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Bathing Costume Contest: 1921
... website. Another beautiful shot of Miss Iola Swinnerton! This is my favorite Iola photo! I like her bathing suit in this ... costume attached to it. Some kind of bag, maybe? Swinnerton Krazy Kat Connection The comic strip pioneer that shares Iola's ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 07/06/2018 - 10:20pm -

June 25, 1921. Washington, D.C. "Bathing Costume Contest." Note Felix/Krazy Kat doll. National Photo Company Collection. View full size. Felix the Cat?Is that Felix the Cat that the girl on the right is holding? Re: Felix the Cat?Looks a little like Krazy Kat to me. Class? Krazy KatLooks like Krazy Kat to me Definitely Krazy KatCan Ignatz the Mouse be far behind? The girl on the right looksThe girl on the right looks to me like one of the winners in the photo "Iola and Anna: 1922". What do you think? https://www.shorpy.com/node/2470?size=_original SV Krazy and GeorgeOne of George Herriman's admirers is clutching an identical doll in this photo from the Coconino County website. Another beautiful shot of Miss Iola Swinnerton!This is my favorite Iola photo! I like her bathing suit in this one much better, too. The suit that looks like Venetian blinds might have been stylish then, but it looks ghastly to me! Fortunately, you can't make a sow's ear out of a silk purse (my father's twist on the old adage). This isn't the only one where some of the contestants look to be in their thirties. The woman on the left is holding some kind of thing that looks like an embroidery hoop with fabric from her bathing costume attached to it. Some kind of bag, maybe? Swinnerton Krazy Kat ConnectionThe comic strip pioneer that shares Iola's name influenced the Krazy Kat creator. From an article on Jimmy Swinnerton : As the comic strip industry grew up around Swinnerton, he found kindred spirits. The young Walt Disney used to come to his birthday parties. Swinnerton took George Herriman (creator of Krazy Kat), Rudolph Dirks (creator of the Katzenjammer Kids), and the painter Maynard Dixon on a safari through the Arizona desert to see the Hopi Tribe of Indians do their annual snake dance...The group traveled by horseback through the Grand Canyon and Monument Valley (which later played a significant role in Krazy Kat.) It was on this trip that Swinnerton gave Dixon a half interest in the Arizona desert. (The Gallery, D.C., Iola S., Natl Photo, Pretty Girls, Swimming)
Noel, Iola: 1944
... 79 years for a visit with the First Lady of Shorpy, Iola Swinnerton . Some two decades after her bathing-pageant days, she is still ...     CHICAGO (Dec. 23, 1944) -- Mrs. Iola Swinnerton Warren, who suffered the illness known as myositis ossificans after ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 12/24/2023 - 11:31am -

On this Christmas Eve, we travel back 79 years for a visit with the First Lady of Shorpy, Iola Swinnerton. Some two decades after her bathing-pageant days, she is still radiating beauty and cheer. Scroll down to the comments for more of Iola's life story. View full size. "STONE WOMAN" ENJOYS CHRISTMAS PREPAREDNESS         CHICAGO (Dec. 23, 1944) -- Mrs. Iola Swinnerton Warren, who suffered the illness known as myositis ossificans after inoculation for typhoid following a Florida hurricane, watches her husband Theron V. Warren and little nephew Herbert Taylor trim Christmas tree. (Acme Newspictures photo.) Licensed to Marry.From the Washington Post of August 4, 1918: "Gerald Swinnerton, 31, of Williamston, Michigan, and Iola Taylor, 18, of Rockford, Illinois." Iola in 1947Here is part of article from the Waterloo Sunday Courier (Waterloo, Iowa) of March 9, 1947. The Warrens adopted Herbert Taylor (Iola's nephew). Herbert was 13 in 1947. Forever YoungIt would seem, from an earlier comment, that she was born in 1902, so she would have been 19 or 20 in those earlier photos from 1921 and 1922, and 42 here. She has lovely, youthful skin and a radiant smile. [If she was 18 when married in 1918, she'd have been born in 1899 or 1900. - Dave] Not just Christmas celebrationsThis is also the occasion of their second wedding anniversary - I found the announcement from the Suburbanite Economist (Chicago) of December 23, 1942. It sounds like she had a terrible time with this illness -- it started in 1926 and she spent nine years in the hospital! I'm glad she seems to have found happiness with Theron. Based on what I read about myositis ossificans, it seems unlikely that this is what she had. It is normally caused by an injury to a muscle, and from what I can tell, stays within that muscle -- it doesn't spread to other areas of the body. It's probably more likely that she had heterotopic ossification, possibly caused by central nervous system injury or an underlying genetic disorder. *Cringe*I am sure that Herbie really enjoyed being characterized in the newspaper as her "little" nephew. Hope his friends didn't see the story! [He looks like Larry Mondello. - Dave] Carpentry and TweedNotice the nicely done rest for her feet that does not appear to be part of the original wheelchair--not the easiest thing to put together if you're doing it with nails instead of wood screws, which may be the case here. Also, I love the nephew's tweed slacks--sadly, winter weight slacks seem to be a thing of the past, even up north here in Minnesota. They're keeping him so warm, he doesn't need to keep his shirt tucked in. The story that keeps on givingAnother amazing feature of this website. Over the course of eleven and a half years (dating back to April of 2007) we are treated to a series of photos of Iola Swinnerton from a very specific two-year period (1921-1922) in a very specific context (bathing suit beauty contest). No sense of limitation or lack of variety, and every new photo was a delight. Flash forward suddenly 22 years to 1944 and to a whole new context. We find Iola in a wheelchair with a strange and rare disease, and yet she is happy, recently married to a benevolent-looking church organist, and she and her husband have adopted her nephew. The husband "wasn’t discouraged because the pretty invalid was confined to a wheelchair," and she is able to report that her "condition has steadily improved" since they got married. The crowning glory of her positivity: "My dreams during so many years in hospitals have come true." (She writes songs which are published!) "I only hope someone else can take hope from my happiness." This is one of the most truly marvelous stories I've ever come across. Stiff Man’s SyndromeIola may have had what is now called Stiff Person’s Syndrome. It was first diagnosed in 1956. A friend had it. IolatryHere's a few more details regarding Iola. The New York Times, while reporting her wedding, stated that she was earning her living as a seamstress. The paper also said, "She was stricken by the baffling disease after the Florida Hurricane of 1926. At that time she lived in a Miami Beach cottage, the wife of Gerald Swinnerton, whom she divorced in April, charging desertion." In the 1940 U.S. Census Gerald Swinnerton is claiming to have been widowed. He was a camera designer and repairman, as well as a World War I veteran, and he was also known as George Simons. He died in 1961. Regarding her wedding, the Chicago Tribune of December 24, 1942 published the following story. "Smiling from her wheelchair, in a moire taffeta wedding dress and a shoulder length tulle veil, Iona Swinnerton, 40 years old, was married last night to Theron Victor Warren, 42, a shipyard worker and organist in the Wentworth Baptist church. The bride is suffering from a rare disease characterized by hardening of the muscles. "About 100 relatives and friends were present as the Rev. Eugene H. Daniels read the marriage ceremony. L. Duke Taylor, 1918 Cleveland avenue, her brother, gave the bride away. Donald McGowan, 1954 Henderson street, was the best man. "Miss Swinnerton, who lives at 4044 Wentworth avenue, has been suffering from the malady since 1926. She teaches a Bible class at the church, and met Warren while attending the services there." An article in the Cedar Rapids Gazette in December 1945 indicated that she had spent six years at the Cook County Hospital for treatment of her condition. She was refinishing furniture and canning fruit in addition to writing songs. "Theron proposed not very long after I cooked him a duck dinner," she confided. In 1949 Iola won fourth place in a nationwide Army songwriting contest, which earned her a $50 savings bond. The title of the tune was "Three Cheers For the Army." She died five years later, in 1954. Her obituary from the Chicago Tribune is below. "Iola N. Warren, 2642 Barry avenue, June 13, 1954, beloved wife of Theron V. Warren, dear sister of Louis Duke Taylor, dear aunt to Herbert Taylor. At chapel, 316 W. 63d street, at Harvard avenue, where services will be held Thursday, June 17, at 1 p.m. Cremation Oak Woods." Theron Warren died on May 3, 1976. The image below is from the January 4, 1937 issue of the Wilson (N.C.) Daily Times. FOPI presume Iola had fibrodysplasia ossificans progressiva. Story of Two FamiliesLuckily, I accepted an invitation to the Swinnertons' Christmas party before the invitation to the Dickeys' Christmas party arrived. Three cheers for King CottonThe pants of the kid look as if they are scratchy. Ask me how I know. It’s a small worldI’ve been a long-time Shorpy lurker, and have many of the wonderful images saved as desktop wallpaper. I had to comment on this picture -- the Eugene H. Daniels mentioned as the officiant in the newspaper article was my great-grandfather! By the time I knew him, he was just “Grandpa Dan”; it’s neat to be able to read about Iola and Theron some 78 years later. Merry Christmas to all! Eeugh!Theron is a ringer for an ex of mine. I hope Iola had better luck--she certainly endured enough as it was. (The Gallery, Chicago, Christmas, Iola S., Kids, News Photo Archive)
The Fab Five: 1922
... in 1922 near Washington, D.C. Girl on the right: Iola Swinnerton. View full size. 4x5 glass negative, National Photo Company. ... ages of 16 and 25 in 1922. An SSDI search for "Iola Swinnerton" turned up bupkis. So she either married or she is still alive and ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 07/06/2018 - 10:19pm -

"Lansburgh bathing girls" in 1922 near Washington, D.C. Girl on the right: Iola Swinnerton. View full size. 4x5 glass negative, National Photo Company. IolaThe woman on the right is fantastic. What a beautiful face! Famous GroupieI think the woman on the right looks exactly like Pamela Des Barres, which is not necessarily a compliment. More IolaIola is OK in this photo, but I like her even better in this one. [She's also here and here and here. Who can tell us what became of lovely Iola? - Dave] Iola's friend......the girl second from the right... She is in a number of these 'bathing beauty' pics, too, and always right next to Iola. They must have been best friends, or maybe even sisters! :) IolaAccording to the SSDI there are at least 30 women who were issued Social Security cards in Wash. D.C. named Iola who would have been between the ages of 16 and 25 in 1922. An SSDI search for "Iola Swinnerton" turned up bupkis. So she either married or she is still alive and approximately 100 years of age. I didn't even bother checking Maryland or Virginia. Apparently Iola was a very commmon name in the South and Midwest at the turn of the 20th century. IolaI found the same Washington Post article and it gives the other girls names as Mary Lee, Thelma Spencer, Hattie Spencer and Julia Cunningham. The winners were models for Lansburgh & Brothers (which I assume was a department store or dress shop) and the photos are from a "Style Show" held at the Tidal Basin [Yes, Lansburgh's was a big department store in Washington. - Dave] Elusive IolaI haven't found a great deal more, but I did discover some newspaper clippings about her beauty contest winnings via Ancestry.com, and if it helps to narrow your search any, in 1920 she was described as an 18-year-old restaurant cashier from (and working in) Washington, D.C. Exquisite Clothing DetailI adore the headpiece on # 5 on the right. I want to steal that idea for a costume. It would play beautifully today. So happy!I love the pictures from the 1920s! The people always look so happy. Granted, these girls just won a bathing suit contest, so of course they'll be happy, but in every 20s picture I've seen everyone looks so happy and carefree, like they can do anything and be anything in the world. Just love it thank you for this site! Mystery girl Iola SwinnertonIola is such a mystery! She seems to have taken Washington by storm in 1920 when she was named the most beautiful girl in the District. For those who have access to historic newspapers, see the front page of the Mansfield (Ohio) News of Nov 21, 1920, for a write-up and photo: Winner of Beauty Contest is Athlete Miss Iola Swinnerton of Washington has won an opportunity for fame and fortune in having been selected as the most beautiful of hundreds of capital girls in a recent beauty contest. Miss Swinnerton, who is a cashier in a Washington restaurant, attributes her beauty to her love of athletics and outdoor exercise. Thought we found her in Dec 1942. Iola Taylor Swinnerton, described as the "Stone Woman" because of a rare disease that was hardening her legs, was getting married in Chicago to one Theron Warren. Her first husband, Gerald Swinnerton, deserted her in 1941. [According to the news accounts from 1942, Iola Taylor had married Gerald Swinnerton in 1918. So she couldn't have been the Miss Swinnerton of Washington, D.C., unless they Missed when they should have Mrsed. Which is a definite possibility. (Updated July 2018) - Dave] This pictureThis picture is set on the roof of the Lansburgh department store in downtown DC in the vicinity of 7th and E. Iola has grown on me!In the first picture I saw of Iola, I thought she was so odd looking that she was kind of homely, but her looks have grown on me. In this picture, she looks absolutely adorable! You know that it is all natural, too. She looks like she is wearing some lip rouge, but probably no other makeup. I don't like the bathing outfit with the slats but, as my father used to say, you can't make a sow's ear out of a silk purse! I'm glad that she took the opportunity to enter the beauty contests on the beach before that fleeting blessing; youth, got away from her, as it does to us all! (The Gallery, Iola S., Natl Photo, Pretty Girls, Swimming)
Beach Style Parade: 1922
... store competition." Caboose of the quintet is Miss Iola Swinnerton , First Lady of Shorpy, who took second in the individual costume ... 5,000 WATCH AS 45 PARADE Simple Attire Wins -- Miss Swinnerton Second -- Lansburgh's Captures Store Prize     ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 07/06/2018 - 10:20pm -

June 17, 1922. Washington, D.C. "Washington Advertising Club bathing beauty contest at Tidal Basin." Harris & Ewing Collection glass negative. View full size.         "Quintet of beauties wore the models of Lansburg & Brother, which captured first prize in the store competition." Caboose of the quintet is Miss Iola Swinnerton, First Lady of Shorpy, who took second in the individual costume contest. Read all about it here. Miss IolaIt's nice to see her again, even if only a glance. Laurels to Former Follies Girl Washington Post, June 18, 1922. CROWN ANNA NIEBEL BEACH STYLE QUEEN Judges at Tidal Basin Contest Award Costume Laurels to Former Follies Girl 5,000 WATCH AS 45 PARADE Simple Attire Wins -- Miss Swinnerton Second -- Lansburgh's Captures Store Prize         Five thousand Washington lovers of the aesthetic, artistic and beautiful -- and, incidentally, of aquatic pastimes -- crowded the Tidal Basin bathing beach yesterday afternoon to witness the annual bathing costume style show, staged under the auspices of the Washington Advertising club. Bathing costumes entered by 11 local stores were exhibited by 45 selected models.         Miss Anna Niebel, former Follies girl, who lives at 1370 Harvard street northwest, won first prize by unanimous vote of the judges. Her prize-winning costume was one of the most simple exhibited, indicating that the element of practical usefulness was taken into consideration by the judges in making the award. She represented the Sportmart [seen here, here and here]. Former Winner Takes Prize.         Miss Iola Swinnerton, 3125 Mount Pleasant street, winner of a former beauty contest at the basin, was the second choice of the judges. Her suit was one of the five entered by Lansburgh & Bros., the firm to which was awarded the cup for the best composite store exhibit.         L.E. Rubel, chairman of the Advertising club committee, in charge of the contest, presented the cups to the winners.         The entries ranged from the extreme simplicity of the one-piece type of suit with the abbreviated skirt to more elaborate creations with multitudinous frills and ruffles. A knitted toque to match the wearer's suit was one of the innovations in bathing headgear that attracted attention. Not So Much Scantiness.         Most of the suits were more extensive, so far as the amount of material used was concerned, than those exhibited in former years. A rubber suit of green and white cut on extremely loose lines set the pace for originality.         Weather conditions were ideal for the show, although it had been announced that all suits entered were of the kind that could have been worn in the rain without damage. Iola!As always, I only have eyes for Ms. Swinnerton. She is always lovely. Iola's second 15 minutes of fameAfter the roaring twenties, Iola Swinnerton's trail goes cold for a while. But in the 1940s, she reappeared in various daily newspapers as "Chicago's Stone Woman," a reference to a disabling affliction that caused some of her muscle tissue to calcify, leaving her disabled. Her 1942 marriage to Theron V. Warren, described as an organist and shipyard worker, was also covered, including photos in various papers of her repeating her vows from her wheelchair. Other than an unsuccessful petition for certiorari to the U.S. Supreme Court filed on behalf of Theron V. Warren in 1958, and his death in 1975, I could find no other clues to their fate after 1947. [According to our earlier research, Iola Taylor married Gerald Swinnerton in 1918; he deserted her in 1941. Evidently her affliction was too much for him to bear. - Dave] (The Gallery, D.C., Harris + Ewing, Iola S., Swimming)
Poolchritude: 1942
... But can she compete with Dave’s main squeeze Iola Swinnerton ? (The Gallery, D.C., Marjory Collins, Swimming) ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 07/11/2020 - 9:59am -

July 1942. Washington, D.C. "Publicity photographer and model at the municipal swimming pool on Sunday." Nitrate negative by Marjory Collins, Office of War Information. View full size. Photographing a PhotographerPhotographer Marjory Collins photographs a photographer photographing and a boy (with goggles) looking at a model, while spectators gaze at the photographer. I count at least four looks/gazes in/of this image! PulchritudinousFor sure. But can she compete with Dave’s main squeeze Iola Swinnerton? (The Gallery, D.C., Marjory Collins, Swimming)
Beauty Prize Winners: 1922
... Left to right: Gay Gatley, Eva Fridell, Anna Niebel, Iola Swinnerton. View full size. National Photo Company Collection. Beauty ... (sic), of 1402 Massachusetts avenue southeast. Miss Iola Swinnerton, of 3125 Mount Pleasant street, northwest, was awarded second prize ... 
 
Posted by Ken - 07/06/2018 - 10:20pm -

Four prize winners in the 1922 beauty show at Washington Bathing Beach, Washington, D.C. Left to right: Gay Gatley, Eva Fridell, Anna Niebel, Iola Swinnerton. View full size. National Photo Company Collection. Beauty Pageant WinnersIt's fascinating to see how the image of the "ideal" body has changed, and yet the average female has the same type shape. This female feels a little better. . .! where?I'm curious as to where this DC Bathing Beach was. I'm sure the water back in '22 was a heck of a lot cleaner than it currenty is. I coulnd't imagine getting in any of the rivers around here for enjoyment. Ew! No airbrushing here!Funny how times, styles and beliefs change! Anon TipsterI agree Anonymous Tipster. :) It's sad that we can't be happy with how our bodies look. It's nice to see women that aren't starved winning awards for being beautiful! The second one from the leftThe second one from the left scares me. She looks like she could kill me with her eyes if she wanted to. No. 2looks like she is a redhead Lil' IolaHas perfect posture, and her feet are in a dance position. My guess is she was a dancer. I agreeI agree with Anonymous Tipster......In today's society if you are a woman you have to be skinny or almost fake looking to get in pictures for commercials or magazines. I think today people need to reconsider woman as a whole and not based on what they look like. Missouri woman DC bathing BeachMy wife, a native Washingtonian now 82 years old, tells me her parents went swimming there, it was at Hains Point. - Milt Girl on the right...I've noticed that girl on the right in several photos. She looks like a female version of Ronnie James Dio, ha. Four Prize Winners?Looks like there were only four contestants $1000 for Titian-Haired Beauty Washington Post, Aug 6, 1922 Titian-Haired Girl Wins Beauty Prize The old-fashioned titian-haired beauty, without the modern make-up, returned to popularity yesterday, by winning the fourth annual beauty contest at the Tidal Basin. A girl with curls, of athletic type and wearing the normal style of bathing suit, Miss Eva Fridell, a 17 year-old Business High school student, took the capital prize, a large silver loving cup. She wore a yellow bathing suit with narrow black stripes around it. Not only is she a regular patron of the beach, but one of the expert divers and swimmers. Miss Fridell, whose complexion needed no paint or powder, quickly caught the eye of the judges A.J. Frey, Isaac Gans and Arthur Leslie Smith. The winner lives with her parents at 611 Ninth street, northeast The winner of the style show at the beach a few months ago, Miss Anna Niebel, of 1370 Harvard street northwest, again came out as the winner of the best costume for beauty, design and durability. Miss Niebel was awarded a silver loving cup for the suit she wore, which was all blue rubber, with several white stripes at intervals. Second prize for the beauty was awarded to Miss Gay Gately (sic), of 1402 Massachusetts avenue southeast. Miss Iola Swinnerton, of 3125 Mount Pleasant street, northwest, was awarded second prize for costumes. Both were given engraved gold medals. The winner of this contest received a check for $1000 as first prize. Yellow?I get the "titian haired beauty part" because she's definitely that, but if she's wearing the same suit that she wore in the competition I'll eat a pair of my old sneakers. There is no way in the world that that suit is "a yellow bathing suit with narrow black stripes around it." Weight was healthy.Many comments about body type for all these types of photos. At that time, a thin person was considered unhealthy. A thin woman with a high metabolism was considered "sickly" and was not thought to make for a good wife or mother. Other attitudes migrated with immigrants from places where food was sometimes scarce. A healthy wife and family was a sign of prosperity where the man was a good provider and his family ate well. He could be proud of the abundance he brought to his home and the fact that they could afford plenty of meat, etc.. Iola's address3125 Mount Pleasant St NW is still there. The first floor is (or was recently) occupied by the Mount Pleasant Cleaners and the Raven Grill. Anyone have a better photo of that location today? Body ImageI beg to differ. That image of plump women=healthy was outdated by the late 1910s. The fashion magazines began promoting the image of thin, athletic women. Harper's Bazaar and the other glossies had a hand in making women obsess over their weight and the amount of exercise they had to do to look like the girls in the magazines. That's still where we are today. The power of suggestion the magazines had/have over us is so great, women didn't even shave their arms and legs until a magazine (I think it was Vanity Fair) began this massive and explosive campaign degrading hairy legs and armpits, because it was disagreeable to see the hair while wearing the short-hemmed and sleeveless outfits that were just coming into fashion. A very sizable prize!I was impressed that the first prize was $1,000! That would be a pretty good prize for a beach beauty pageant, now! I agree about the winner's bathing costume. Maybe her stockings were yellow with black stripes, but not the suit! It is hard to imagine her as beautiful, based on this picture, but I'll bet she looked much better in color. (Later, I went to an inflation calculator to see how that $1,000 prize in 1922 would compare in today's money. It would be worth less than $14,000 today, still a decent piece of change, but not nearly as much as I was thinking. That was because things actually went backwards during the depression. That $1,000 in 1922 didn't get back to being worth the same $1,000 again until twenty years later, 1942.) My favorite is Iola. She was very charming and attractive, and obviously loved the beach. However, I think that bathing costume was absolutely hideous! 1904-1988Eva Fridell's resting place: https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/144664246/eva-hawkins (D.C., Iola S., Natl Photo, Pretty Girls, Swimming)
Iola and Anna: 1922
June 17, 1922. Washington, D.C. "Iola Swinnerton and Anna Niebel, winners of the bathing costume contest at the Tidal Basin. Miss Swinnerton, the runner-up, resides at 3125 Mount Pleasant Street N.W.; Miss ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 07/06/2018 - 10:19pm -

June 17, 1922. Washington, D.C. "Iola Swinnerton and Anna Niebel, winners of the bathing costume contest at the Tidal Basin. Miss Swinnerton, the runner-up, resides at 3125 Mount Pleasant Street N.W.; Miss Niebel, who took first prize, lives at 1370 Harvard Street N.W." National Photo glass negative. View full size. Outstanding outfits!What great costumes! Woman on the LeftI guess they weren't into abs at the time. She looks a little chunky or maybe even pregnant. [That would be Iola, a Shorpy favorite. - Dave] WinnersIf these are the winners, can't imagine how awful looking the losers were. 1922According to my Grandmother, for that time period the woman on the right would be considered "fast"--her hair is "bobbed" and she's showing way too much leg. IolaWhen I look at Iola, the girl on the right, I see Drew Barrymore. Do you? Iola and AnnaMy father was born the day after this picture was taken. He is 85 and living happily with his new girlfriend in the SF Bay Area. My how times fly. They listed her address?Can you imagine a photo caption today giving out a pretty girl's home address? Didn't they have creeps back then? IolaMike, I totally agree. Drew Barrymore was my first thought. Hmmm.I live a block away from her. Creepy. No Paris & NicoleYou're right on the mark there, Mr. Mel. Those girls are huge. Guess they hadn't invented eating disorders yet back then, huh? I, for one, am relieved that our standards of beauty have risen so drastically in the last hundred years. The Benighted '20sTragically, in those days they didn’t realize that emaciated heroin addicts with chemically-paralyzed faces were the epitome of female beauty. Iola & AnnaWell put. You made me laugh quite a lot! Yes! I thought the exact same thing as soon as I saw the picture full size. These girls are great. So much character in their faces. I really like the girl on the left. Flap Away GalsI'm completely overwhelmed with excitement! The 20's amaze me. They were a Tim Burton dream/nightmare. The photos are always so rich, dark and full of mystery. Even something like a beauty contest. Your imagination can run as wild as Iola and Anna. GLORIOUS! BeautifulWow, I actually feel really sad for those of you that are seriously looking down your noses at these girls. This is real beauty. Woman do not look like what society considers beautiful today. I would so much rather have had these women as role-models then the anorexic girls in magazines growing up. Not the most flattering of IolaAnyone who doesn't see Iola as beautiful in this picture should look at the others of her in this gallery. This one doesn't do her justice, because she was absolutely gorgeous! I don't know how anyone can comment on her figure when it is covered up by that horrible bathing suit. She could have had a 24 inch waist under it, for all we know! I will concede that she wasn't Twiggy, but she wasn't obese, either. I think Anna probably outweighed Iola by 15-20 pounds. Under the swimsuitBelieve me, there's no Twiggy hiding there. (The Gallery, D.C., Iola S., Natl Photo, Pretty Girls, Swimming)
Beauty Contest: 1922
... Gately, of 1402 Massachusetts avenue southeast. Miss Iola Swinnerton, of 3125 Mount Pleasant street northwest, was awarded second prize ... and Aileen Bergstrum, Anna Niebel, Dorothy Parker and Iola Swinnerton.         The participants were paraded ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 06/09/2018 - 4:38pm -

"Washington Tidal Basin Beauty Contest -- August 5, 1922." Misses Eva Fridell, 17, and Anna Niebel. National Photo Company glass negative. View full size. Political PowerIt is amazing how quickly women's bathing attire became so much smaller after they got the vote. Our beauty on the lefthas got the "babyface knees" almost perfect Looks like the wrong one wonassuming that size, in silver cups, matters. The one on the right is a beauty. We've seen these two before: https://www.shorpy.com/node/356 If they were the winners,what did the losers look like. The one on the right looks particularly sinister, I certainly wouldn't like to meet her on a dark night! Thelma and LouiseSeems like the one on the left probably wrestled that cup away from somebody. And the one on the right looks like she's a street brawler. Ah yes, leave it to Shorpy to find the first two lady wrastlers and foist them on us as beauty queens! LovelyWow. There's just something enchanting about the women in the 1920s-era beauty contest photos you post. Maybe it's because they were so naturally beautiful without all the beauty aids and plastic surgery women have access to today. I WonderIf anybody else showed up for the contest. The one on the right is OK, but the one on the left looks, um, rather plain (I'm trying to be polite!) YikesI've often had the thought that the 1970s had the worst style and taste in American history, but nah. Nothing will ever beat the 1920s. I'm thinking of why the port side wonLooks like a red haired lady with beautiful freckles and naturally long hair. The very attractive lass with the dark hair has her hair bobbed. I'm sure the judges considered that no real lady would bob their hair. I prefer both. Both of these ladies are lovely.Although I have to admit that I never knew Joan Cusak was so old. Left GirlHmm, Maogwai Cat has made me reconsider my opinion of the girl on the left. If she had red hair and green eyes (her eyes seem lightly colored in this picture), she would be striking. In this case, the B&W photo giving her such a lifeless coloring does her no favors, along with the angle of her head. But I still stand by that the styles of the 1920s were a low point. They are both winners!Especially if you look at it full size. And even more if they were wearing something else. Oddly, red hair has not always been considered attractive. "Red-headed stepchild" was an insult in more than one way. [Indeed they were -- Eva won the beauty prize and Anna won for best costume. - Dave] A Girl With CurlsWashington Post, August 6, 1922. TITIAN-HAIRED GIRL WINS BEAUTY PRIZE Judges Rule None in Tidal Basin Contest Excelled Miss Fridell In Pulchritude. SIXTY IN GRAND PARADE Miss Niebel Again Awarded First Honors for Best Bathing Suit Shown at Beach.         The old-fashioned titian-haired beauty, without the modern make-up, returned to popularity yesterday by winning the fourth annual beauty contest at the Tidal Basin. A girl with curls, of athletic type and wearing the normal style of bathing suit, Miss Eva Fridell, a 17-year-old Business High school student, took the capital prize, a large silver loving cup. She wore a yellow bathing suit with narrow black stripes around it. Not only is she a regular patron of the beach, but one of the expert divers and swimmers.         Miss Fridell, whose complexion needed no paint or powder, quickly caught the eye of the judges, Al. J. Frey, Isaac Gans and Arthur Leslie Smith. The winner lives with her parents at 611 Ninth street northeast. Going Back to High School.         Last spring she graduated from a two-year course at Business High school, but expects to return in the fall to complete a four-year course.         The winner of the style show at the beach a few months ago, Miss Anna Niebel, of 1370 Harvard street northwest, again came out as the winner of the best costume for beauty, design and durability. Miss Niebel was awarded a silver loving cup for the suit she wore, which was all blue rubber, with several white stripes at intervals.         Second prize for the beauty was awarded to Miss Gay Gately, of 1402 Massachusetts avenue southeast. Miss Iola Swinnerton, of 3125 Mount Pleasant street northwest, was awarded second prize for costumes. Both were given engraved gold medals. Nine Chosen From Sixty.         Of the 60 girls entered in the contest, nine were picked out to appear before the judges. These were Gay Gateley, Norine Fords, Mae Poole Allen, Eva Fridell, Edith and Aileen Bergstrum, Anna Niebel, Dorothy Parker and Iola Swinnerton.         The participants were paraded before the judges several times before the winners were chosen. Al. J. Frey, chairman of the judges, is a member of Hochchild Kohn & Co. of Baltimore, Md. He was appointed to select the winner of the beauty contest conducted at Palm Beach, Fla., last winter. The winner of this contest received a check for $1,000 as first prize. YellowThis is interesting for colourisers. The article states that Miss Fridell had a yellow suit with black trimmings. In monochrome the yellow appears quite dark - a common feature (see the picture I colourised of Civil War veterans a while back). It's easy to assume that yellow in black and white looks pale - but it isn't always so. And this is an excellent example. Orthochromatic FilmPanchromatic film was not invented until the thirties and was first used for the movies. Othochromatic film is most sensitive to blue light. That's why the silent films have such high contrast and the mid 30s and later "talkies" look so much different with their extensive grey tones. Panchromatic film did not get wide use until almost WWII. [This was photographed on a glass plate, not film. Panchromatic emulsion for plates first became available in the early 1900s, though they did not come into common usage until the 1920s. Kodak released their first panchromatic film stock in 1913, though it was intended for use in additive-color motion-picture photography. Their regular panchromatic film came in 1922; the first feature film to be shot entirely with it was that year's The Headless Horseman. - tterrace] I know, I should have said emulsion. Othochromatic film or emulsion was not in general use until WWII. Even Weston used Orthochromic film in a box camera for his photos. What you see is mostly his darkroom work when you view his photographs. In color... and if you want to see how I think it looked in colour: https://www.shorpy.com/node/12695 UncomfortableI have been trying to picture what a rubber bathing suit would be like, and it sounds miserable, but so does a wool bathing suit, like Ms. Fridell is wearing! (The Gallery, Bizarre, D.C., Natl Photo, Pretty Girls, Swimming)
Bathing Girls: 1922
... showing. Next to her, Shorpy regulars will recognize Iola Swinnerton, winsome Washington beauty. National Photo glass negative. View ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 07/06/2018 - 10:18pm -

"Lansburgh Bathing Girls, 1922." Avert your eyes, gentlemen -- the leftmost lady's knees are showing. Next to her, Shorpy regulars will recognize Iola Swinnerton, winsome Washington beauty. National Photo glass negative. View full size. It's hard to tellthey are not really at the ocean. No shameNext thing you know they will be appearing at the beach without stockings. Where will it end? Prop FlopWhat we have here is a failure to crop the brick wall out of the picture. No gal could get past those "bathing suits"There's a pretty face or two in this picture but the outfits are so outlandishly awful (and unflattering to boot), it would take a veritable Angelina Jolie to shine in these get-ups. (clearly "less is more" was NOT the motto in those days for bathing beauties) I'm so sorry, butare the three on the right part of Les Cagelles? Could you swim in those?All that cloth would probably be heavy when wet. I love the style, though. Gakkk!I read an interview with the "oldest living Ziegfeld girl", Doris Eaton Travis from just before she died at age 106 last year. She said she didn't like the fashions of the 1920's. She thought they were unflattering. And I have to say, these outfits are BIG TIME hideous. I mean, the addition of color might help, but what this looks like to me is a VERY awkward halfway point between old fashioned "bathing costumes" and modern one piece swimsuits. Gak indeed. 25 yearsfrom here to the first bikini. Regarding these styles,I think the birth rate in the early '20s must have been near zero. 90 Years LaterIn a short 90 years, girls went from 95% coverage to only 5% coverage! Roll 'em, girlies, roll 'em!When I was in middle school, in the early '80s, I took a judo class taught by one Morey Korey, who was then about 80 years old. He really moved well for an octogenarian, and naturally, he was big on stretching exercises, which were accompanied by a song he had learned as a teenager, and which he taught us: Roll 'em, girlies, roll 'em, Go ahead and roll 'em, Go ahead and show your pretty knees. Don't let teacher tell you that it's shocking. Paint your sweetie's picture on your stocking. Laugh at Ma, laugh at Pa, Give them all the ha-ha-ha, Roll 'em girlies, girlies roll your own! Bathing Girls: the soundtrackGood memory, Lectrogeek. "Even grouchy traffic cops get jolly, when they see you step into a trolley." Here's Billy Murray's popular rendition of "Roll 'Em Girls," recorded on November 4, 1925. Curtis & LemmonA publicity still from Some Like It Hot? No expense sparedBoy, that photographer really went all-out with the backdrop, and even if he managed to crop it well, that flagpole sticking out of the ocean behind the girl on the right is going to be harder to get rid of. RealisticI get seasick every time I look at this. 20s attireI LOVE, LOVE the 20s fashions -- just NOT the bathing attire!! (The Gallery, D.C., Iola S., Natl Photo, Pretty Girls, Swimming)
Style Show: 1922
... On the right we have eternal Shorpy sweetheart Iola Swinnerton; the others are interchangeable nonentities who serve only to ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 01/07/2022 - 4:58pm -

June 17, 1922. Washington, D.C. "Group winners at Tidal Basin bathing beach." On the right we have eternal Shorpy sweetheart Iola Swinnerton; the others are interchangeable nonentities who serve only to emphasize her many charms. In the background is the Bureau of Engraving and Printing. National Photo Company glass negative. View full size. Not heard there this day on that occasion"Iola, are you, like, happy you won?" "Happy? It's, like, totally awesome!" "I'm, like, so-o-o-o-o-o, like, totally thrilled for you!" "Awesome!" Guy sitting on left to his friend, whispering: "Dude! I, like, see some bare skin!" Friend: "Duuuuuude! Sick! Yeah, like you can almost see like their whole shoulders! Oh, man!" First guy: "Duuude!" How it looks nowView Larger Map Black MagicThe girl in the very middle appears to be holding a figure that looks like a voodoo doll, possibly representing her main competitor and she may have pins in her cobbler's apron with which to put a curse on whichever girl she deems threatening. This photo was taken on my father's 13th birthday which may well have been a Sunday, since it often coincided with Father's Day. And last but not least, those were some horribly hideous "get-ups" those gals were wearing, especially the bloomers, the printed outfit and all the leg attire. Perhaps there was no winner. Follow-up: Just FYI there is a website called "Day of the Week" and if you type it into your search space, it will tell you the day any date fell on in the past. This swimsuit contest was a SATURDAY. PerspectiveHaving recently visited DC, and having walked round the tidal basin would I be correct in thinking that this is taken roughly where the Jefferson Memorial now is? I'm basing that on the position and angle of the Bureau of Engraving and printing in the background. What is Iola wearing?Looks like a shredded trash bag, or maybe she's going to the renaissance faire later. The young lady with the open parasol is quite attractive. ShoesThe girl with the open parasol is wearing some very interesting shoes. They look like modern pointe shoes (pointe shoes have changed very little since the 19th century, actually), but it looks like the soles may be a little harder. But then again, they also look brand new. Ballet shoes don't stay pristine for long. I bet she was a ballerina. They're even laced properly. My inner ballerina picked up on the shoes, especially since they're different from the other girls'. The Female Kneehas obviously undergone rapid evolution under the selection pressure imposed by short skirts. Iola's bathing suitI agree with Vintage TV. I think Iola's bathing suit is hideous! I prefer the one she wore the year before https://www.shorpy.com/node/666?size=_original I think she's a doll, though. The girl second from the left is pretty cute, too, and the one far left looks considerably more attractive than in the other photo we have of her. I love these photos of these girls! Seeing multiple photos of someone allows us to get to know them much more than seeing just one. PS, just looked at another one, https://www.shorpy.com/node/1759 which has three of the same girls and is the same summer, thinking this would have been from the same time. Although they are wearing the same suits, from what I can see, they all have something different in their hair and/or on their feet. I wonder if they had these contests every month or so, or maybe if they just got the girls together a few days later for the rooftop photo. (The Gallery, D.C., Iola S., Natl Photo, Pretty Girls)
Pie Eaters: 1921
... row: the blurry but unmistakable facial contours of Iola Swinnerton. National Photo Company Collection glass negative. View full size. ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 07/06/2018 - 10:19pm -

July 31, 1921. Washington, D.C. "Pie eating contest at Tidal Basin bathing beach." In the back row: the blurry but unmistakable facial contours of Iola Swinnerton. National Photo Company Collection glass negative. View full size. Who won?No prizes for guessing! Hazppy to be a Modern ManThe girl in the front / left has hairy legs. Once again, Shorpy has made me appreciate living in twenty first century North America. I wonder what people of the future will be disgusted by when they look at our photos? [I wonder what people of the future will think will they look at these comments. - Dave] Sheer enjoyment and delightQuite apart from the fact that there are several beautiful girls in this picture, it is a joy for several other reasons. One cannot help but wonder whether the contestants ever considered whether their children and their children's children would be able to enjoy themselves in such simple and unaffected manner. In many ways, how lucky they were to live at a time when life was very much more simple, the war was behind them, everything appeared rosy, and the future was their own. There are times I would happily trade this supposedly civilised and advanced age for theirs. As for the identity of the victor; I imagine the young boy felt very much a winner here! How lucky; a clutch of beautiful girls, and as much pie as he could eat. Who Won??Do educated guesses count? I'm thinking the winner was the woman with pie smeared all over her face. The other ladies are eating their pie rather daintily. I'm rather infatuatedwith the three women in the center: the splendid coif of the lady on the left, the laugh of the woman in the middle, and the delicate fingers balancing pie on the woman on the right. Also, how could anyone find the thin fuzz, barely visible, on that woman's legs disgusting? If certain modern men knew the time us modern women felt obligated to spend on our grooming, they might be more sympathetic and less hazppy. Krazy KatThis was apparently taken the same time as this one https://www.shorpy.com/node/666 because Iola is holding Krazy Kat. I think the girl on her left is the one sitting to her right in that picture, too. [This picture is dated July 31; the other is dated June 25. - Dave] Aside from that, this is one amazing photo of a wonderful day and a time when people knew how to take joy in simple things. The expression on the middle girl eating pie is priceless! I would bet that crust was made with lard, which is the best kind. P.S. I didn't notice the date, except for the year. Now, I wonder why she was carrying a stuffed toy to the beach, twice (or more, probably). Interesting! At any rate, they sure had a lot of fun at the Potomac bathing beach! Simple happinessReading the comments by reader who mourn the loss of simpler pleasures with simpler times makes me wonder how long those times actually lasted. How long have pie-eating contests taken place? Pies have existed for centuries. There are notes of pie-eating contests occurring at county fairs in the 19th Century. Were they an imported idea from fairs in the Old Country? Our pleasures have changed as technology has changed, The advent of electricity in homes certainly has changed the sorts of activities that we engage in for pleasure. I, for one, would make the trade of perusing Shorpy at my desk in an air-conditioned room in my home on a 100-degree late Spring day to participating in a pie-eating contests on a similar June day 90 years ago. Not that the pies don't look delicious. Hard to tellwhere the smudges end and the pie filling begins Not pizzahttp://www.snopes.com/photos/people/pizzawomen.asp (The Gallery, D.C., Iola S., Natl Photo, Swimming)
Loving Cup Lovelies: 1921
... Lansburgh's -- all local girls -- were Mary Lee, Iola Swinnerton, Thelma Spencer, Hattie Spencer and Julia Cunningham. The suits ... "Bathing Beach costume contest." At left we have Iola Swinnerton, First Lady of Shorpy in perpetuum ; the others are plebeian ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 07/06/2018 - 10:16pm -

Lansburgh Girls Win Style Prize Five Models Gain Cup at Tidal Bathing Beach Costume Show.         With five models displaying the most modern bathing costumes, Lansburgh & Brother won the prize cup at the first annual style show, held yesterday afternoon at the Tidal bathing beach. The models who represented Lansburgh's -- all local girls -- were Mary Lee, Iola Swinnerton, Thelma Spencer, Hattie Spencer and Julia Cunningham. The suits which they wore were special importations, brought to Washington for exhibition at this show ... -- Washington Post, 6/26/1921 Washington, D.C., 1921. "Bathing Beach costume contest." At left we have Iola Swinnerton, First Lady of Shorpy in perpetuum; the others are plebeian ciphers spared total invisibility only by the grace of her luminous beauty. View full size. All I can say isThank God for Spandex! Wet stockings?It looks like all these ladies are wearing some type of hose. Would have been common for swimming? Or was it just for the sake of the competition? Not Permanent PressNormal appearance back then was that everything still needed ironing. Reverse nostalgiaA lot of times I think I was born too late. This is not one of those times. Pirates of the CaribbeanThe Johnny Depp line of bathing suits looks nice on the first contestant (and winner) on the left. Semantic SuitsBack then they were "bathing" rather than "swimming". But Jantzen was working to change that with "The Suit That Changed Bathing to Swimming" introduced around 1920. Krazy KatLooks like a doll version of a beloved comics character in the arms of babe #1. What, no Kardashians? What gets me is women were allowed to look "normal" back then. No Pilates, yoga, Zumba, endless diets, botox, spa treatments, etc. They look like the women I see at the supermarket with two kids in tow, standing in line at the bank, the doctor's office. This is what the vast majority of women look like. What a nice surprise!The bathing beauty pictures are among my favorites, here on Shorpy and it's SO nice to see a new one! Iola looks beautiful! The one "model" needs a lesson in posture, but the rest look pretty good! I agree with Alan_FlorAgree with his post up to a point. Viewing past Shorpy images I am so happy to be living in the "here and now". I am 74 and I belonged to the generation that changed a woman's view of who we were and what we wanted to change, starting with what we wore. My mother took my older sister and me shopping in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. What I noticed was the uncomfortable clothing that was required, hat, high heels, gloves, as acceptable. I was a tomboy to the "umpth" degree and wore jeans when in my home and the little town we lived in. I now live in Texas and just viewing the heavy clothing women wore back in the time makes me break out in sweat. I do believe I got my attitude from my mother, who was a trendsetter in her generation. (The Gallery, D.C., Iola S., Natl Photo, Pretty Girls, Swimming)
Pageant of Pulchritude: 1927
... type in this pageant to the pictures we've seen of Iola Swinnerton just five or so years earlier. What a change! A lot of ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 05/19/2019 - 5:17pm -

"Second International Pageant of Pulchritude and Eighth Annual Bathing Girl Revue -- Galveston, Texas -- May 21-22-23, 1927." Panorama by Joseph M. Maurer. View full size. Blondes vs Orthochromatic FilmThere were blondes back-in-the-day, though not the percentage of faux blondes that you see today. The most common film used in Cirkut cameras in this period was Kodak Verichrome. It was very well suited to the exposure challenges this type of imaging poses and developed to a density range that was an excellent match to the contact printing papers of the day. It was, though, orthochromatic. As a result, blond hair with any yellowish or golden hue would reproduce much darker than it would seem to the eye. Miss Oak Cliff, Miss Florida, and Miss Douglas may well be blondes. Miss Amarillo could possibly be a redhead, you just can't really tell. A touching pictureMost of these young women look so happy and sweetly pleased with themselves. I hope this day was a pleasant memory for all of them, even world-weary Miss France. Pour me another."Beauty is in the eye of the beer holder." Happy Birthday Mr. PresidentToo bad Miss Monroe didn't have the same attributes as Marilyn. :^{ Countries and townsSuch a diversity of locations: from American cities and towns (Shreveport, Kerrville, Ogden, Monroe, Pine Bluff, Bessemer) to European countries (Spain, Portugal, Italy) to other nearby lands (Mexico, Cuba). Special mentions are in order: perkiest (Miss San Antonio), scowling stereotype (Miss France), coolest bathing suit (Miss Cleburne), and outstanding hair (Miss Amarillo). I can well understand the assembled crowd on the seawall, soaking in all the pulchritude. Galveston Does Not Have A Great Beach -- Been ThereFirst thing I noticed is every contestant is wearing heals heels on a sandy beach. How many sprained ankles resulted from this practice? Third from the left (between Dallas and Amarillo) is so busy showing off her beautiful ringlets she hasn't noticed her sash has flipped over. I suspect Miss Point ? (between Douglas and Bessemer) spent the most time practicing her pose in front of a mirror. I like the saucy bows on the hose of Miss Portugal. I think Miss New York and Brooklyn look lovely standing next to each other, outfitted in similar attire. Sea changeCompare the swimsuits and favored body type in this pageant to the pictures we've seen of Iola Swinnerton just five or so years earlier. What a change! A lot of beautiful curvesincluding the seawall in the background that is pretty much the same age as the young ladies. It is an engineering marvel that was completed in 1910, so it is only 17 years old in this picture. The seaway runs straight along the beach, but has a convex curved face. It only looks curved because of the way the panoramic camera (probably a Kodak Cirkut camera) scanned the image. Enthusiastic Model. My vote is with Miss San Antonio for her devil-may-care smile and sassy pose. Her name was Florence Zoeller. Game of ClonesWhat a collection of scrawny legs. However I would choose Ms. Ottawa to win in this category, IMHO. Cora, Countess of GranthamMiss Vancover (sic) looks a lot like a young Elizabeth McGovern when she was in the movie 'RAGTIME'. Take a bow. Take two.Miss Portugal's hosiery ... I can't even. She may be my style icon for today. But the winner of that whole shooting match had to be Miss Third-From-The-Left (I can't read her sash). Miss SpellingMiss "Vancover" doesn't seem disheartened by her forgotten "u." Who wonThe Charleston contest? By the way, really like the new, easier to read format! Didn't they have Blondes back then?Out of 38 contestants, not even one. And the winner was --Miss New York, Dorothy Britton. She was also Miss United States at the time. Dorothy won $2,000 and a silver plaque. (Panoramas, Pretty Girls, Swimming)
Best Swimsuit: 1922
... place. At right, the unmistakable if blurry figure of Iola Swinnerton, First Lady of Shorpy, who came in second. Harris & Ewing glass ... (He pled guilty.) Unfortunate Sad that Miss Iola Swinnerton probably died before she could reap the fortunes that being First ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 07/06/2018 - 10:18pm -

June 17, 1922. "Washington Ad Club bathing costume contest at Tidal Basin." Miss Anna Niebel, "former Follies girl who lives at 1370 Harvard street northwest," took first place. At right, the unmistakable if blurry figure of Iola Swinnerton, First Lady of Shorpy, who came in second. Harris & Ewing glass negative. View full size. That would be Congressman HerrickAnna Niebel hadn't just sued any ordinary person. In 1921 she was at the center of a Washington political scandal involving first-term, only-term, Oklahoma Congressman Manuel Herrick. The caption beneath the front-page, first-column picture of Miss Niebel in the Nov. 24, 1921 edition of the Millersburg (IN) Grit explains, "she was an entrant in Herrick's 'beauty contest,' and says he led her to believe that he would marry her." Herrick was a real piece of work. Two months after Ms. Niebel won the June 1922 version of her multiple Tidal Basin Beauty Contest trophies, Rep. Herrick was defeated in the GOP primary, prompting him to complain that he lost because of "the indifference and gross ignorance of many people who did not take the trouble to inform themselves of the fact that he was doing the work of five congressmen." Then the following year, the Washington Post reported that he was suing a different woman - his secretary - for breach of promise because she allegedly "used all of the arts and wiles of an adventuress before jilting him." He also accused the secretary of promising him that she would not spend her time petting dogs after marriage but would rear children. (Those claims were thrown out.) If that were not enough, he was picked up for disorderly conduct after a young lady complained that he was annoying her. (He pled guilty.) Unfortunate Sad that Miss Iola Swinnerton probably died before she could reap the fortunes that being First Lady of Shorpy would surely bring. Thankfully we have the photographic proof of her beauty and style to soothe our broken hearts. TimelessDrop the silly cap and the old-fashioned swimsuit (well, not literally "drop", or this would be some other kind of site), and this young lady would be an eyeful today. Iola of the one swimsuitI'm so excited to see a new picture from the Potomac bathing suit contests! It's always nice to see Iola, even blurry, although I STILL hate that bathing suit! It doesn't appear to be the most updated fashion, either. Anna's costume is an example of that; no stockings, more thigh uncovered, plunging neckline, etc. As for Anna, I see mention of Anna Elizabeth Niebel having sued a Mr. Herrick for $50,000, in 1925, for breach of promise. I assume that was for breaking off an engagement, but can't find any more details about it! (The Gallery, D.C., Harris + Ewing, Iola S., Pretty Girls, Swimming)
Lollipop Beach: 1923
... could go back 90 years and hang out with people like Iola Swinnerton and these kids, here. It is so wonderful that photographers ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 08/05/2012 - 5:00pm -

May 28, 1923. "Potomac bathing beach." A 10 on the Fun-Meter, from the look of things. View full size. National Photo Company Collection glass negative. Happy Happy!!Everyone seems to be having a fun day at the beach! Timeless.....same scene in 1823 and I'm again in 2023 somewhere.. The Lollipop KidWhatever the photographer yelled to get everyone waving was not about to interfere with the enjoyment of that lip-smacking treat. Goodness, makes you want to rub your hands together in appreciation, what flavour do you suppose? PotomacHaving lived next to the Potomac my whole life, seeing many kids in the river at once has been a rare event in my 51 years. PendantsAnybody know why they are all (mostly) wearing some sort of pendants around their necks? [Those are claim tags for the changing-room lockers. - Dave] Still a Potomac bathing beach?Is there still anything resembling the Potomac bathing beach? I wish I could go back 90 years and hang out with people like Iola Swinnerton and these kids, here. It is so wonderful that photographers preserved so much of the fun that our parents, grandparents and great-grandparents had there! [See here. - Dave] (The Gallery, D.C., Kids, Natl Photo, Sports, Swimming)
Made It Myself: 1922
... a swimsuit photo without Shorpy pinup favorite Miss Iola Swinnerton being represented. Twenty-Four Years ...from here to the ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 01/29/2014 - 9:17pm -

June 17, 1922. "Washington Advertising Club bathing costume contest at Tidal Basin." Our second look at the stylish entry of Miss Anna Niebel, the "former Follies girl" who took first place. Harris & Ewing glass negative. View full size. The Winning SwimsuitI think this suit won because it covers everything yet conceals nothing. NiceShoes Young and SmylieOur award-winning seamstress looks like she fell into a barrel of licorice sticks. Someone's missingOdd to see a swimsuit photo without Shorpy pinup favorite Miss Iola Swinnerton being represented. Twenty-Four Years...from here to the first Bikini. (The Gallery, D.C., Harris + Ewing, Pretty Girls, Swimming)
Just Add Ocean: 1921
... lesser lights orbiting the transcendently beautiful Iola Swinnerton, second from left with the Krazy Kat doll. View full size. ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 07/06/2018 - 10:19pm -

June 25, 1921. Washington, D.C. "Bathing beach costume contest." The ladies last glimpsed here, an array of lesser lights orbiting the transcendently beautiful Iola Swinnerton, second from left with the Krazy Kat doll. View full size. Easy switchNo swimming today ? OK, boxing then. We have shoes to prove it. (The Gallery, D.C., Iola S., Natl Photo, Pretty Girls, Swimming)
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