Togs display shows life is a beach in NZ

FROM dresses and bloomers to Baywatch and itsy bitsy teenie weenie yellow polka dot bikinis, New Zealand’s beach attire has evolved a lot since the days of the Victorian-inspired swimming dress.

And a new exhibition is showing how the fashions of yesteryear are making a come back.

At The Beach:100 years of summer fashion in New Zealand, which is on at Puke Ariki museum in New Plymouth, is revealing in several ways, according to organisers.

The exhibition, curated and toured by the New Zealand Fashion Museum, shows just societies changing attitudes towards modesty over the last 100 years.

Although the over-the-knee swimming dress hasn’t quite made a come back as beach garb, the vintage style of the dress itself can be seen throughout women’s clothing stores today.

‘‘We’ve had people come in and say ‘mymumhad those togs’ or cringe at what they wore in the 1970s,’’ Kate McKenzie Pollack, curator at Puke Ariki, said.

Fashion designer Doris de Pont curated and sourced the pieces from all across the country.

In terms of bikinis and one- pieces from the decades popping up again, this was a focus of the exhibition.

‘‘We’ve sourced some new season swimwear that have some really retro influences like the 1980s high cut style has some back.’’

The new season swimwear is from Kiwi designers such as Moontide, Jennifer Dean, and Lonely whose advertising campaigns have focused on body positivity.

Modesty didn’t just apply to women in New Zealand 100 years ago either. Up until 1936 men were not allowed to show their naval, so beach wear consisted of full body suits rather than the casual board shorts we are used to seeing today.

‘‘Modesty influenced what people were allowed to wear and has changed over the years. Advances in material and what people can make swimsuits out of has also changed.’’

Retro styles seem to have made a comeback due to there not being a style of our current times.

‘‘There’s not such a distinctive style in fashion these days. Everything goes, and everyone draws from different eras. It comes down to personal preference as well if you want to wear a bikini or a one-piece.’’

The exhibition, open at Puke Ariki until February, has already seen more than 12,000 visitors since opening in December.

We’ve had people come in and say ‘my mum had those togs’ or cringe at what they wore in the 1970s’ KATE MCKENZIE POLLACK