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Amgueddfa Cymru – Museum Wales
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Bikini briefs
Bikini top and briefs, 1950s. Purchased by Mary Davies of Rhosllannerchrugog as a souvenir from Nice for her niece, Edwina Hesketh. Bold geometric design in navy blue, red, white, green and yellow. Fastened by four metal hooks and stitched loops on left side. Side slit opening down from waist by 15.5cm. Back of waist is elasticated, as are the backs of the leg openings. Narrow waistband across front. Front leg-opening finished on inside with white bias binding tape.Gusset reinforced with self-fabric which is machine stitched to back and sides but loose at the front, where it is finished with machine-made zig-zag stitches using white thread. Loop made from white tape stitched to inner centre back.
The weave of the fabric is plain tabby, but it has a stripy texture. This is achieved by tensioning sets of five vertical yarns (and leaving slack the 7 yarns in-between) giving the effect of narrow stripes with the fabric puckering in between. This results in giving the fabric elasticity in the horizontal direction.
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