In 1907, when Annette Kellerman appeared on Revere Beach wearing a one-piece swimsuit that ended above her knees,

In 1907, when Annette Kellerman appeared on Revere Beach wearing a one-piece swimsuit that ended above her knees,

it caused an uproar. By the standards of the time, it was considered indecent, and she was arrested.

Ironically, the same legs that led to her arrest had also made her famous. By 1905, Kellerman, an Australian swimmer, held all the women’s world records.

Beyond competitive swimming, she dazzled audiences with high dives and graceful underwater performances in vaudeville, earning her the nickname “The Original Mermaid.”

For that era, her swimsuit was shockingly revealing. Women typically swam in heavy black wool dresses, long stockings, bloomers, bathing slippers, and swim caps.

Though modest by today’s standards, Kellerman’s sleek one-piece stood out in contrast and was seen as scandalous.

In a 1953 interview with the Boston Sunday Globe, she recalled the 1907 arrest with a mix of disbelief and humor. “Me, arrested!” she said, still surprised by the reaction it sparked, especially from her protective father.

Fortunately, the judge allowed her to continue wearing the swimsuit, provided she wore a full-length cape to the water’s edge.

Kellerman gained worldwide attention in 1905 when she swam three-quarters of the way across the English Channel in 10½ hours—a record at the time. She also set a 100-yard dash record and held records for a 26-mile swim and a 3-minute, 27-second underwater breath hold.

She often competed against men and frequently won.

Her one-piece swimwear became so popular that she launched her own fashion line, revolutionizing women’s swimwear. She also helped popularize synchronized swimming and published a swimming manual.

Her film career included several aquatic-themed movies. In 1916, she became the first major actress to appear nude on screen in A Daughter of the Gods.

Though she pioneered the modern swimsuit, she disapproved of the bikini after its 1946 debut, calling it a “mistake” and saying it flattered very few bodies. She believed the human form looked best with “one beautiful, unbroken line.”

In 1908, after a study of 3,000 women, Harvard’s Dudley A. Sargent named Kellerman the “Perfect Woman,” comparing her proportions to the Venus de Milo.

She married her manager, James Sullivan, in 1912. A lifelong vegetarian, she later ran a health food store in Long Beach, California, and remained active into her later years.

She returned to Australia in 1970, was honored by the International Swimming Hall of Fame in 1974, and passed away at 89 in 1975.

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