Manly Bathing Costumes

     In 1907, there was a fuss made about what sort of bathing costumes men should wear.  Some people thought that a neck-to-knee skirted costume was the most decent option.  This led to various burlesque ripostes.  An anonymous poet contributed the following verses to the Manly and North Sydney News, under the title The Skirt-scare at Manly.

In the land of Topsy-Turvy

The women are donning shirts,

And the men at the seaside places

Have taken to wearing skirts.

O! the name of John shall be Mary,

And Joseph be known as Lil,

And Peter shall lead the fashion

In a costume of flounce and frill.

They’ll trip to the merry waters

Where the foam is a spread of milk,

Thomas in ruby velvet

And Michael in pleated silk.

Sing hey, for the whiskered women

In trailing skirts encased;

Sing ho, for the dainty fellows

And clasp them round the waist.

JMacR