Since July 5, 1946, women have been hitting the beaches and poolsides in bikinis. National Bikini Day marks the anniversary of the invention of the revealing two-piece bathing suit.

Named after the Bikini Atoll where the United States conducted atomic tests, the two piece bathing suit made its debut in Paris. French designer Louis Reard wanted to name revealing bits of fabric “atom.”

Sunbathers were wearing modest two-piece suits by World Wart II in the United States, but they hardly revealed the amount of skin the bikini revealed on July 5, 1946. While Europe enthusiastically donned the bikini after a long and arduous world war, American’s sense of decency kept them from accepting the bikini until the 1960s.

How to observe National Bikini Day
Use #NationalBikiniDay to post on social media.