Swimsuits from the 1950s show us why mid-century looks are iconic. Catalina is a swimwear brand that did a great job with advertising in women’s magazines. The looks you see here are from 1956.
Of course the vintage 1950s look is not complete without the appropriate styling. The swimsuit alone is only part of the story. It is the headband scarf, sunglasses, and makeup that completes the Mad Men vibe. Note the shirring and emphasis on the waistline.
The pink one-piece on the left was called Double Take. It was made to convert into a strapless suit. It sold for $15.95 in 1956. The pale pink with piping swimsuit on the right was their Illusion suit. It sold for $19.95.
The ad appeared in the May 1956 edition of Charm magazine. This edition has some fun looks. Scroll to the bottom of the page for more summer looks from this issue of Charm.
Here is another Catalina ad from my collection of mid-century women’s magazine. This one is for a younger audience. It is from 1955 and appeared in the May edition of Cosmopolitan.
The illustrations show a variety of swimsuit styles with ruffles and more shirring. Here the emphasis is on cottons.
Here is one more Catalina ad. This one is from earlier in the decade. It comes from 1953.
More Swimsuits on MidCenturyPage.com
More about Charm May 1956
Mid-Century Page 
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