Disgusted, Joan held up the obscene bikini she’d found in her daughter’s
room. “This is going straight in the incinerator, Margaret. No daughter of mine is wearing a bikini! Oh
the shame! My very own daughter escorted off the beach and charged with
obscenity.”
“Mother!” She screamed. “That’s it! I’m moving out and getting
a flat.”
“Oh Lord,” Joan fell to her knees and prayed. “Where did I go
wrong? Please send me a sign.”
Suddenly, a huge bolt of lightning struck Bondi Beach. Joan knew the Lord
was listening, but she had no idea what he was saying.
….
99 Words PHOTO PROMPT © Dale Rogerson
Not everyone embraced the arrival of the bikini. A few months ago, I visited Sydney’s Bondi Beach which was home to the bikini inspectors who used to measure up bikinis to see whether they conformed to regulations. Offenders were marched off the beach and told to cover up and could even be charged with indecency.
Here’s a link to an interesting council fact sheet: Bikini Arrests and there’s also an interesting film: Beach Inspectors Battle Bikinis. It all seems rather ludicrous now.
This has been another contribution to Friday Fictioneers hosted by Rochelle Wisoff Fields at Addicted to Purple.
Best wishes,
Rowena
Beyond the Flow 
I’ve seen photos of such events. The bikinis of those days were absolutely modest compared to what can be seen now.
The messages are written in a language we don’t follow
I’m sure there were plenty of people who volunteered for the job as bikini-inspector…
Ah the joys of evolution in clothing. There is always something for parents to loathe.
Strange to think something so accepted now was once so controversial. Although of course in some parts of the world, women’s dress is still a controversial issue. I fear we may all be regressing in that regard too, as society seems to become more and more prudish.
Mothers and daughters are a great combination for both love and conflict.
Yep … the signs are there. Find common ground, or rupture … 😉
It does seem ridiculous to me but many women around the world are still brutally punished for less.
So true, and thank you for reminding me of that as I sit in my cosy loungeroom in Australia.
Oh yes. I’ve struggle to connect with my Mum. Then a year ago, she developed dementia and ironically we’ve been getting on so much better. She’s always been fairly guarded and she’s now much more relaxed along with everything else.
I’ve been leading a fairly reclusive life since covid aside from when we’ve been houseminding in Sydney for a few extended stints. So I’m not real up on what people are wearing although I have noticed a number of female newsreaders wearing high neck blouses and dresses which seemed a bit Victorian to me. I like to be a bit flamboyant. I’ve been doing most of my shopping at Salvo’s Online and you can buy practically anything on there and I can actually find things which are a better representation of who I am rather than what I can find in a local shop and fit into.
My experience has taught me never to take sides between my daughters and their mother.(my wife). They all turn on me, even when I am right.
Oh yes! Our daughter has been doing dance since she was three which has brought her into using makeup, fake eyelashes etc from a young age. It didn’t bopther me too much but some family members commented on her wearing so much makeup so young. As I suspected, it didn’t last and now she’s 17 she’s not as into it as she was. My grandmother got very upset with me when I wanted to wear jeans to the local show in a farming area in Queensland. She said every got dressed up for the show. Well, that was 50 years ago and I’d caught a plane up there after work and only had the basics. That very intense argument put a big dent in our relationship for awhile which had always been exceptionally close.
You’d think so but only cranky, prudish middle-aged men seemed to get the job. I wonder what their wives felt about it!
Such a waste of time these kinds of arguments!
Am disproportionately damaging to relationships.
You’re a wise man, James.
Dear Rowena,
The things one sees at a beach today leave me speechless at times. I love the ending line.
Shalom,
Rochelle
I didn’t mean to sound like I was preaching. I’m sorry. Clearly we are on the same page. I’m cosy as well. Have a great weekend.
True
Times change. I always think some of those really early (1920’s??) knitted swimsuits were more revealing than the early bikinis. Mother/daughter arguments will probably never change though.
A good reminder that everything changes and nothing is set in stone 🙂
First! I love the title of this, the repetition of “B.” I remember when the bikini first arrived on the scene. I wasn’t allowed to get one until I was 16 and it was VERY modest compared to what they are now.
Thanks for the bit of history. I did not know about Bikini inspectors. I guess they were shocking in their day. I love that nowadays we can wear what ever we want there is so much variety. But moms will have their say.
I think my daughter would have a lot to say if I went down to the beach, especially our local beach just down the road, in a bikini. Indeed, that sounds like a good story.
Wow! That would’ve been so exciting, Alicia. I avoid wearing bikinis these days.