At the Beach: 100 Years of Summer Fashion in New Zealand

At the Beach: 100 years of summer fashion in New Zealand celebrates changing beach fashions and fun since the early 1900s. What we did and what we wore reveals our relationship to the coast and the changes in social attitudes to modesty and participation in leisure pursuits.

From the neck to knee bathers of the Edwardian era to the skimpy bikinis of the 1970s and beyond see how and why swimwear shrank. With over 100 images the book shares some personal beach experiences, explores the relationship between glamour and the beach, the rise of the perfect tan and uncovers the history of our swimwear industry riding the local and global fashion wave. At the Beach goes in search of the influence of the beach on our New Zealand identity.