Summer 1919 Bathing Suits (and not)

note the stockings to cover the women's legs - required in public

boys, on the other hand, were routinely photographed completely naked, pretty much everywhere: in public fountains, off piers, in fire hydrants 

the type of suit pictured above was allowed only in women's only public bath houses

so . . . 

necessity as the mother of invention, 

as bare limbs on women were not allowed in public except for certain endeavors. 

So in Milwaukee? For some reason, classic dancing is happening in the water!