Vintage Swimsuits are a sight to behold. By the 1930s on the Gold Coast, the tanning fad had started, and smaller swimsuits were all the rage. Silver takes a look at local beach fashions caught on early cameras.
Tan Fads
Up until the first part of the 20th century, many women of European origin thought pale skin was beautiful. But after thousands of years of wanting a “peaches and cream” complex, the tide turned. The 1920s had arrived, and now, pale people wanted to be tanned. Articles started to appear in magazines about the beauty of sun-kissed skin.
A group of young people enjoying a day at the beach, Gold Coast, dated 1930
A story in the Delineator Magazine in 1929 had the title “Tan Takes its Turn as a Maker of Fashion.” This new fashion may have been the result of actual health findings. The recent discovery of Vitamin D’s role in preventing rickets was big news at the time. Of course, there was another factor: a tan was a sign of status.
Bathers on the beach at Burleigh, Queensland: Miss Lil Delahunty and George Beasley, 21 December 1938
Swimsuits and Holiday Skin
In the 1930s many pale-skinned people still worked outside in the sun. Tanned skin was the mark of a labourer, the peasant. The aristocrats worked indoors, in banking and clerical jobs. But change was coming: In the 1920s and 1930s, the winter beach holiday started to become a thing, and only the wealthy could afford them. Sporting a winter tan – or any tan – became the rage in Europe, America, and Australia amongst pale-skinned people. And swimsuits started changing to catch the sunlight.
Knitted vintage swimsuits could look rather sexy! Grace Riordan makes an attractive beach study, 1938
Whoops
The tanning fashion persisted until Australians started getting skin cancer in droves. Now Australia has the highest incidence of melanoma and other skin cancers in the world. And it’s not just lighter-skinned people that are at risk – skin cancer rates for darker skinned people are creeping up too. Even in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, melanoma and other skin cancers cause deaths every year. Now, the rashie is de rigueur, especially for children. But back in the 1930s, sunbathers were oblivious to the danger, and they wanted to catch that tan.
Men’s vintage swimsuits looked a little weird! Beachgoers at Burleigh Heads, 1938: Mr and Mrs Roy Lores, Hylda Lores and Ron Barnett
Women’s Swimsuits in the 1930s
Women’s bathing suits in the 1920s often sported little skirts to hide the thighs, or were an ugly one-piece with long shorts. But by the 1930s, these hideous styles started to disappear. Lowcut bathing suits started to be more common, showing a lot of the back and chest. Legs became higher-cut, showing off the thigh. But this wasn’t for everyone, and many women stuck to more conservative styles.
Swimsuit Materials
As for the materials of choice in the 1930s, wool was often the fibre chosen for swimwear. Cotton was also a popular fabric. However, it didn’t have wool’s water-repelling properties. And, cotton would sag once wet.
There were also silk swimsuits. Australian Olympian Clare Dennis won the Women’s 200 Metre Breaststroke in at the 1932 Los Angeles Olympic Games in a silk swimsuit, rather than wool. It was an excellent fabric for swimsuits. But alas. Silk was too expensive for the average weekend swimmer. At this time, Speedo had emerged as a knitting mill. The company developed a wool swimming costume called the “racerback” and from then on, Speedo was seen as THE high-tech swimsuit maker. But not everyone could afford Speedo swimsuits. In the 1930s, many families solved this problem by simply knitting their own swimwear.
Young women enjoying a day at the beach at Southport, 1940
The Knitting Effect
The 1930s actually saw a revival in hand knitting, so the timing was perfect. Young women were making their own swimwear, copying styles they saw in magazines. They used wool with bright colours: It was cheap and accessible. And yet, not perfect: If the knitter got the swimsuit wrong, then it would sag in all the wrong places and they may get kicked off the beach for indecency! New materials were needed.
Marie McKenna and Gladys Cooling at Southport, 1938
Artificial Fibres
Innovative fabrics were coming onto the market but they could be a bit hit-and-miss. Rayon was an early solution. It dried faster than wool but didn’t always hold its shape. A company called American Rubber developed Lastex, an extruded rubber surrounded by fibre. This was a bit of a disaster. The material didn’t hold the colour, which just ran away after a couple of uses. Plus, the material didn’t hold its shape once wet – it was a floppy mess.
Young women modelling for an advertisement at Surfers paradise, for the department store T.C. Beirne
In 1939, duPont developed a nylon called 6.6 polymer that revolutionised swimwear. Swimsuits made from it were durable and dried quickly. The uptake was fast and cossies began hugging the body.
Other materials surfaced: Dacron, Orlon, Lycra, and Spandex found their way into swimsuit material. All this was revolutionary and made swimming a greater pleasure.
Amy and Maude Werth at the Queensland coast, thought to be around 1920
Men’s Swimsuits in the 1930s
By the 1930s men’s swimwear started to get smaller, but they still had a one-piece look to them that covered parts of the chest and back. The one-piece wool swimsuit remained a thing. But it was evolving. Armholes became larger, necklines bigger and lower, the backs became more open. Finally, though, towards the end of the 1930s, the men started to ditch the chest-coverings. By the end of the 1940s, all men were bare-chested. Competitive swimmers, wrestlers and boxers could all be topless to compete. You can’t hide a well-built body for long. The strong, superman body ideal of this era was now something to flaunt shamelessly at the beach. Swim trunks evolved into high-waisted shorts, with a belt. Eventually, the belt disappeared and they just started to look like huge undies with a drawstring.
Men’s vintage swimsuits! Early form of sand yachting on Coolangatta Beach, 1925. Three young men are seated on the windsurfer which consists of a large sail attached to a wheeled base
Fibres
Like women’s togs, most of the men’s togs of the 1930s were made from wool. They were roomy at the front, but tight around the legholes in case sagging provided too much information. Men’s togs in particular befitted from the revolution in synthetic fibres. Materials like spandex dried much faster than wool and cotton, and eventually replaced traditional materials altogether.
Now, men can choose budgie smugglers or boardshorts or both. And we can all thank synthetic fibres for that. Well, the budgie smugglers still have a lot to answer for.
Boardies are water repellent and quick-drying. But the chemical that makes them water-repellent is also a major pollutant. So we need to change our thinking on them.
Boardies could be polluting that beautiful sea in front of you
Boardies and PFAS
PFAS (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances) are chemicals used in many products because they repel water and stains. However, a growing number of scientists are expressing concern about these chemicals. The substances persist for a very long time. They seep into our water and soil, and may adversely impact people’s health and wildlife. And that’s the last thing we want to leave behind in the ocean after our swim.
Human health problems linked to certain PFAS exposure are many. The list goes on: kidney and testicular cancer, liver malfunction, hypothyroidism, high cholesterol. Also, ulcerative colitis, lower birth weight and size, obesity, and decreased immune response to vaccines. So, scientists have suggested a new framework to reduce harmful chemicals like PFAS.
The general rule here is that if isn’t essential, then manufacturers, please don’t use them. And we as consumers should not buy them.
Boardies should be avoided if dangerous chemicals are used to make them
The study was published by the Royal Society of Chemistry. It points out that it may be nice to have water-repelling surfer shorts. But in this instance water repellency is not essential. Other products that we should ditch include personal care products and cosmetics, food contact materials, and ski waxes.
Legitimate uses are things like fire-fighting foams, where lives are at stake. Some retailers and manufacturers are already taking voluntary measures to phase out the use of PFAS in their products.
Perhaps you’d just like to go with boardies that are made from recycled fishing nets? Surfers, choose boardies that take a little longer to try. The environment will thank you for it. ■
DO YOU HAVE a business on the Gold Coast aimed at tourists? Well then you might be interested in this. A recent survey has shown that the stage of life we’re in has a significant impact on the reasons we travel.
Are you trying to attract Millennials to the Gold Coast? That’s good, because this group won’t put off travelling, even if they can’t afford it! “Forget what you thought about Millennials travelling on a shoestring,” said Karen Fuller, senior director of global market research at Vrbo. “Our results revealed that they are actually the most likely to go into debt for travel, which is consistent with the notion that Millennials like to accumulate experiences, not things.” Only 27% of Gen Xers and 15% of Boomers are prepared to go into debt for travel.
Gold Coast Accommodation
If you are marketing your Gold Coast accommodation, service or experience on the Goldie, then here’s something else to keep in mind. 45% of Millennials said they’ll travel purely for exploration. 20% of Gen Xers (aged 35to 54) said they’ll travel for a special occasion. Of those, 44% said the special occasion is a milestone event, such as an anniversary or a birthday. Baby Boomers are the least likely group to be travelling for a hobby or activity, like surfing, hiking, or skiing (6%), a 17% difference from Millennials. It seems that each generation needs a different campaign message.
Internet/WiFi access is the single-most important accommodation amenity for travellers of all ages, outranking traditional must-haves like TV and air-conditioning.
For Millennials, the gap was much wider than for any other age group: 72% said they want online access. This is something you’ll need to highlight in your advertising campaign! So get stuck into that marketing plan, Gold Coasters! ■
Virtual reality beaches can make us feel better in uncomfortable situations!
IMAGINE WALKING along a beach on a lovely day. The waves are hitting on the shore, crabs are scurrying in the sand, you can hear the calls of the seagulls. You turn to continue along the path feeling calm and relaxed. Then, you suddenly hear your dentist say, “Fine, all done, you can take the headset off now.”
A recent study decided to find out if having a lovely experience at the beach (in virtual reality) would make the dentist chair better. The study was done while fillings were being put in, and teeth were being pulled out.
Two virtual reality programmes were offered to the dental patients. One was a walk along a beach. The other was a walk around an anonymous virtual reality city. Those who ‘walked’ along the beach were less anxious. They experienced less pain, and had more positive recollections of their treatment a week later, than those in the standard care condition. These benefits were not found for those who walked around the virtual city.
Virtual Reality Setting Are not all Equal
Dr Sabine Pahl, the project’s coordinator said, “Merely distracting the patients isn’t enough. The environment for a patient’s visit needs to be welcoming and relaxing.” The beach virtual reality encounter resulted in demonstrably better experiences in the dentist’s chair.
Dr. Karin Tanja-Dijkstra was the lead author of the study. “The use of virtual reality in health care settings is on the rise. Our research demonstrates that under the right conditions, this technology can be used to help both patients and practitioners.”
The authors of the research stress that the type of virtual reality environment the patient visits is important. There is a growing body of work that shows that natural environments, and marine environments in particular, can help reduce stress and anxiety.
Co-author Dr. Mathew White said, “We have done a lot of work recently which suggests that people are happiest and most relaxed when they are at the seaside. So it seemed only natural to investigate whether we could bottle this experience and use it to help people in potentially stressful healthcare contexts.”
Gold Coasters, next time you feel stressed, jump onto the beach! You’ll feel a million times better! ■
The Black Pearl is a magnificent seafaring beast. The sailing vessel has won the highest honours at the World Superyacht Awards for 2019 – Best Sailing Yacht Overall.
Developed by a company called Oceanco, the boat, measuring 106.7m in length, is the world’s largest private sailing yacht. A team of designers, engineers, naval architects, builders, and project managers came together to make Yacht into a reality.
Black Peal, the best sailing yacht in the world
Sail Power
A true sailing yacht, The Black Pearl is capable of crossing the Atlantic without using any fuel. Under sail power, the yacht generates its own energy. This energy is then fed back into its battery systems. Simply sailing across the ocean can generate enough energy to power the internal systems of the boat. This cancels out the need to run generators. The sails can be set or furled by pushing a button, and can be operated by one person. Astonishingly, all 2900sqm of sails can be set in 6 minutes!
The owner of The Black Pearl has an engineering background. He was exceptionally involved in the entire build process. The anonymous owner said, “Being an engineer, I have a natural inclination and curiosity about new systems and innovative technology. Eco consciousness is vital for the future of our planet. I wholeheartedly support research that will drive us to more sustainability and I have ensured that green technology was very much a part of the creation of The Black Pearl.”
The sails can be set or furled by pushing a button, and can be operated by one person.
Black Pearl Solar
The rig of the The Black Pearl is prepared for solar sails to be fitted in the future. The development of solar sails is ongoing, but when they become available, they will click right into place. This will add more power to the onboard batteries.
The yacht’s interior’s centrepiece is a multi-level central atrium, including a magnificent stairwell and lift that rises alongside the central mast. Rather than the conventional array of rooms at various levels, there is a central, high-ceiling saloon, with a more informal upper deck saloon/cinema. A dining room can convert to a banquet space, with panoramic balconies on either side. A large beach club can deploy landing platforms on either side for full enjoyment of the sea. The interior décor has been decked out with crystal, mahogany, elm burr, and ebony inlays, gilded bronze, marble, onyx, and silk. When your ship comes in, this is the one you can upgrade to. Ahoy! ■
A new type of circular runway is shaking our ideas about how airports can be run using much smaller spaces, reports Nicole Buckler.
As the plane lands, the passengers will experience a slight turn
The Gold Coast Airport is growing. International property and infrastructure group Lendlease has been appointed to deliver Gold Coast Airport’s southern terminal expansion. This is the next phase in the $370 million airport redevelopment.
There will be plenty on room inside the circle for the airport hub
While another runway isn’t imminent, it may soon be required, considering just how much the Gold Coast Airport is expanding.
Another Runway Needed?
A huge 6.6 million passengers pass through it every year, and this will more than double by 2037. And, the population of the Gold Coast and Northern NSW is forecast to grow significantly in the next 20 years. Queensland Airports Limited CEO Chris Mills said, “The existing terminal is currently operating beyond capacity.”
The side of the runway would be banked slightly
The Gold Coast Airport isn’t the only aviation hub that’s growing. All across the world right now, airports are bursting at the seams. More and more people want to fly, more often. While airports need to expand three-fold, most airports in established cities can’t get bigger due to a lack of land surrounding them. And getting permission for more runways is becoming near impossible.
But there could be a solution to that. The Endless Runway is a radical and novel airport concept, which may solve a lot of problems.
The design allows for less congestion in the air
Runway Science
Dutch researcher Hank Hesselink came up with the idea behind the circular runway, after watching YouTube videos about scary crosswind take-offs and landings. He wanted to design an airport where the wind was not a big issue. The circle design ensures that planes take off with no crosswind, only headwind. With a circular runway, planes can take off or land regardless of what the wind is doing. And, the shape can improve the noise footprint on the local area.
The circular runway can take four times the workload of current airports
Hesselink set about studying this very concept. He received funding from the European Commission via the Netherlands Aerospace Centre to work out whether it was viable. Currently, scientists are using simulators to test the circular runways. The design of the runway allows for three planes to land at the same time. When completed, it will handle the work of four runways.
The circle design ensures that planes take off with no crosswind, only headwind.
The runway is 3.5kms long, and the sides are banked. As the plane lands, the passengers will experience a slight turn, much like a turn in the air. And, it won’t feel like it is a roller-coaster – pilots will only use part of the circle to land.
Planes can land of take off from any direction on the circle
The runway will be large enough to provide sufficient room for infrastructure preferably inside the circle, even for an airport hub. This makes the airport compact, while allowing current-day aircraft to use the circle without significant structural modifications.
Multiple aircraft could take off from the same circular runway, and also land at the same time
Multiple aircraft could take off from the same circular runway, and also land at the same time. This would be the end of congested air spaces – aircraft would be able to fly in to the airport from many different directions.
Currently, scientists are using simulators to test the circular runway.
This idea is a just a concept at this early stage, but it is a great one. And while there are many design hurdles to overcome, we would love to see this at the Gold Coast. Mostly because it looks super cool.
Author bio
Nicole Buckler is the editor-in-chief at Sunkiss Media. She has been a journalist for over 20 years, working in Brisbane, Sydney, Melbourne, London, Dublin and Taipei. She recently returned to the Gold Coast, saying she has seen the world but the best place on earth is right here, and she’s never leaving again. You can contact her at Nicole@sunkissmedia.com.au
