I don't know if this inspired PPFD's post or not. If not it's a nice coincidence.
From IMDB:
Mary Ann's skimpy costumes
1.by jmarkoff2 » 2 days ago (Thu Apr 2 2015 02:16:20)
"There is a long standing belief that 1960s television was not allowed to show women's navels, but Mary Ann's was visible constantly. How did that get through?" (My add: it was far from visible constantly.)
2.Re: Mary Ann's skimpy costumes
by benGsboat » 1 day ago (Thu Apr 2 2015 23:26:16)
From Sherwood Schwartz' book, 'Inside Gilligan's Island':
"In those years, CBS had what was referred to as the 'intermittent navel' rule, concerning female navels. It was okay if a female navel appeared and disappeared. Permanent view of a female navel was verboten. I didn't make the female navel rule; I just had to see it was obeyed."
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0057751/board/thread/242148740
