Happy Birthday Bikini!

[CoasterMatt]

Jul 5 1946
Louis Reard's latest swimsuit creation, the two-piece Bikini, goes on sale in Paris.

[Kevy Baby]

Originally Posted by CoasterMatt

Jul 5 1946
Louis Reard's latest swimsuit creation, the two-piece Bikini, goes on sale in Paris.

Here's a toast to Louis Reard

[JWBear]

I read the title of the thread and wondered. "Who's Bikini? I don't remember seeing them post anything."

[€uroMeinke]

Today I wear my black bikini briefs in mourning

[Moonliner]

Originally Posted by CoasterMatt

Jul 5 1946
Louis Reard's latest swimsuit creation, the two-piece Bikini, goes on sale in Paris.

You Bastard!

How dare you post on this subject and NOT include any PHOTOS!

[Kevy Baby]

In all fairness, if you are going to post the above, you should post this as well:

Spoiler:

Granted, I prefer Moonies picture

[Moonliner]

Originally Posted by Kevy Baby

In all fairness, if you are going to post the above, you should post this as well:

Spoiler:

Granted, I prefer Moonies picture

Screw fairness. Gimme hotness.

[€uroMeinke]

In my attempt to find a picture of the "first" bikini - I've learned that really this is the anniversary of the name and not really the garment:

from wikipedia:

Two-piece garments worn by women for athletic purposes have been observed on Greek urns and paintings, dated as early as 1400 BC. Ancient artwork from over 1700 years ago in Villa Romana del Casale have depicted women in garments resembling modern-day bikinis. [1] Other bikini-style swimwear existed for many years before the first official bikini. Films of holidaymakers in Germany in the 1930s show women wearing two-piece bathing suits. They were to be seen again a year later in Gold Diggers of 1933. Two-piece swimsuits started appearing in the US when the U.S. Government ordered a 10 percent reduction in the fabric used in woman's swimwear in 1943 as part of wartime rationing. The July 9, 1945 issue of Life shows women in Paris wearing similar items.

Micheline Bernardini modeling one of the first modern bikinis.


According to the official version, the modern bikini was invented by French engineer Louis Réard and fashion designer Jacques Heim in Paris in 1946 and introduced on July 5[2] at a fashion show at Piscine Molitor in Paris.[3] It was a string bikini with a g-string back. It was named after Bikini Atoll, the site of a nuclear weapon test called Operation Crossroads on July 1 in the Marshall Islands, on the reasoning that the burst of excitement it would cause would be like the nuclear device.

Here's a pic of an early example of a Roman Bikini:



and here's Ursala Andress in a famous bikini (Bond, James Bond)



And for you star wars Geeks - Princess Leia;

[Not Afraid]

So, when was waxing invented?

[€uroMeinke]

Originally Posted by Not Afraid

So, when was waxing invented?

following the bikini waxing link from the Wikipedia entry above:

It is suggested[who?] that women started removing this hair when bathing suit styles became abbreviated enough to keep these areas uncovered, especially the term bikini line indicates a date later than the nuclear explosion at the Bikini Islands in 1946 and the introduction of swimsuits that followed.[2] Changes in lingerie styles and their popularity have encouraged year round waxing of the bikini area.[1] In Middle Eastern societies, removal of the female body hair is considered a proper form of hygiene, necessitated by ancient local customs.[3] Contemporary sources indicate that the French nobility also practiced waxing during the 17th century.

So perhaps a Bastile day celebration can work that in as well?