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https://www.wsj.com/articles/guide-to-mens-swimwear-11656521531

Survey Greek urns or Roman frescoes and the answer is clear—throughout antiquity, men went swimming in the nude. As with many moves toward prudishness, the concept of covering up for pool time originated in England. Bathing in your birthday suit was common for Brits until the 17th or 18th centuries, at which point priggish authorities deemed public nudity too scandalous. In 1737, officials in Bath, Somerset, England, decreed that gentlemen needed to cover up, and by 1860, nude bathing for men was outlawed across the U.K. Swimwear in this era was horrific: Men were obliged to wear long, form-fitting suits crafted from itchy wool that tripled in weight when wet, essentially turning into a sopping, saggy anchor.

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This copy is for your personal, non-commercial use only. Distribution and use of this material are governed by our Subscriber Agreement and by copyright law. For non-personal use or to order multiple copies, please contact Dow Jones Reprints at 1-800-843-0008 or visit www.djreprints.com.