DEFINITIVE : One-Piece Is Still in the Swim of Things

Everybody thought the bikini would blow it out of the water, but the one-piece bathing suit has stayed afloat, a simple handful of fabric that is both revealing and concealing.

The one-piece evolved from the bathing wear worn by women during the 1800s, when doctors prescribed a day in the water to cure everything from nerves to meningitis. The suits of this time were as modest as the Victorian ethic would allow: women wore a suit of flannel, alpaca or serge with a bodice, high neck, sleeves to the elbow, skirt with bloomers underneath, stockings and canvas shoes.

Hundreds drowned as the heavy suits pulled their wearers below the surface.

Eventually, safety overcame modesty and the one-piece was a fixture on American beaches, although it included full-length sleeves, legs that reached the knees and a skirt. Then, in 1915, Danish immigrant and sweater maker Carl Jantzen developed a light wool knit suit that stretched for the Portland, Ore., Rowing Team, and the modern one-piece finally began to take shape.

Today’s one-piece suits are either strapless or not, backless or not, Lycra, nylon, cotton. But wool? Not!

Mossimo introduced an eye-catching plaid pattern that makes a women stick out in the sand, and fluorescent shades are easy for the lifeguard to spot, but the classic blue, red and white solids and Hawaiian patterns sensibly swim on.