Changes

====The Origins of Visiting a Beach====Informally, people have been swimming and visiting beaches for generations. However, beaches were not considered a place a large number of tourists, and certainly not families, would go visit during the summer months or even other times of the year. The beach was sometimes isolated from communities and even seen as dangerous. By the Medieval and early Modern Period, people would see the beach as possibly a nice place to look at but people would not swim since taking ones one's clothes to go for a swim would be seen as immodest, for both men and women. Even children taking their clothes off and changing to swimwear as mostly unheard of. Perhaps some of the earliest records of beach-side use comes come from the 18th century.  Interestingly, it was not the beach but nearby spas that attracted people closer to the beach. In Scarborough, in Yorkshire in the United Kingdom, the town was known to have a natural acidic water spring that ran from the cliffs to the beach area. The spa, seen as providing health benefits mostly by wealthy individuals, led to the development of resorts and hotels in the town for people to take advantage of the natural spa. Instead of swimming in the ocean to feel refreshed, people wanted to change and dip in the spa waters. At this time already, modesty expectations made changing into swimwear somewhat complex.  The first rolling bathing machines were introduced in 1735 as a way for people to change inside these areas into swimwear and then go for a swim in the spa waters by being rolled to the water (Figure 1). These box-like rooms could be rolled close to the beach so people would not have to be exposed too long in showing their swimwear, which even covered most of the peoples' bodies. By the mid-18th century, wealthy Europeans began to see the beach as a place that offered exercise and enabled experiencing the outdoors, which they increasingly saw as beneficial for health and nature began to be seen as less dangerous and more pleasurable. However, beach holidays did not exist outside of those for the very wealthy.<ref>For more on the early history of visiting beaches, see: Brodie, Allan, and Matthew Whitfield. 2014. <i>Blackpool’s Seaside Heritage</i>. Historic England</ref>

====Later Changes====[[File:4.-Cabine38ADD9F000000578-de3801904-bainsimage-hippomobilea-Arcachon-©Archives-Municipales-dArcachon57 1474548834698.jpg|thumb|left|Figure 12. Bathing rolling machinesBeaches in Victorian Britain often had activities, although this often did not involve swimming in public given its perception of immodesty.]]The next big change for the beach was the railway beginning in the 1840s and going through a boom period in the 1850s-1860s. Towns such as Blackpool in northwestern England began to transform as popular sea-side resort towns with large boardwalks built to accommodate the middle classes now visiting beaches. The railroad made accessing these towns not only easier but also affordable for many people. Queen Victoria popularized beaches by building her holiday home in the Isle of Wight, near a beach. Working conditions began to evolve with holiday periods given and factories beginning to institute one week in the year where they would close for maintenance. This created the opportunity for beach holidays to develop, although thismostly involved visiting a beach but often not swimming in it.  Most of the actual time spent at a beach town was not on the actual beach but rather the boardwalks or if people were on a beach other, non-swimming activities diverted people's attention. Fairs, carnivals, and showmen would all compete for people's money and time. At the beach, allowed bathers the bathing machines began to be moved installed on beaches along some of the towns. However, what prevented large numbers of people using the beach was that beach activity was usually considered not a family activity but rather the sexes were separated since it was considered immodest to swim in the presence of the other sex and in public. Women were often frowned upon for swimming in general, even with the bathing rolling machines and swimming was particularly seen as unacceptable for a married woman.  Laws in England, such as in Suffolk, stated that a woman could not bathe in “a place at which any person of the male sex, above the age of 12 years, maybe set down for the purpose of bathing." Swimwear, which covered nearly the entire body, was still considered immodest to see in view of the opposite sex. This made the beach less of family activity and more activity between friends or individuals wanting a swim (Figure 2).<ref>For more on activities at a beach in the Victorian period, see: Ferry, Kathryn. 2009.<i> The British Seaside Holiday</i>. Shire History 4. Oxford: Shire. </ref>  Although the UK is not known for having the best beach weather, it was English love of the beach that started a trend of mass tourism where they can then dive people began to create and visit beach resorts in Europe and later the United States and North America. In France, the French Riviera began to be developed as a popular beach area, particularly Nice. Interestingly, it was often visiting British in these towns rather than locals that led to the initial development of the French Rivera.  However, inthe 1870s, limiting their exposure more people began to see the beauty and fun of going to the beach and potentially seen throughout Europe beach towns began to develop. Monte Carlo, the famed gambling place, developed as immodest a town visited by otherstourists in the 1870s to enjoy the seaside views and beach with gambling developed as an alternative diversion. Interestingly, it was continental Europeans who began to also influence bathing and swimming culture. In Europe, attitudes towards nudity and exposing one self were far more lax than in Britain. ]]

====The next big change for the Modern Beach====The modern beach was the railway beginning in the 1840s and going through a boom period in the 1850s-1860s. Towns such as Blackpool in northwestern England began to transform form as popular sea-side resort towns with large boardwalks built to accommodate the middle classes now visiting beaches. The railroad made accessing these towns not only easier but also affordable for many people. Queen Victoria popularized beaches by building her holiday home in the Isle of Wight, near a beach. Working conditions bathing rolling machines began to evolve with holiday periods given diminish and factories beginning swimming by both sexes together became more acceptable, allowing also families to institute one week in the year where they would close for maintenance. This created the opportunity for beach holidays to develop, although this mostly involved visiting a beach but often not swimming in it. Most of the actual enjoy time spent together either sitting at a beach town was not on the actual beach but rather the boardwalks or if people were on a beach other, non-swimming activities diverted people's attention. FairsIn the early 1900s, carnivals, and showmen would all compete for people's money began to accept women and men could swim together or at least swim at the same time. At the beach, the bathing machines began to be installed and on beaches along some of the towns. However, what prevented large numbers of people using the same beach was that beach activity was usually considered not a family activity but rather the sexes were separated since it was considered immodest to swim in the presence of the other sex and in public. Women were often frowned upon for swimming in general, even with the bathing Bathing rolling machines became less popular and swimming was particularly seen as unacceptable for a married womansoon began to disappear. Laws in England, such as in Suffolk, stated that a woman could not bathe in “a place at which any person Clothing still covered most of the male sex, above the age of 12 yearsbody, may be set down for the purpose of bathing." Swimwearmen and women, which covered nearly the entire body, was still considered immodest to see but attitudes in view of the opposite sex. This made the beach less of a family activity England and more an activity between friends or individuals wanting a swim (Figure 2).<ref>For more on activities at a beach in the Victorian periodUnited States began to relax, see: Ferry, Kathryn. 2009.<i> The British Seaside Holiday</i>. Shire History 4. Oxford: Shirewith continental Europe already having been relaxed about swimming decades earlier. </ref>

Although the UK is not known for having the best beach weatherNevertheless, it was English love of councilors as late as the beach that started a trend of mass tourism where people began 1930s attempted to create and visit beach resorts ban mixed swimming, arguing in Europe and later some cases that it prevented the United States marriage and North Americamade women have loose morals. In FranceWhat probably helped change public attitudes were people becoming increasingly health conscious, the French Riviera began to be developed as a popular beach area, particularly Nicenot only for men but also women. Interestingly, it was often visiting British in these towns rather than locals that led to the initial development The Olympics of the French Rivera. However, 1912 were influential in the 1870s, more people began to see the beauty and fun of going to the beach and throughout Europe beach towns began to develop. Monte Carlopublic swimming, the famed gambling place, developed as a town visited by tourists in that was the 1870s to enjoy the seaside views and beach with gambling developed as an alternative diversion. Interestingly, it was continental Europeans who began to also influence bathing and swimming culture. In Europe, attitudes towards nudity and exposing one self first time women were far more lax than in Britain. The idea of stripping allowed to minimal clothing or even being nude compete in going for a swim developed already by the 1870s, although this was not universal and many frowned upon this even in Europeswimming competition. In This helped to make the United States, the late 19th century also began the trend of seaside towns and resorts. Florida, New Jersey, and other coastal places began to develop resort towns. In England alone, there were 100 resort towns with public seeing swimming by women more than 50acceptable,000 people by including at the end of the 19th centurybeach. The seaside holiday and spending time on a beach Swimming was now became seen as part of the normal holiday cycle, although swimming was not common an exercise for many people at the beach and sunbathing on a beach was frowned upon all together.<ref>For more on the spread of seaside towns healthy life and resorts both sexes were now taught how to swim in Europe, formal lessons and its wider influence, see: Borsay, Peter, and Jan Hein Furnée, eds. 2016. <i>Leisure Cultures in Urban Europe, c. 1700-1870: A Transnational Perspective</i>. Edited by Peter Borsay and Jan Hein Furnée. Studies in Popular Culture. Manchester: Manchester University Pressclasses. </ref>

[[File:38ADD9F000000578-3801904-image-People in the 1930s, particularly as the Depression made other activities more expensive, began to see the beach as a-57 1474548834698pleasurable and affordable place to visit, with movements against any more socially conservative attempts to prohibit the mixing of sexes in using the beach.jpg|thumb|Figure 2The 1920s had begun to loosen swimwear rules for women as well, where it became more acceptable for women to expose themselves somewhat more than they could publicly in the 1800s. Beaches in Victorian Britain often had activitiesHowever, arrests were still common through the 1920s and early 1930s for indecency even when women and men wore long, by modern standards, although this often did not involve single-piece swimsuits.<ref>For more on the changing attitudes toward public bathing and swimming , particularly in public given its perception the UK, see: Parr, Susie. 2011. <i>The Story of immodestySwimming</i>. Stockport: Dewi Lewis Media. ]]</ref>

The modern beach began to form Nevertheless, as the bathing rolling machines began church continued to diminish lose influence in Europe, and swimming by both sexes together social norms became more acceptableliberal, foreigners, as well as Europeans, allowing also families began to enjoy time together either sitting at encounter the beach or swimmingbikini more commonly in beaches. In the early 1900sparticular, people began to accept women and men could swim together or at least swim at the same time and on Brigitte Bardot wearing a bikini in the same beach. Bathing rolling machines became less popular and soon began 1953 Cannes film festival did much to disappear. Clothing still covered most of popularize the body, for men and women, but attitudes bikini in England Europe and the United States . Films began to relax, with continental Europe already having been relaxed about swimming decades earlier. Nevertheless, councilors as late as the 1930s attempted to ban mixed swimming, arguing in some cases that it prevented marriage feature more women and made women have loose morals. What probably helped change public attitudes were people becoming increasingly health conscious, not only for men but also women. The Olympics of 1912 were influential in public swimming, as that was the first time women were allowed to compete in swimming competition. This helped to make the public seeing swimming by women more acceptable, including at the beach. Swimming was now seen as part of exercise for a healthy life and both sexes were now taught how to swim in formal lessons and classes. People in the 1930s, particularly as the Depression made other activities more expensive, began to see the beach as a pleasurable and affordable place to visitbeaches together, with movements against any male swimwear also becoming more socially conservative attempts to prohibit the mixing of sexes revealing in using the beach1950s. The 1920s had begun to loosen swimwear rules for women as wellOnce again, where it became more acceptable for women to expose themselves somewhat more than they could publicly in the 1800s. HoweverFrench designers influenced this, arrests were still common through the 1920s with simple one-piece and early 1930s for indecency even when women much shorter swimwear developed and men wore long, by modern standards1960 the minimal Speedo was even developed, single-piece swimsuitsalthough this proved unpopular outside of Europe.<ref>For more on What the changing attitudes toward clothing did was enable public bathing to become more socially acceptable throughout the 1950s and swimmingearly 1960s, particularly in paritcularly as the UK, see: Parr, Susie. 2011. <i>The Story of Swimming</i>. Stockport: Dewi Lewis Mediaclothing could be easily worn underneath common clothes or changed into.</ref>

Given the relatively lax attitudes in mainland Europe towards public swimming and particularly women swimming and having relatively less clothing, it might not be surprising that in 1946 the bikini made its public debut in France, with Micheline Bernardini modeling the first bikini with the design developed by Jacques Heim. Throughout the 1950s, continental Europe began to embrace the bikini, although there was resistance by the Catholic church, with the Pope calling the bikini and some other swimwear as sinful. Nevertheless, as the church continued to lose influence in Europe, and social norms became more liberal, foreigners as well as Europeans began to encounter the bikini more commonly in beaches. In particular, Brigitte Bardot wearing a bikini in the 1953 Cannes film festival did much to popularized the bikini in Europe and the United States. Films began to feature more women and men in beaches together, with male swimwear also becoming more revealing in the 1950s. Once again, French designers influenced this, with simple one-piece and much shorter swimwear developed and by 1960 the minimal Speedo was even developed, although this proved unpopular outside of Europe. What the clothing did was enable public bathing to become more socially acceptable throughout the 1950s and early 1960s, paritcularly as the clothing could be easily worn underneath common clothes or changed into. However, outside of Europe and the United States, attitudes tended to be more conservative, with many other countries not developing resorts and beaches until the 1970s and later. Today, rules for using beaches are very diverse around the world, reflecting that public swimming and what it entails is still diverse in many areas around the world.<ref>For more on the history of swimwear and how that shaped attitudes about the beach, see: Kennedy, Sarah. 2010. <i>The Swimsuit: A History of Twentieth-Century Fashions</i>. London: Carlton Books. </ref>

====Summary====

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