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Pool, Hollywood c. 1930 JH3010 Costume Loose-fitting strapped tank maillot pantaloon. It's elastic waistband is special. The flagging as pantaloon is tentative: there does exist a knitted and very short pantaloon--perhaps just an elastic legband. But still. TL. Actions Jean Harlow, the Platinum Blonde, is Eve next to an apple tree (1). She hangs out by the pool in a maillot with elastic foundation but no belt and no skirt. The diving board (2, 3); the ladder headed for getting wet...but with shoes (4)? All very up front, nothing over the crotch except for the maillot itself. In a final image, one taken from Mark Gabor's book, the Bikini Scientist believes that the maillot and location and time are the same, however in this image there is no evidence of the waistband elastic, only sexy drapery (5). Note that in this shot, that the tubing of the ladder also lies between the viewer (you and I) and Ms. Harlow's crotch Ah, the making of stars! Commentary It is the early 1930s and the basic knit maillot has changed little in the last 15 years. For example compare Harlow to a similar equally skirtless maillot at a New York state resort in 1916 (EK1610). Both suits highlight the figure, especially when wet. Maillots (and cleavage) will become a Harlow stable. Source Scanned from Mark Gabor, The Pin-up, Universe Books, Crown Publishers, 381 Park Ave. South, New York 10016, 1972. Other sources include many flickr contributors; including harlow11star, chickeyonthego, and others. 5 pictures. |
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