Life — May 12, 1921 — page 2: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

# Jantzen Swimming Suits Advertisement This is a straightforward **product advertisement**, not political satire or commentary. It promotes Jantzen brand swimming suits, manufactured by Jantzen Knitting Mills in Portland, Oregon. The ad emphasizes the suit's practical features—elastic-stitch construction, close-fitting design, and pure wool construction—claiming it permits "utmost freedom of action in the water." The advertisement leverages celebrity endorsements, listing Olympic champions and competitive swimmers who wore Jantzen suits, including Duke Kahanamoku (Hawaiian swimming legend) and other 1920s athletes. The photograph shows a woman in a one-piece bathing suit, posed sitting on what appears to be a dock, with a Hawaiian beach scene in the background. This reflects 1920s fashion advertising conventions and the era's growing acceptance of women's athletic swimwear.