Swimsuit with pink flower print

This Canterbury swimsuit was bought by Molly Hall in Whakatane in 1960 when she first came to New Zealand and lived on Ohope Beach. It was a bargain, she said, and it replaced the blue and cream one that she had brought over from the UK. It was one of only two swimsuits she ever owned. Molly wore it for the rest of her life, it lasted so well. "There are heaps of photos of Mum in this suit looking very glamorous," said Molly's daughter Sandy. "Her favourite thing was to paddle, and she would always wear this suit even to paddle in, offset with a white large brim sunhat with pink flowers. She used to swim daily when she was pregnant with me in 1960 - the shirring allowed it to stretch. It only started to give as her own body did in her 70s. It was our joke that the shirring was giving out in sympathy with her skin." Molly's granddaughter, Samara Pepperell, replaced the shirring elastic.