1918 at the Beach

It’s summer, and while that means nice blocks of time for writing, it also means I’d rather spend my time at the beach. Since we don’t have a lot of beaches in Southern Arizona, I’m compromising with a virtual trip to 1918 via that bastion of 1920s style (and naughtiness) La Vie Parisienne.

André Edouard Marty “Le plongeon” – La Vie Parisienne, 1918

1920s bathing suits were generally knitted from wool, and while there are hints of sleek, abbreviated fashions to come (even Russian bikinis!) the best that can be said for most of them is that the people at the beach seem to be having fun.

But even a wool suit looks good in the hands of a great illustrator. Sign me up for the 1918 bus tour to the French Riviera!

Nelson Beaches, NZ c1920 (www.teara.govt.nz)

Bernie and Clara don’t visit the beach in Speakeasy Dead, although we see in Keys to the Coven that the Woodsen Homestead resides beside one of the region’s few lakes. Summer is short in Northern Arizona. I’ll have to hurry up with a sequel if they want to work on their tan.