The women who dared to bare – Bikini’s rise to power

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A 2023 Reddit post featuring the image racked up over 31,000 upvotes and 1,400 comments. Its caption read: “A police officer issues a ticket to a woman for wearing a bikini, 1957.”

Reddit

But was it real?

The photo itself is authentic — there’s no sign of digital tampering — but the backstory remains a mystery. There’s no solid proof the woman was ticketed for her swimwear. Some suspect it may have been a staged scene with models or actors, while others believe the officer could’ve been citing her for a completely different reason.

Still, the photo hit a nerve.

In an email, Gianluca Braschi, director of the State Archives of Rimini, confirmed to Snopes that Italy did have swimwear laws in place at the time, even if the story behind the photo remains unclear.

As Braschi explained, a 1932 law forbade “bathing in public view in a state of complete nudity and with indecent swimwear.” That law technically remained on the books until 2000, though enforcement was inconsistent.

So, while we may never know the full story behind that viral moment, it reflects a very real tension from the era, one where bikinis didn’t just turn heads… they could also get you in trouble.

The Hollywood influence

It wasn’t until the 1960s that the bikini really became popular. Cultural shifts opened the door for more daring swimwear styles.

But even then, public opinion was split. More conservative areas pushed back against the tiny two-piece.

One example is the United States Motion Picture Production Code — better known as the Hays Code — which was enforced starting in 1934. While it allowed two-piece outfits in films, it strictly banned any showing of the navel. Adding to the pressure, the National Legion of Decency, a Roman Catholic watchdog group, urged Hollywood and international filmmakers to keep bikinis off the big screen entirely.

The rise of Hollywood stars like Marilyn Monroe, Ursula Andress, and Brigitte Bardot helped redefine the standards of beauty and body confidence. These icons didn’t just wear swimsuits — they became synonymous with them.

The Girl in the Bikini

Perhaphs no one did more to launch the bikini into global stardom than French-born actress Brigitte Bardot.

It wasn’t just that she wore a bikini, it was how she owned it. In her breakout role in The Girl in the Bikini, Bardot didn’t just wear the swimsuit; she turned it into a cultural statement. Her figure, poured into a strapless, diamond-shaped bikini top that looked like it could give way at any moment, was the centerpiece of the film.

With long, tousled hair and a carefree presence, Bardot wasn’t just acting — she was rewriting the rules of how women could be seen on screen. Continue reading…

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