"Sun-Shine Companions" (Spiegel Anniversary Sale, 1955)

The Spiegel "Anniversary Sale" catalogues were miniature versions of their "Big Book" catalogues, with pages packed full of clothes and other consumer goods. 

 Casual wear for outdoor activities (you can see the clothes accessorised by a beach back and a picnic basket).   These postwar play clothes for women consist of mix n' match shorts, tops and capris.  All  are made of cotton, and bright colours, stripes, and modernist prints predominate. Women's pants were still strictly for casual or home wear in the 1950s!

Wool is no longer the material of choice for making swimsuits.  The costumes above are mostly made of "rayon faille Lastex".  (The exceptions are the two at centre bottom, which are made of cotton broadcloth.)   They are more glamorous and form-fitting than their pre-war predecessors though they are also obviously more structured.  All have built-in bras.

From the same catalogue: play clothes for little girls!  They are wearing garments not unlike their mothers', but the manufacturer seems to have eschewed patterned fabrics for plain colours with trimming.  There also seems to be a bit of a Western theme going on.

These beach styles for girls are also very like their mothers' (or older sisters') costumes, right down to the materials they are made of.  However they are obviously less structured (there's no need for built-in bras for a start!)  Ruffles and shirring are used to underline the girlish innocence of the costumes.