100 Photos of Old Hollywood Stars in the Coolest Vintage Swimsuits
These fashion icons sure knew how to dress for a day in the sun.
Swimsuit season is here and isn't going anywhere anytime soon. Still need a bikini or one-piece for your next day by the water? Instead of looking to today's celebrities for swimwear inspiration, we're looking to the stars whose style has stood the test of time. Old Hollywood icons made a day in the sun look casually chic—what more could you want? Take note, people.
1935
Three models wearing two-piece swimsuits.
1940
American actress Betty Grable wearing a yellow bikini in a studio portrait.
1941
Actress Rita Hayworth taking a bite out of a hamburger as she sunbathes in a white two-piece bathing suit.
1941
German Empire Models wearing red bikinis with silver swatch and colorful embroidered bast shoes, 1941.
1943
Norma Jeane Baker, future film star Marilyn Monroe , tries her hand at sand skiing.
1944
Actress Ava Gardner lounges on the beach in a spotted bikini.
1945
American actress Evelyn Keyes wearing a black bikini top and black shorts as she reclines on a red-and-white striped towel by the edge of a swimming pool.
1945
American actress Virginia Mayo wearing a green-and-white striped bikini.
1945
A woman standing on the beach holding a branch of a palm tree, Florida.
1946
This bathing suit was deemed the new 'Bikini' by designer Louis Reard. He couldn't find a model for the suit, so he used 19-year-old Micheline Bernardini, a nude dancer from the Casino de Paris.
1947
A model on a sandy studio set.
1948
A woman standing in a floral bikini with a surfboard in Los Angeles.
1949
A fashion model sits on the bonnet of a Standard Vanguard motor.
1949
A woman wearing a two-piece floral bikini holding matching hat, Los Angeles, California.
1950
Marilyn Monroe frolicking on the beach near her Hollywood home during a break from filming.
1950
American actress Janet Blair wearing a green bikini while sitting on a sun lounger.
1950
American actress Ann Sheridan drinks a glass of Royal Crown Cola on the beach.
1950
American actress June Haver sitting in a bamboo enclosure.
1950
American pin-up Bettie Page poses for a photo shoot.
1950
Young girl kneeling on beach wearing a pink bikini with a flowered top, Los Angeles, California, 1950.
Emma Baty is the Senior Entertainment Editor at Cosmopolitan, where she shapes TV, movie and music coverage, writes celebrity profiles, edits stories across both print and digital, and generally obsesses over all things pop culture. Prior to this role, she worked as Cosmopolitan.com’s News Writer, writing celebrity news stories daily and covering live events like the Oscars. Originally from Grand Haven, Michigan, she currently lives in Brooklyn.
Zara Tindall's Best Style Moments
Just 50 Celebs Partying with Paris Hilton
50 Iconic Outfits From ‘KUWTK’ You Forgot About
Best Looks: Khloé Kardashian
