--- title: LIFE Magazine's Best Summer Covers, 1936-1972 description: A look at 35 of LIFE Magazine's best summertime covers. canonical: https://time.com/3901874/life-magazine-summer-covers/ author: Eliza Berman article:opinion: false article:content_tier: free article:published_time: 2015-06-17T12:00:33.000Z article:modified_time: 2026-05-11T04:47:30.257Z og:title: 35 of LIFE Magazine's Best Summer Covers og:description: A look at 35 of LIFE Magazine's best summertime covers. og:url: https://time.com/3901874/life-magazine-summer-covers/ og:site_name: TIME og:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt9051e0e390889a1f/6988523ce53aba09b94ddef0/150529-life-summer-cover-08.jpg?branch=production&width=1440&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 og:image:width: 1200 og:image:height: 675 og:image:alt: July 14, 1941 LIFE Magazine cover (photo by Alfred Eisenstaedt). og:type: article twitter:card: summary_large_image twitter:title: 35 of LIFE Magazine's Best Summer Covers twitter:description: A look at 35 of LIFE Magazine's best summertime covers. twitter:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt9051e0e390889a1f/6988523ce53aba09b94ddef0/150529-life-summer-cover-08.jpg?branch=production&width=1440&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 ---  # 35 of LIFE Magazine's Best Summer Covers  by [Eliza Berman](https://time.com/author/eliza-berman/)  ## Eliza Berman Berman is a senior editor at TIME. Jun 17, 2015 12:00 PM UTC  July 14, 1941 LIFE Magazine cover "Sand Sailing" (photo by Alfred Eisenstaedt). July 14, 1941 LIFE Magazine cover "Sand Sailing" (photo by Alfred Eisenstaedt).LIFE Magazine  by [Eliza Berman](https://time.com/author/eliza-berman/)  ## Eliza Berman Berman is a senior editor at TIME. Jun 17, 2015 12:00 PM UTC For all of LIFE Magazine’s coverage of serious matters–from war to politics to movements–the editors also had their fingers on the pulse of American leisure. Simply put, they cared about how their readers had fun, and the magazine’s covers reflected that. Never were LIFE’s editors more interested in recreation than during the summer, when covers zeroed in on beach excursions and sailing jaunts, poolside fashions and children at play. Here, to celebrate the impending arrival of the season, a collection of LIFE’s most memorable summer covers. _Liz Ronk, who edited this gallery, is the Photo Editor for LIFE.com. Follow her on Twitter_ [_@lizabethronk_](https://twitter.com/LizabethRonk)_._  June 28, 1937 LIFE Magazine cover "Sea, Sand and Siren" (photo by Herbert Matter). LIFE Magazine  July 19, 1937 LIFE Magazine cover "Summer Shower" (photo by Fenno Jacobs). LIFE Magazine  August 16, 1937 LIFE Magazine cover "Young Camper" (photo by George Karger). LIFE Magazine  July 3, 1939 LIFE Magazine cover "Swim Suit in Pacific" (photo by George Strock). LIFE Magazine  July 31, 1939 LIFE Magazine cover "Diana Barrymore" (photo by Fritz Henle). LIFE Magazine  July 29, 1940 LIFE Magazine cover "Girl Lifeguard" (photo by George Karger). LIFE Magazine  August 5, 1940 LIFE Magazine cover "U.S. Vacations" (photo by George Karger). LIFE Magazine  July 14, 1941 LIFE Magazine cover "Sand Sailing" (photo by Alfred Eisenstaedt). LIFE Magazine  August 11, 1941 LIFE Magazine cover "Rita Hayworth" (photo by Bob Landry). LIFE Magazine  July 9, 1945 LIFE Magazine cover "Bathing Suits" (photo by Ewing Krainin). LIFE Magazine  July 30, 1945 LIFE Magazine cover "Playing With Shadows" (photo by Harriet Arnold). LIFE Magazine  July 15, 1946 LIFE Magazine cover "Welded Water Gadgets" (photo by Roger Coster). LIFE Magazine  July 7, 1947 LIFE Magazine cover "This Pleasant Land" (photo by William Sumits). LIFE Magazine  July 19, 1948 LIFE Magazine cover "Fun on the Beach" (photo by Michael Lavelle). LIFE Magazine  August 16, 1948 LIFE Magazine cover "Fisherman" (photo by Rue Farris Drew). LIFE Magazine  August 23, 1948 LIFE Magazine cover "Pet Deer" (photo by Jon Brenneis). LIFE Magazine  June 27, 1949 LIFE Magazine cover "Inland Sailing" (photo by George Silk). LIFE Magazine  July 4, 1949 LIFE Magazine cover "Holiday at the Beach" (photo by Ida Wyman). LIFE Magazine  July 25, 1949 LIFE Magazine cover "Plastic Beach Boat" (photo by George Silk). LIFE Magazine  June 19, 1950 LIFE Magazine cover "Children's Sand Styles" (photo by Nina Leen). LIFE Magazine  June 23, 1952 LIFE Magazine cover "Mail Order Fashions" (photo by Christa). LIFE Magazine  July 6, 1953 LIFE Magazine cover "Terry Moore, Hollywood's Sexy Tomboy" (photo by Philippe Halsman). LIFE Magazine  August 24, 1953 LIFE Magazine cover "Ballerinas at a Beach" (photo by Lisa Larsen). LIFE Magazine  June 28, 1954 LIFE Magazine cover "Sweater Girl Bathing Suits" (photo by Paul Himmel). LIFE Magazine  August 12, 1957 LIFE Magazine cover "One of Hollywood's Swedish Charmers: May Britt" (photo by Don Ornitz). LIFE Magazine  August 11, 1958 LIFE Magazine cover "Discovering the Fun of Being Pretty" (photo by Paul Schutzer). LIFE Magazine  June 1, 1959 LIFE Magazine cover "Kansas Family on Lake Afton" (photo by A.Y. Owen). LIFE Magazine  August 1, 1960 LIFE Magazine cover "Safari In New-Type U.S. Fun Spot" (photo by Lynn Pelham). LIFE Magazine  July 9, 1965 LIFE Magazine cover "Luxury and Languor of Riviera Yachting" (photo by Howell Conant). LIFE Magazine  July 19, 1968 LIFE Magazine cover "Young American Nomads Abroad" (photo by Denis Cameron). LIFE Magazine  August 22, 1969 LIFE Magazine cover "That Young New York Look" (photo by Vernon Merritt III). LIFE Magazine  July 10, 1970 LIFE Magazine cover "Summer Sun and California Girls" (photo by Co Rentmeester). LIFE Magazine  September 3, 1971 LIFE Magazine cover "The Endless Weekend" (photo by Michael Mauney). LIFE Magazine  June 2, 1972 LIFE Magazine cover "Raquel \[Welch\] on Skates as a Derby Demon" (photo by Bill Eppridge). LIFE Magazine  July 28, 1972 LIFE Magazine cover "The Bare Look" (photo by Douglas Kirkland). 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