--- title: Memorial Day Beachwear Fashions from LIFE Magazine 1950 Cover Story description: With the unofficial start to the summer season, a look back at how women dressed for the beach in 1950. canonical: https://time.com/3855787/beach-fashion/ author: Eliza Berman article:opinion: false article:content_tier: free article:published_time: 2015-05-22T12:00:28.000Z article:modified_time: 2026-05-11T04:47:37.089Z og:title: Ring In Memorial Day With These 1950s Beach Fashions og:description: With the unofficial start to the summer season, a look back at how women dressed for the beach in 1950. og:url: https://time.com/3855787/beach-fashion/ og:site_name: TIME og:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt9df19eab77f1db08/6987ef693c163912a0455f62/150512-beach-fashion-01.jpg?branch=production&width=3840&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 og:image:width: 1200 og:image:height: 675 og:image:alt: 1950s Beach Fashion og:type: article twitter:card: summary_large_image twitter:title: Ring In Memorial Day With These 1950s Beach Fashions twitter:description: With the unofficial start to the summer season, a look back at how women dressed for the beach in 1950. twitter:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt9df19eab77f1db08/6987ef693c163912a0455f62/150512-beach-fashion-01.jpg?branch=production&width=3840&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 ---  # Ring In Memorial Day With These 1950s Beach Fashions  by [Eliza Berman](https://time.com/author/eliza-berman/)  ## Eliza Berman Berman is a senior editor at TIME. May 22, 2015 12:00 PM UTC  Caption from LIFE. Two-Piece vs. One-Piece: Numerically this battle is going to the one-piece suit by ratio of three to one. Caption from LIFE. Two-Piece vs. One-Piece: Numerically this battle is going to the one-piece suit by ratio of three to one.Nina Leen—The LIFE Picture Collection/Getty Images  by [Eliza Berman](https://time.com/author/eliza-berman/)  ## Eliza Berman Berman is a senior editor at TIME. May 22, 2015 12:00 PM UTC  Nina Leen—LIFE Magazine On Memorial Day, swimming pools and beaches open for the season. It’s an occasion for sun-worshipers to assess their beachwear, digging it out from the depths of dresser drawers. That desire to make a style splash at the shore is nothing new. To celebrate the arrival of beach season in 1950, LIFE’s Nina Leen photographed that season’s trends for women: strapless and halter-top swimsuits, “pirate pants” drawn from fashions of the French Riviera and island-inspired straw hats. Thighs were in and midriffs were out, as simple suits allowed accessories the spotlight. As for the age-old one-piece versus two-piece debate? LIFE had the scoop: “The two-piece suit in general is running a poor second this summer.” _Liz Ronk, who edited this gallery, is the Photo Editor for LIFE.com. Follow her on Twitter_ [_@LizabethRonk_](https://twitter.com/LizabethRonk)_._  Caption from LIFE. Two-Piece vs. One-Piece: Numerically this battle is going to the one-piece suit by ratio of three to one. Nina Leen—The LIFE Picture Collection/Getty Images  Beach fashion in Florida, 1950. Nina Leen—The LIFE Picture Collection/Getty Images  Beach fashion in Florida, 1950. Nina Leen—The LIFE Picture Collection/Getty Images  Beach fashion in Florida, 1950. Nina Leen—The LIFE Picture Collection/Getty Images  Caption from LIFE. Knee-length shorts, called "pirate pants," are a copy of a style popular on the Riviera last summer. Made of striped piqué, they fit tight to the thigh and have a fly front. The absorbent worsted jersey middy fits loosely, is long enough to cover wet bathing suits. (Shorts: $7.95; middy: $12.95; both by Cabana.) Nina Leen—The LIFE Picture Collection/Getty Images  Caption from LIFE. Pared-down t-shirts worn with shorts have classic stripes but are cut to reveal bare areas. Emily Wilken's red and black cobbler's apron playsuit (left, $19.95) leaves midriff uncovered. Sheperd's striped top (center, $1.98) and Carolyn Schnurer's purple and white shirt (right, $10.95) are scooped out at neck. Nina Leen—The LIFE Picture Collection/Getty Images  Beach fashion in Florida, 1950. Nina Leen—The LIFE Picture Collection/Getty Images  Beach fashion in Florida, 1950. Nina Leen—The LIFE Picture Collection/Getty Images  Beach fashion in Florida, 1950. Nina Leen—The LIFE Picture Collection/Getty Images  Beach fashion in Florida, 1950. Nina Leen—The LIFE Picture Collection/Getty Images  Caption from LIFE. Black suits and big hats go well together. The exaggerated size of the headgear sets off the deliberate plainness of these one-piece bathing suits, which are (left to right): a Catalina ($14.95), Jantzen ($15.95), Tina Leser ($22.95). Nina Leen—The LIFE Picture Collection/Getty Images  Beach fashion in Florida, 1950. Nina Leen—The LIFE Picture Collection/Getty Images  Beach fashion in Florida, 1950. Nina Leen—The LIFE Picture Collection/Getty Images  Beach fashion in Florida, 1950. Nina Leen—The LIFE Picture Collection/Getty Images  Caption from LIFE. Posies and pink terry cloth are worn together. Artificial flowers which adorn sombrero are $1 each (Heineman). Toga (Bonnie Cashin, $14.95) has big pockets in the pieces which are thrown over the shoulder. 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