#lastex

[dandyads]

Lastex Fabric, 1934

The headline is a play on the fact that the constitutional amendment prohibiting alcohol had just been repealed.

[vintageadsmakemehappy]

1951 US Rubber Factory Lastex

[professorpski]

Knit Your Swimsuit, 1948

I thought it was pretty wacky to be knitting on the beach as Jinx Falkenburg “Television Star” is doing on the cover of the summer issue of Modern Knitting, 1948. Sand, balls of yarn, seemed a bad mix. But that is nothing compared to discovering you could knit her swimsuit. The idea is that you take “non shrink” wool fingering yarn and “elastic knitting yarn” called Lastex, a trade name. Realize that wool swimsuits had been cut and sewn prior to this, so knitting them probably did not seem that strange.

Now, knitting two strands of yarn together is pretty common these days-- a fluffy mohair with a lace wool to give the first more body and the second more fluff-- two colors in order to get a marl. But here you are knitting the wool and then “fastening strand of Lastex into wrong side of garment” as you go. You do that only while knitting not while purling this rib pattern. Sounds tricky to me, but it would give your wool yarn more resilience to its elasticity and prevent a droopy bathing suit which is always a sad thing. Lastex also came in metallic yarns and they used it for an evening blouse.

Although the bikini was invented in the 1940s, this is a one-piece suit with a skirt which would have been one of the most common kinds, along with a one piece that would have covered a lot more flesh than we are generally used to.

[serafino-finasero]

Swimsuit by Mabs of Hollywood, swimsuit by Gantner (L-R), 1948 | photo Louise Dahl-Wolfe (American, 1895–1989)

[chicinsilk]

US Vogue May 1952

Suzy Parker wears exactly two costumes: a shantung swimsuit and a lightweight beige coat. Her swimsuit is made of nylon and celanese acetate, woven with Lastex, and fastened in the back with a Conmar zipper. By Rose Marie Reid. Her lipstick: "Coral Spray" by Max Factor Hollywood.

Suzy Parker porte exactement deux costumes : un maillot de bain en shantung et un léger manteau beige. Son maillot est en nylon et acétate de célanese, tissé avec du Lastex, et fermé dans le dos par une fermeture éclair Conmar. Par Rose Marie Reid. Son rouge à lèvres : « Coral Spray », de Max Factor Hollywood.

Photo Irving Penn

[chicinsilk]

US Vogue June 1959

Lastex for United States Rubber

Model : Dolores Hawkins

[chicinsilk]

US Vogue Janaury 1955

Lastex

Model : Jean Patchett

[chicinsilk]

Vogue Paris Juillet/Août 1953

On a beach in San Remo, Bettina Graziani in a black swimsuit from the Lanvin-Castillo Boutique in Simonnot Godard's Lastex faille. On her lips: Rouge No. 8 from Parfums Lanvin.

Sur une plage de San Remo, Bettina Graziani dans un maillot de bain noir de la Boutique Lanvin-Castillo en faille Lastex de Simonnot Godard. Aux lèvres: le rouge n° 8 des Parfums Lanvin.

Photo Robert Randall