73 years ago there was the smallest swimsuit in the world — bikini

July 5, 1946, less than a week after the United States detonated an atomic bomb at Bikini Atoll in the South Pacific, a Frenchman named Louis Rare — automobile engineer-turned-designer — introduced the world to the lovers of the world's smallest swimsuit. He called his creation the bikini. As he himself said later, the name was born when he saw how women were hitting on swimwear to sunbathe more.

The two piece swimsuit was invented long before the creation Rear. Even on Greek urns and mosaics, which for more than 3000 years, shows female athletes in swimsuits in two parts. But the genius of creation Rear that he has created a swimsuit from a low fabric, which at the same time could be worn in public. He said that the swimsuit cannot be called a bikini if both parts are not in engagement ring.

We present you photographs from the archives of Life magazine dedicated to the bikini. Let's see, what were these bikini in the first years of their popularity.

1. Santa Monica, CA, 1940 (Peter Stackpole—Time & Life Pictures/Getty Images)

2. Tan with creative "tattoos", 1941 (Peter Stackpole—Time & Life Pictures/Getty Images)

3. Actress Donna Drake with a rifle on the balcony of his home in Los Angeles, 1942 (Peter Stackpole—Time & Life Pictures/Getty Images)

4. Rita Hayworth at home in Los Angels, 1945. (Peter Stackpole—Time & Life Pictures/Getty Images)

5. Florida, 1945 (Nina Leen—Time & Life Pictures/Getty Images)

6. Florida, 1945 (Nina Leen—Time & Life Pictures/Getty Images)

7. Florida, 1945 (Nina Leen—Time & Life Pictures/Getty Images)

8. Actress Linda Christian, the first "bond girl", 1945 (Bob Landry—Time & Life Pictures/Getty Images)

9. Sunbathing in France, 1945 (Ralph Morse—Time & Life Pictures/Getty Images)

10. On the beach in France, 1945 (Ralph Morse—Time & Life Pictures/Getty Images)

11. On the beach in France, 1945 (Ralph Morse—Time & Life Pictures/Getty Images)

12. On the beach in France, 1945 (Ralph Morse—Time & Life Pictures/Getty Images)

13. On the beach in France, 1945 (Ralph Morse—Time & Life Pictures/Getty Images)

14. French actress Barbara Lange in a homemade swimsuit, which she cut herself, 1945 (Nina Leen—Time & Life Pictures/Getty Images)

15. Participant of beauty contest Jackie Lee Barnes posing by the pool in Albuquerque, new Mexico, 1949 (Ed Clark—Time & Life Pictures/Getty Images)

16. Model in bikini, 1950 (Ed Clark—Time & Life Pictures/Getty Images)

17. Model in bikini, 1950 (Ed Clark—Time & Life Pictures/Getty Images)

18. French model Christiane Richard in a bikini for their morning coffee, 1950 (Nat Farbman—Time & Life Pictures/Getty Images)

19. Model Lynn Jones, 1955 (Peter Stackpole—Time & Life Pictures/Getty Images)

20. Actress Jayne Mansfield posing on the background of inflatable dolls, 1957 (Allan Grant—Time & Life Pictures/Getty Images)

21. Diving in Israel, 1960 (Paul Schutzer—Time & Life Pictures/Getty Images)

22. Model June Pickney, 1960 (Stan Wayman—Time & Life Pictures/Getty Images)

23. Sunbathing, 1961 (Allan Grant—Time & Life Pictures/Getty Images)

24. Jayne Mansfield with husband Mickey Hartigan, 1961 (Stan Wayman—Time & Life Pictures/Getty Images)

25. Actress Filomen Toulouse with her pet Fox at the Cannes film festival, 1962 (Paul Schutzer—Time & Life Pictures/Getty Images)

26. Cannes, France, 1962 (Paul Schutzer—Time & Life Pictures/Getty Images)

27. Atlantic city, new Jersey, 1964 (Art Rickerby—Time & Life Pictures/Getty Images)

28. Hungarian model, 1965 (Walter Sanders—Time & Life Pictures/Getty Images)

29. Model Neti Abascal shows the pattern on the chest and abdomen, the Bahamas, 1968 (Bill Eppridge—Time & Life Pictures/Getty Images)

30. Somewhere near Malibu, California, 1970 (Co Rentmeester—Time & Life Pictures/Getty Images)

31. Southern California, 1970 (Co Rentmeester—Time & Life Pictures/Getty Images)