Outside of athletic competitions, swimming caps are one relic of the past that we never really experienced firsthand—or, perhaps more accurately, secondhand. We certainly never made a practice of wearing them ourselves, but neither did we often see any women wearing them at the swimming pools and lakes of our youth (growing up in Oklahoma, we were many hours away from the nearest seashore and so have no idea whether women wore such caps at there).

They’re a quirky accessory, these caps. We find it hard to believe they really kept one’s hair dry, as they certainly didn’t create an airtight seal against the skin.

But the ones portrayed in this 1950s film from British Pathe are oddly appealing (it perhaps helps that the gals sporting the caps are fetching as can be). We wonder if some daring vintage-wearing vixen couldn’t start a new trend today by wearing one of these caps to keep warm during the winter months.

We especially enjoyed the pair of caps that came equipped with fake bangs (“fringe,” as our British cousins call them).

Which cap is your favorite?