# Bikinis Originally Deemed Obscene? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [August 25, 2010, 10:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bikinis-originally-deemed-obscene/551467 "2010-08-25T22:41:53Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 5\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![ralph124c](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/8797f3/32.png) [@ralph124c](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ralph124c)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2010, 6:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bikinis-originally-deemed-obscene/551467/21 "2010-08-28T18:15:17Z")
The Wiki link describes the early days of the bikini- I cannot imagine that sales (in the USA) were anything spectacular , in the late 1940’s. I would imagine their acceptance would be limited, until the mid-60’s (sexuqal revolution). Interestingly, the first girls to wear bikinis at Copacabana Beach (Rio de Janeiro, Brazil), were asked to leave-they were felt to be too provocative. Today, the style worn in Brazil (tanga) is almost non-existent-probably a few square inches of material. ---
**Author:** ![Exapno\_Mapcase](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/exapno_mapcase/32/1051_2.png) [@Exapno\_Mapcase](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Exapno_Mapcase)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2010, 6:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bikinis-originally-deemed-obscene/551467/22 "2010-08-28T18:43:13Z")
> [@ralph124c](#): > > The Wiki link describes the early days of the bikini- I cannot imagine that sales (in the USA) were anything spectacular , in the late 1940’s. I would imagine their acceptance would be limited, until the mid-60’s (sexuqal revolution). Bikinis were common in the U.S. throughout the 50s. They were in a multitude of different styles and levels of coverage, but the sexual revolution had little to do with swimwear. ---
**Author:** ![Guinastasia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guinastasia/32/5751_2.png) [@Guinastasia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guinastasia)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2010, 11:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bikinis-originally-deemed-obscene/551467/23 "2010-08-28T23:41:40Z")
> [@descamisado](#): > > Let me just say I’m shocked – _shocked!_ – that a thread about the Bikini has turned into a discussion of Annette Funicello’s breasts. From the movie _Stand by Me_: **TEDDY** : Have you guys been watching the Mickey Mouse Club lately? **GORDIE, CHRIS AND VERN** : Yeah. **TEDDY** : I think Annette’s tits are getting bigger. **CHRIS** : Think so? **TEDDY** : Yeah, I think so. **GORDIE** : Yeah. I think he’s right. I’ve been noticing lately that the A and the E are beginning to bend around the sides. **VERN** : Annette’s tits are great! **GORDIE, CHRIS AND TEDDY** : Yeah. ---
**Author:** ![AncientHumanoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ancienthumanoid/32/278_2.png) [@AncientHumanoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AncientHumanoid)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2010, 1:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bikinis-originally-deemed-obscene/551467/24 "2010-08-29T01:04:24Z")
> [@acsenray](#): > > While it’s true that the word “bikini” was popularized in the mid 1940s for a , long after two-piece swimsuits became generally popular, I don’t think there’s any general distinction to be made in modern parlance between a “bikini” and a “two-piece swimsuit.” The terms are interchangeable, qualifiers like “string” or “boyshort” or “Brazilian back” or “thong” can be used with either to specify what degree of skimpiness is being talked about. I haven’t noticed them being categorized separately in stores or catalogues either. Back in the day, we called them all Bermudas. ---
**Author:** ![Guinastasia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guinastasia/32/5751_2.png) [@Guinastasia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guinastasia)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2010, 3:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bikinis-originally-deemed-obscene/551467/25 "2010-08-29T03:03:42Z")
> [@NoClueBoy](#): > > > [@acsenray](#): > > > > While it’s true that the word “bikini” was popularized in the mid 1940s for a , long after two-piece swimsuits became generally popular, I don’t think there’s any general distinction to be made in modern parlance between a “bikini” and a “two-piece swimsuit.” The terms are interchangeable, qualifiers like “string” or “boyshort” or “Brazilian back” or “thong” can be used with either to specify what degree of skimpiness is being talked about. I haven’t noticed them being categorized separately in stores or catalogues either. > > Back in the day, we called them all Bermudas. You win the intraweb. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bikinis-originally-deemed-obscene/551467.md?page=1)