Initially rather puritan, Russian swimsuits became more revealing and provocative over time. Both somewhat ugly and at the same time charming, this is what Soviet women's swimwear looked like.
© Sputnik / SokolovMembers of the "Olympus" shaping club in Leningrad, USSR.
1/15
© Sputnik / Sokolov
Members of the "Olympus" shaping club in Leningrad, USSR.
© Sputnik / Oleg LastochkinModels wearing swimsuits designed by Alexander Ovchinnikov.
2/15
© Sputnik / Oleg Lastochkin
Models wearing swimsuits designed by Alexander Ovchinnikov.
© Sputnik / Vladimir VyatkinA contestant in a synchronous swimming event.
3/15
© Sputnik / Vladimir Vyatkin
A contestant in a synchronous swimming event.
© Sputnik / Yuri AbramochkinYalta, Crimea's Black Sea coast.
4/15
© Sputnik / Yuri Abramochkin
Yalta, Crimea's Black Sea coast.
© Sputnik / E. AlessinMorning exercises at the "Artek" All-Union Young Pioneer Camp.
5/15
© Sputnik / E. Alessin
Morning exercises at the "Artek" All-Union Young Pioneer Camp.
© Sputnik / Yuri AbramochkinPeople sailing on a yacht.
6/15
© Sputnik / Yuri Abramochkin
People sailing on a yacht.
© Sputnik / Igor BoykoEkaterina Mescheryakova, the second runner-up at the "Miss USSR 1989" beauty pageant.
7/15
© Sputnik / Igor Boyko
Ekaterina Mescheryakova, the second runner-up at the "Miss USSR 1989" beauty pageant.
© Sputnik / Vladimir AkimovPeople relaxing at the beaches of Gurzuf in Crimea, USSR.
8/15
© Sputnik / Vladimir Akimov
People relaxing at the beaches of Gurzuf in Crimea, USSR.
© Sputnik / A.IvanovNeptune Day celebration at the "Sputnik" youth camp.
9/15
© Sputnik / A.Ivanov
Neptune Day celebration at the "Sputnik" youth camp.
© Sputnik / Igor UtkinA water ballet performace called "Russian Pearl".
10/15
© Sputnik / Igor Utkin
A water ballet performace called "Russian Pearl".
© Sputnik / PanovA girl stands on a sea shore wearing a yellow swimsuit in the Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republic.
11/15
© Sputnik / Panov
A girl stands on a sea shore wearing a yellow swimsuit in the Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republic.
© Sputnik / Miroslav MurazovA beach in Sochi.
12/15
© Sputnik / Miroslav Murazov
A beach in Sochi.
© Sputnik / Alexey DitjakynIlmira Shamsutdinova, second runner-up at the "Pearl of Russia" beauty pageant.
13/15
© Sputnik / Alexey Ditjakyn
Ilmira Shamsutdinova, second runner-up at the "Pearl of Russia" beauty pageant.
© Sputnik / Anatoliy GaraninPeople doing morning exercises. Crimea's Black Sea coast, USSR, 1954.
14/15
© Sputnik / Anatoliy Garanin
People doing morning exercises. Crimea's Black Sea coast, USSR, 1954.
© Sputnik / David SholomovichVisitors of the Moskva Pool in Moscow, the largest open air swimming pool in the world at the time.
15/15
© Sputnik / David Sholomovich
Visitors of the Moskva Pool in Moscow, the largest open air swimming pool in the world at the time.