Gimpel Beynish the Matchmaker
(Gimpl Beynish der Shadkhn)
Yiddish Comics of the early 20th century

I knew of women getting in trouble for inadequate swimsuits, but this is the first I ever knew of rules about men's suits. This strip might have been in the nature of a PSA: Men, don't wear the new one-piece bathing suit at Coney Island or you'll get in trouble.

These comics are stuffed full of Yinglish, if you can use that word for English words transcribed into Yiddish and often given Yiddish grammatical endings etc. The fact is, there were many things in New York City that had no counterparts in the old country, like "one piece bathing suit."

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July 24, 1914: At Coney Island there are many things one may do and one may not do.

1. GB: Today I'll use my new bathing suit. It's all right, I too may be like the young men.
   
2. GB: If you walk dressed like a proper man even in a bathing suit people look at you differently.
   
3. GB: One, two, three! I'll rinse myself through the bones [sic] and afterwords I'll think about...
   
4. Policeman's voice: Hey, mister! Back up! Come here, I need to have a talk with you about a very important matter.
   
5. Policeman: Don't you know it's forbidden to wear a "one-piece" suit? The judge will explain the rest.

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In May 1917, the American Association of Park Superintendents published in its 'Bathing Suit Regulations' that men's suits should include a skirt worn outside the swimming trunks or, alternately, men could wear flannel knee pants with a vest front.

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Labels: modernity, morality, mores