Untitled (woman in striped swimsuit holding large straw hat standing in front of lattice) c. 1955

This photograph by Paul Gittings captures a woman in a striped swimsuit holding a large straw hat. While the exact date is unknown, the image evokes a particular moment in the history of leisure and representation. The woman’s bathing suit and her confident pose are interesting. Historically, swimwear has often been policed, reflecting changing societal norms around modesty, gender, and the body. Gittings’s image subtly plays with these ideas, portraying the woman as both stylish and self-assured. Consider how this image might challenge or reinforce prevailing beauty standards of its time. The lattice backdrop adds another layer, perhaps referencing constructed environments and the ways identity is performed in the face of social structures. The photograph invites us to reflect on the complex relationship between the individual, fashion, and the cultural gaze.