every year.

[shaulis]

I completely agree with you. That's one of the reasons I like the Turbo water polo suits because they don't show your package in any way that stands out (lol....pun intended).

D67
Dooley67,

Its the unlined swimwear that show off the male form. I think swimwear makers are using lighter weight material that makes it feel thinner. I'm sure the reason why the makers are using the light weight material is monetary.

[Dooley67]

Dooley67,

Its the unlined swimwear that show off the male form. I think swimwear makers are using lighter weight material that makes it feel thinner. I'm sure the reason why the makers are using the light weight material is monetary.

shaulis,

I'm sure that you're right about that. They say the lightweight material is for a faster swim, but money is the overriding reason.

D67

[sebbie]

I have a Janzen swim brief in an orange-red Flag-like pattern with stars. It dates from about 1972. The material is not Lycra, but a woven material with rubberized threads intermingled like would be used in a jock-strap only finer.

This suit isnt in great shape, but its still together, more or less. I bought a Lycra Speedo about the same time. That one disintegrated many years ago, so this fabric was a lot sturdier.

The tags are still in the suit, recommending machine washing, cold. Unfortunately there is no tag indicating exactly what the material was.

This suit fit quite snug.

Sebbie

[JamesSwim]

I have a Janzen swim brief in an orange-red Flag-like pattern with stars. It dates from about 1972. The material is not Lycra, but a woven material with rubberized threads intermingled like would be used in a jock-strap only finer.

This suit isnt in great shape, but its still together, more or less. I bought a Lycra Speedo about the same time. That one disintegrated many years ago, so this fabric was a lot sturdier.

The tags are still in the suit, recommending machine washing, cold. Unfortunately there is no tag indicating exactly what the material was.

This suit fit quite snug.

Sebbie


I think the fabric you have that is rubbery is lastex.

http://www.glamoursurf.com/articles/article/4918259/90530.htm

says:
"an elastic core wound around with cotton or silk or nylon or rayon threads"

I wish they still made these suits.

By the way, the site listed above is interesting. Lots of info on old swimwear. It even sells an "open side" suit that was discussed on this site a while back.

http://www.glamoursurf.com/catalog/item/4610940/9720487.htm

and also look at the ad on this page on Lastex

http://wearinghistoryblog.com/category/lastex/

Talk about high waisted suits! And "quick drying" worsted suits.

[sebbie]

The fabric is falling apart in back, but Lycra wouldn't be here at all in 40 years

Front
http://www.sebringsil.com/sw1.jpg

Rear:


http://www.sebringsil.com/sw2.jpg


Just for comparizon, here is a magenta Thong from Koalaswim.com. This is probably 10-12 years old and in great shape

http://www.sebringsil.com/sw3.jpg

And just for the fun of it, my new Seobean 40 years after the Janzen
http://www.sebringsil.com/sw4.jpg

[JamesSwim]

That's in good condition, considering how many years it's been. I presume the red suit was a darker color originally, but it's amazing how well it has kept up.

[sebbie]

The color has not changed much. Interestingly it was always a bright orange-red

[d_i_f_f_e_r_e_n_t_c]

Long time no post all,
I was digging through some old photos on floppy discs and found 2 blasts from my past that I thought may be of interest. The first was in St.Augustine, I was about 13 or so. I don't know the history of the suit, just that it came from my grandmother's apartment. I don't remember much about it, just that I had it.

The second one I have no idea of the brand, it came from a discount store that cut out the tags. I do remember wearing it to bed at night, and having it for a while before wearing it out completely. I was 14-15 at the time.

[Tsbailey47]

When I was in grade school many guys wore the 100% nylon brief suits like Speedo; Ocean Speed and Ocean Champion were the favorites at that time. Lycra wasn't readily available back then. I always wore the Ocean Champion to the beach, it was white and blue vertical stripes and the white parts were a bit translucent when the suit was wet, even though it had a full, front and back liner. I usually wore a jock strap under the suit so my parts couldn't be seen by the girls. Later, in high school I discovered the Speedo nylon suits with much more narrow sides and these became my new favorites for the beach and school swimming pool. Then, strangely, styles changed and most of the guys, including my friends switched to longer, baggie shorts. I tried these, but just couldn't figure out why anyone would like them for swimming. They were uncomfortable, awkward in the water and stayed wet for hours. I never made the switch and kept on wearing the Speedo suits with about 3" sides. Occasionally, someone would make a comment about my "old style" swimsuit and there was even a rare reference to my being "Gay". I really didn't give a damn and continued wearing my Speedo type suits everywhere. Then came lyrca, at first I loved the way they fit and because they stretched I wouldn't outgrow them. The patterns changed, no longer was I limited to a solid color front and back with white sides. I developed a fondness for suits with at least 4 different bright colors. Now I am about the same size as I was while in college and I'm soooo glad I held onto my 100% nylon Speedos, I think they fit better and feel a lot better than any lycra suit I ever had. Living in Mexico, where the sun is pretty intense, I find that I get a pretty decent tan right through these nylon suits (the fabric is sooooo thin). When I am able to be nude on the beach I will do so, but that's becoming more and more difficult, so a suit I can tan through is a big pluss. I have a couple of Aussiebum nylon suits I like a lot, these are extremely translucent when wet, especially the ones with white stripes or solid light blue (ice blue?), but I don't mind at all when I come out of the water and my parts can be seen by anyone close. I tried one of the AB wonderjock suits and I do wear it once in a while, but it's not comfortable for a whole day at the beach. My present preference is for a suit with 1" to 1 1/2" sides, but suits like this are super hard to find in nylon, spandex being the most available. Not as many guys wear brief type suits in Mexico any more, but no one ever makes any bad comments and usually no one even looks twice at a guy wearing a bikini or even a thong (yes, I do wear a thong on the beach once in a while).

[Tsbailey47]

My experience is the same. The lycra suits, especially if they are not VERY tight do allow a lot of "Floppiness" and movement. This makes them quite a bit more revealing than the pre-lycra nylon suits. I always had nylon suits that were pretty tight and nothing would move at all, even though the material is super thin. I like the patterns that are available with the lycra suits but still prefer the fit and feel of the 100% nylon Speedo suits that I never got rid of and still fit me .

[PSDave]

I disagree on the nylon suit being less revealing. If the suit was the proper fit and left room for "the boys" the thin nylon fabric molded to you package when wet and showed your religion when dry. The more worn they were the more they moved with the body. The lycra has a tendency to smash everything flat. Pics of the Aussiebum guys in the 100% nylon suits is a great example of how sexie nylon is. The other thing is the longevity of nylon. I have suits that are 30+ years old that are as good as the day they were new. Before the lycra plague the patterns of the nylon were as varied as the lycra is now, if not more so.