Long Arm Of The Law

Annette was an outspoken advocate for streamlined suits, and even designed her own range of controversial swimwear.

In the 1920s, “Vogue” reported that “the newest thing for the sea is a jersey bathing suit as near a maillot as the unwritten law will permit.”

Finally, women were able to swim in style and comfort, though they couldn’t get too carried away – some American beaches employed “Sheriffettes” to measure bathing costumes and banish the most revealing offenders. Swimsuits continued to shrink, however, and improved fabrics meant a splash in the sea didn’t result in waterlogged woe.

However, we’re not sure about these woolly numbers from “Aunt Kate’s Knitting Book”, a 1932 sister publication to the “Friend”!