Polka dot swimsuit with flared skirt

This Jantzen swimsuit was made under license in New Zealand. It belonged to Ngaire Dakers, nee Kerr-Taylor. "My mother lived north of Auckland all her married life," says her daughter Verna Collins. "Married to a schoolteacher, we had five homes by the time I was 12. During the war my mother took over teaching at the sole charge Kerikeri Inlet School till Dad returned. She was a good swimmer and would have swum in the inlet, and at Paihia where we had holidays. And also at Ninety Mile Beach where Dad taught the high school pupils at Te Kau. We had holidays in Waimauku and swam at Muriwai. Mum was probably thrown in the farm creek, like we were by her father, and left to swim to the bank!"

Details

Credit: Courtesy of Verna Collins
Copyright: Creative Commons BY-NC-ND 4.0 Licence
Credit: Courtesy of Verna Collins
Copyright: Creative Commons BY-NC-ND 4.0 Licence
Designer: Unknown
Manufacturing location: A J Coleman, Tawa, Wellington
Garment type: Swimsuit
Material: Cotton with lastex
Features: Polka dot print
Colour: Navy & white
Label: Jantzen
Date: 1940s