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Went to the beach yesterday for Memorial Day, and, as usual for me, i wore a brief pair of swimming trunks, which Americans refer to as Speedos, which is actually a brand name, and i have never owned that brand. This is what I have worn to swim in all my life, being from England and having lived in the USA the last 18 years. OTOH, American men, AFAIK, all wear long baggy shorts that to my eye look comically ridiculous (sorry).
My wife and kids don't like me wearing 'speedos' and my wife says she is embarassed to be seen with me. On this occassion, my wife says that a guy on the beach said to his frriend "who is that weirdo? who wears speedos anymore?" Granted I am not slim, but WTH should i have to cover myself up on the beach? Women don't. I guess Queen Victoria ain't dead after all! Welcome back to the bad old days, but only for men. Women can wear what they like, apparently.
My son says he bets that no-one in England even wears brief swimming trunks anymore, I hope he's wrong. 'Maybe someone in the UK could answer that?
The beach used to be one of my favourite places to be, bu this is spoiling it for me.
The worst thing you can see on the beach is overweight people wearing things which make them look naked.
I.e speedos.
I don't mean to burst your bubble but if you are fat don't wear speedos on the beach, for the love of god!
It's not the worst thing - worse are the disparaging comments on fat people. People come in all sizes and shapes and it is nothing wrong for one to dress so that he or she can feel comfortable. Deal with it.
I for one prefer swimming trunks rather than those long swimming pants and I don't really care what others think of my fat thighs. And I have no qualms going out shirtless, wearing only shorts, on a hot summer day. If somebody doesn't like my belly than it's his or her problem, not mine.
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A Linux Longhair
The dumb thing is that I had on a t-shirt, which covered the only part of me that really looks fat (and no, it wasn't long enough to make it look like I was naked below the waist). The comments from these guys really come down to nothing more than "how come you're not dressed the same as us?"!!!
And you're right, comments against fat people are a zillion times worse than some fool having to look at my beer gut, which would have been just as visible in shorts anyway. What next - thin people only beaches?
You know, the absolute most disgusting thing you see on the streets is guys with long hair...it just makes me want to gag. They should all be buzzed on the spot!
What he said! If you don't like it, don't look!
Nah, media simalcrums only on beaches...no normal bodies at all. Or maybe just plastic dolls or CGI.
Makes me glad I spend time out at hot springs where it is pretty much all normal bodies...OK, not counting when the ski patrol comes down from Mammoth, but you don't see much media plastic there.
Its all these remarks against fat people that causes people to starve themselves to death just to lose a few pounds. People go to all kinds of extreme to lose pounds, even if it costs their health. I read a magazine article about people who literally fasted for weeks just to lose weight and they said they would rather die than be fat, its that serious! I mean they lost so much weight it had severe health consequence on them.. one of them lost their sense of taste, eating is like eating wax to them, not enjoyable at all. Some others had serious medical side effects from the weight loss. Seriously people, you are only hurting people when making comments about fat people, cause its probably better to be fat and healthy (and a marginal chance of heart disease or diabetes) than be thin and almost dead.
Also fasting like that causes hair loss...
I wear trunks as well (I'm not sure if it's this name, I mean, it's some beach sorts very similar to tight male boxers, is this the same?)
Anyways, as a fashion design student, and after studying Fashion Theory this semester, I really believe you have to wear what makes you most comfortable. Remember today's society is used to a general look, and diferent things of clothing, and not only clothing, can be seen as strange or weird. Don't pay atention to that, it's just the same as a man growing his hair out =P
The "speedos" aren't flattering to a guy with some heft, and even less so with a chunk like myself. The big baggy "trunks" are better, cuz they don't make you look half naked. As I have an aversion to public humiliation, I try not to appear in swimming togs in front of other people. I only try to scare people at Halloween. Personally, I hate 'em both. I prefer to wear a kilt, but not swimming.
Since I'm in Arizona, it's a perfect excuse to wear a T-shirt for swimming to keep the sun off.
Lon
Hi Elektros, sorry fella , but i hope you didnt have a big bet with your son, because you dont see to many geezers these days in speedos.But at the end of the day , you do what you want and keep the speedo flag flying. All the best Jonny H, uk
I did a little online UK research. For some reason all the UK beach pictures I could find only show dots, none close enough up to see the people, LOL!
OTOH, the UK online stores I found mostly do still seem to sell swimming briefs as well as swimming shorts, and most of the swimming shorts are nowhere near as hugely baggy and over-long as what I see on US beaches. In fact, most of them even seem designed to fit the wearer, LOL! So, at least some measure of sanity prevails.
LOL your son is right, no-one wears them anymore, unless maybe if they were very, very well endowed.
Well, if it's any consolation, they wear them in Poland.
Anyway, being Polish and American, I try to compromise by wearing small swimming shorts, not those huge baggy ones everyone wears.
What's going on here seems to be a case of a preferential and cultural collision - what you like and are accustomed to versus what the rest of your family likes and is accustomed to. With the general homophobic attitude permeating much of the mainstream western world, showing skin is no longer the "in" thing - it's the "gay" thing. I personally think that's a load of *&%$, but open-mindedness is in the minority. Men's bodies have been increasingly...demonized, I suppose, in popular culture; women are seen as the beautiful race, so they may show as much skin as they like and be in the clear, but men, the hairy, ugly race, must cover themselves up as much as possible. It's a move away from the natural to the cultural (Western, that is), which is, for the most part, dismissive of the male.
But, who cares about what the regular folk think, anyway? If you're cool with having long hair, you should be cool with wearing whatever you want, as well. If you like speedos, wear them - I admit they're probably not very common nowadays, but so what? Once upon a time, women in trousers were unheard of, but look at things today. However, I suggest you calmly talk to your wife and children about this; as unfair as it may be, it would be unkind of you to continue wearing the speedos if they make your family so uncomfortable. Therefore, try to show them that it really doesn't matter what other people think, but if they're still worried, try to get a fair compromise.
Incidentally, I would never wear a speedo myself; I like baggy swim/surfer trunks and sarongs, myself. But that's just my style. The speedo is yours.
Peace
I have in mind some kind of compromise, i.e. something only very slightly less brief, plus shorts (but not long baggy ones) over the top only until I actually get in the water. In fact I was going to bring shorts yesterday (_not_ to wear in the water), but was in too big a hurry. Big mistake.
It is completely ridiculous, though. I beleive that soceity has become very anti-male. It's ironic, when at the same time women's pay is still behind men's, but there it is. The worst of both worlds is now our reality.
One thing about it, it makes me even more sympathetic to some middle eastern women who are pressured to wear superfluous extra clothing. Mind you, they may not even be able to go on a beach atall(?). It's hotter there too.
I think if you were at the beach in Pernambuco, Ipanema, or St. Tropez, you might see a good many speedo trunks being worn. It's a shame the long baggy swim trunks are so in style now; that's about all you can find. Although that's what I wear to the beach/swimming, I'd prefer that type swim suit that is somewhere in between the the surfer trunks and the speedo similar to swim suits you'd have seen in the late 60's.
A few years ago I was reading an article about Iran which showed some women on the Caspina Sea coast surfing in long black bhurkas. I guess they work around the restrictions somehow.
Hi
Elektros
Your son in actual fact is Incorrect guys still wear http://www.figleaves.com/uk/product.asp?product_id=SPD-8-00-720-0001&mci=&size=&colour=&image=r354859-p468596-front and im from the UK but they are still worn !
Axel
I dunno Speedo's might be still worn, but they aren't very common these days. Least not in my experience and living in a holiday resort I see quite a lot of people in swimming gear.
Swimming Shorts (as pictured) rather than trunks (speedos) are more the rage.
Wear what you like by all means, and I'm the last person who should be giving fashion advice, but I'd say that very few people can 'get away' with wearing speedos.
In my opinion, if like me you have really hairy thighs or if your 6-pack has become a beer barrel then they look blatantly ridiculous. Mind you if you look more like Mr Universe then I'm sure they'll work!
If you take the picture above, and then make them twice as baggy and twice as long, that is what I see in the USA. If they were wearing ones like in the picture I wouldn't describe them as ridiculous, although I still wouldn't wear them to swim in. You can get ones like that in the USA, in fact my son's look like that, but after mine they were the least baggy and shortest on the beach.
Hmmm. I looked at the picture again. On second thoughts, even his were longer than that. You see what I'm up against!
Yes, I've heard that European men, regardless of size, usually wear the skinny little briefs to the beach. Kinda reminds me of the foolish-looking tennis shoes that Americans all wear, not realizing their clunky-looking sneakers are reflecting blinding white under the sun....
I'm guilty of being a fashion-failure in more ways than one, myself. One time I went to a Swing dance on a hot day, wearing shorts and my big gardening boots. I did this because I hate sweating like a pig on the dance floor, --- which long pants heavily contribute towards the suffering. Wearing shorts with formal black Ballroom shoes, or worse, cowboy boots, would have looked *REALLY* stupid; and besides, I can spin and dance just fine in those gardening/hiking boots. So what if I looked like a long-haired UPS delivery guy on the dance floor? The fact remains that I have plenty of dance partners who like me for my abily to lead them well and have a good time to the swingin' blues tunes... So, to Hell with the Fashion Police, I say (lol)!!!!
.... And, just for the record: I'm one of those dorky-looking Anericans who just so happen to LIKE long baggy swimming shorts! I feel I look "comically ridiculous", regardless of whether I wear only "dental floss" or a full tuxedo into the ocean, --- so why not wear what makes ME most comfortable? Anyway, I really, really enjoyed this fun read, and all the varied replies... Thanks!!
- Ken
Ken, duuuuuuuude, what is UP, man?!
Yours was a fun read, tambien! Why, even though I may have eschewed the popularity of the to-the-knees swim trunks, so popular nowadays, so de rigor, so, so Abercrombie and Fitch, I actually desport them my(s)elf, garnering quite the compliments t' boot! I take THEM over bikinis any day! Let's go line-dancing!
I love C and W rock, as well as many, many other genres. Jeez, have ya seen my listing?
Best wishes in longhaired camaraderie,
Quenyan (+;-)}}
. . . then on the other hand, Elektros, you could always opt to wear those oh-so-trendy down-to-the-knees swim trunks that look like skirts on men! That's another fashion that's widely accepted nowadays that'll be regarded as passe in another decade, and, might I add, hopefully just as ridiculous as bikinis on men!
Happy sunbatheing,
Quenyan (+;-)}
I used to wear speedos until a few years ago, before my belly began to hang low enough to hide them. Then I switched to trunks. Now I am wearing custom made shorts - which would be very baggy on a normal person :-)
This summer might as well be the last season when I can go to the beach...
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A Linux Longhair
Don't say that! Who cares what skinny people think, anyway?
Unfortunately it is not what others think - I couldn't care less about it. It is my runaway weigth gain, which started a few years ago and is still going on, despite my (and my doctors') efforts to control it. I have gotten to the point where I can barely walk and it is very likely that I will be sitting in a wheelchair by this time next year.
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A Linux Longhair
Wear the 1920's style swimming trunks.
They hug the skin, are very comfortable and go maybe halfway down the thigh at most, but geneally just cover the very top part of the thing.
Recently, I would say having long hair is almost a mainstream, or if you like normal thing. Perhaps the lack of opression in your life from that has left the fashon police in control.
With that said, speedo style shorts do not have liners in general. Try wearing a thong underneath to get rid of the naked outline in front. Yes, what you have met is the style of the moment which would be surf trunks.
Or, since its legal .. wear what you want!
I think you have a good point there. I haven't been hassled for my hair in a long time, but I don't necessarily dress in a mainstream way, and especially not up to date, LOL! I am undoubtedly a middle aged hippie freak, after all. There will always be jerks who like to goad anyone who looks different. Maybe right now they don't see long hair as different enough, so they pick on what people are wearing. No doubt some fool will start with "who the hell wears tie-dye shirts" sooner or later.
They do have liners, these aren't actually racing ones. Not actually Speedo brand, as I said. Anyway, the male outline was obviously visible, but WTH? It was a beach. What the women were wearing didn't leave anything to the imagination either.