Something That is on My Mind

[frankjath]

So here is whats on my mind. I live in San Diego, California which is known for its beaches and good weather, now most of the guys here wear board-shorts as most American guys do. Are local stores contributing to the fact that most guys wear board-shorts? I find it kind of frustrating that all the shops along the coast and in most malls sell only board-shorts. They don't even sell trunks that are above the knee. I did happen once to come across a brief style swimsuit when I was in H&M one day but it was a rare site. I wonder if that is their way of testing the market. I would love to see more stores embrace diversity and offer more of a selection. I know I can order online but its nice to actually try on the suit before I buy it. I would love to see a store similar to LASC here on the coast. What are your guys thoughts on this?

[aussiebumfan]

I don't really believe that people would wear something that they didn't want to wear - and whether us Speedo devotee's want to admit it or not, on the right body and worn down low on the hips...boardies look pretty hot. Speedo swim briefs have gone out of fashion on beaches (in Sydney) since the late 70's/80's and i think there are a number of factors. When you look around the beaches, more 'conservative' (and i use that word loosely) suits are more popular. There is the fashion aspect; surfies certainly aren't known for wearing Speedo's; I know that a lot of women (not all, but a lot) don't like their partners wearing Speedo's in public; a lot of guys don't like the exhibitionist aspect of wearing Speedo's; and at the end of the day (had to throw a cliche in) people are entitled to wear what they like and what they feel comfortable in at the beach. Even in the hey day of the Speedo (the 60's and 70's) you were more likely to see boardies or swim shorts on the beaches than briefs, except amongst the lifesavers. The fact that we like to look at guys in Speedo's isn't going to make them more popular. They have always been very popular amongst the gay community, and beaches with a predominance of gay swimmers will always have a LOT of Speedo-styled briefs. I think that a lot of guys therefor tie Speedo's into being gay, and think that if they wear them they will be thought of as gay. Store's will always stock what they sell the more of, and in this case I hate to tell you, it would be boardies.

[frankjath]

You have a good point, people will wear what they want to. I think it is a double standard that its considered "exhibitionist" if a guy wears something other then boardshorts but women get to where skimpy string swimsuits and its considered okay. I guess in do time fashion usually comes around and more guys will wear speedo brief style suits.

[aussiebumfan]

The double-standard applies in many areas unfortunately - it is okay to put men in sexy underwear adverts with women "harassing" them - this is seen as funny, however if you put the women in underwear with men harassing them it is considered sexist and denigrating to women - go figure. There is an ad over here at the moment with a tradie (tradesman) going into a home where the woman is alone to do some work and she is very obviously ogling him and making a play for him. People have pointed out that if the ad was the other way, it wouldn't be allowed. Same applies to swimwear obviously - it is considered acceptable to show off a great set of tits, but not okay to show off a great cock. You're right - it is a double standard, and one that seems to have been set by society itself. We may wish that the trend will go back to brief swimwear, however I'm doubtful.

[California Dolphin]

The main reason why most guys wear boardies instead of a speedo and short shorts is because that's all most stores sell.

Go the "Men's" swim wear rack in any department store and all you see is the "Long 'N' Baggy" stuff. In essence, style has now been predetermined by a group of prudes, sexists, and anti-gay speedophobic groups (like the so called Coalition for Family Values for example).

The result is the market is based on a literal "monopoly of style" instead of choice. If you prefer speedos (and short shorts) to what's on the market now, the only solution is to contact the stores and tell the you want a real choice!!!

On the latter thought, I'm also drafting an article for Men's Health magazine on this subject and the publisher is quite enthusiastic about my idea.

CD

[frankjath]

Wow California Dolphin can't wait to read your article. Your right the boardshort style has monopolized stores so thats what guys wear. I also don't like it when people "say only europeans wear speedos." I think we are all people and it shouldn't matter where you are from. But I don't care what people think I wear my speedo style suit any time I need to wear a swimsuit, weather its with family, friends, or at the beach.

[aussiebumfan]

I'm sorry CD - i can see your point but I don't agree that that is the reality. As someone who has worked in retail (including menswear) all my life I can assure you that christian groups or any other sort of lobby groups have NO influence at all on what stores sell. Whether we want to admit it or not, Speedo-wearers are a minority, and no clothing store in its right mind is going to cater to a minority of buyers. You really can't afford to spend money buying stock to have it sitting on racks in-season and out-of-season - it is just not profitable. Any clothing that sits and sits on the racks is money wasted, as the stock has already been paid for and you have to move it. The reason there are more boardies is very simple - they move a lot faster than swim briefs. You can try requesting the stores stock them, but I'm willing to bet that they will tell you exactly what i have just said - they don't sell fast enough nor in the volume to make it profitable to stock them.
I don't like the Christian lobby groups any more than you do, but let's not give them more credence than they actually have. I don't believe they can influence whether you wear Speedo's or boardies, and unless a store is run by someone with Christian view, they certainly can't tell stores what to sell. You may as well tell stores not to sell jockstraps because sportsmen shouldn't wear them, or not to sell fashionable underwear as everyone should be wearing big baggy boxers. The person most likely to complain about any display of male sexuality at the pool or on the beach is more likely to be your suburban mum affronted by the sight of a nice cock in a pair of briefs while her kids are around (her reasons for this could be debated at great length). I'm afraid that paedophilia has had some very long-ranging affects within society in how people view innoculous displays of sexuality - unfortunately a sign of the times. And perhaps I should point out that the lobby groups do have more influence in the US than in Australia. We had one of your female religious nut cases out here this week attending an anti-gay marriage rally - which didn't attract all that many people, and she was heavily lambasted in the media. Only old people attended, I noticed.
A more interesting slant on your article might be the affects of changing societal views over the last 30 years in regards to things like overt sexuality, and how that influences what people wear & don't wear. In what is still a PC world, many people try very hard to make sure they don't offend anyone - which in turn means everything becomes 'wrong' or 'indecent' even in its more innocent forms like just wearing a a pair of Speedo's to go for a swim, or a pair of cycling shorts to rude a bike. Some people seem to enjoy reading things into the most innocent of activities - often just to gain attention.
My apologies for such a long-winded reply. i also do freelance writing, and find the subject quite fascinating.

[SwimBriefEnthusiast]

Yes, main reason swim briefs aren't as popular as boardies: men have grown up wearing boardies, all their friends and family wear boardies.

Why stores only stock boardies? Word association, first things that generally come to mind:

Examples;
Think cola: think Coke.
Think search engine: think Google.
Think kill a mouse: think mousetrap.
Think mens' bathing suits: think board shorts.

I'm fine the way things are. I don't deliberately go out of my way to be a nonconformist, I just do what I like and I'm just rather nonchalant on what everybody else is doing.

[Duncandude]

If someone opened a store dedicated to men's speedo swimwear and cool underwear (and even other accessories like sunglasses, for example), I'd be a very loyal customer to be sure. There's definitely a gap in the market. Some of us don't like shopping online due to payment options, sizing difficulties, or inability to inspect the product first. I'd definitely patronise a real-life store.

[Pete]

[quote][/quote]
We used to have a SPEEDO store in one of our local malls. They not only speedo swimwear but the Speedo accessories BUT they are NO LONGER in business which I think says something. I was thinking about a previous message posted here as I drove past the beach and noticed ALL the women in bikinis and all the guys in board shorts. When it comes to swimwear there is a definite distinction in this area - women can display - men can not.

[aussiebumfan]

Good points from all - and I agree that everybody should just do their own thing and not worry so much about what everyone else is doing. As a AB devotee, i wear their boardies as much as I wear their briefs - depends on where I am and what mood I'm in more often than not.

[California Dolphin]

Response to Aussiebumfan:
I have to disagree with you that boardies are simply the result of the free market and stores are not being influenced on what the offer in men's causual wear from the numerous homophobic and over zealous religious organizations. Businesses are scared as hell to offend some of these excessively vocal groups no matter how stupid their agenda seems.

Also, clothing designers seem be going out of their way in thinking up all sorts of weird, strange, dorky looking apparel - especially for men. To be very candid, there's one word that comes to mind when ever I see guys walking around in that stuff - WEIRD. Boardies - Weird, Body Suits - Weird, Jammers - Weird, Basketball Uniforms - Weird.

The fact is there simply is NO choice in men’s swim or running wear (at least in all the major storeas) anymore. When I go into a department store and the “Men’s” swim suits and running shorts are all the long and baggy stuff, something’s got to be influencing the market other than just a preference for a given style.

The fact is that speedos have been stereotyped with the Gay community and most men are deathly afraid of being associated with anything perceived as being the slightest bit Gay. Remember that comment last year from a public offical about the guys marching in the Gay Pride parade in skimpy speedos? That's a blatant example of where this taboo is coming from.

Just Google the phrase “Speedophobia” and here are a few prime examples of how the whole fricken mess came about:

http://www.lpsg.org/50936-speedophobia.html
http://mennonnosapiens.com/2009/07/09/t ... hobia.aspx
http://www.marksimpson.com/blog/2007/02 ... edophobia/
http://brasilmagic.wordpress.com/2008/0 ... omophobia/

CD

[aussiebumfan]

Thanks CD - though I have to say, and hope it doesn't offend you, that it seems to be a statement about the issue in the US rather than anything else (and the comments themselves are 4-5 years old, not that that means anything) - and on that point I'd have to bow out, as I have no experience of the issue of swimwear availability in the USA - only from my own local experience as an Aussie. It certainly isn't an issue here (in any shape or form). Being that both Speedo & AussieBum are Australian-born companies it would be a bit odd if it was an issue. Certainly there is a predominance of boardies for sale here, but then stores that specialise in sports attire such as "Rebel Sport" have a large range of briefs available during the summer season. Certainly there is no move by any religious groups here to try to dictate to people what they should wear - and certainly that sort of intrusion by religious groups into what is basically the right of people to wear what they like would not be tolerated by the populace in general.

Funnily enough, there was an interview with an American journo, who now lives here, last night on one of the current affairs programs (I just wish i could remember what the subject was now - certainly it didn't have anything to do with Speedo's) and in the course of the interview she made the observation that American's in general are very prudish.

Perhaps the question is - why is this such a problem over there (in the USA) and not here? Is it cultural differences, historical difference, or perhaps that the founding populations of our countries are almost at total opposites (the Pilgrim fathers for you, and convicts for us).

I fail to see how any retail business would allow religious groups to dictate what they stock and sell, but then, as I said, I'm not living there. Perhaps all you Speedo boys need to move over here LOL We have our lifesavers marching in the Mardi Gras parade in red Speedo's - and no one bats an eye.

[Duncandude]

Interesting commentary, CD. I'm from Australia and I always assumed the craze for board shorts was fashion-driven. Specifically, driven by surfie culture and the desire of ordinary guys to be like pro surfers and embrace that whole (largely fictional) culture of sun, sand, and casual sex.

I'm sure that in America it's possible for the speedo/gay connection to turn many guys off. America is a conflicted country - a very powerful religious right, a capitalist economy, a long history of puritanism, and a large gay community too. Unfortunately, whatever happens in America is soon exported elsewhere (media, globalisation).

Personally, just going on my experience, speedos are an issue for many guys due to the embarrassment factor - the embarrassment of showing off one's genitals, the embarrassment of not having a great body, the embarrassment of being the only guy at the pool wearing speedos, the embarrassment of being judged on appearance/taste/orientation, and the embarrassment of potential social disapprovel.

Let's face it. People are sheep. Generally, guys want to do what other guys are doing, especially if it's "cool". Apparently, boardies are "cool".

[aussiebumfan]

...and those are other factors involved in the discussion - and well said. That observation is very true - I've always felt more comfortable wearing Speedo's (using the generic term) at Tamarama (a well-known Sydney 'gay' beach - not intentionally, it just happened that way) than at Bondi - unless i was swimming at the north end of Bondi (usually where the gay guys swim at Bondi). Most of the swimmers at Tamarama wear briefs because...eveyone else there is wearing them. The observation about surfie culture is also very true - just look at the recent trend (at least here in Aussie Land) of wearing boardies as casual wear, and as a replacement for shorts. I now live in Brisbane and still see it happening. I tried it myself for a while until the lack of or absence of pockets drove me up the wall.

[Pete]

I think a lot of valid points have been made in this discussion. Here in Puritanical New England finding a guy in speedos on a beach is a rarity at least in my experience. At the beach the other day there was no lack of women in bikinis and a display of their sexuality but the reverse was true for the men. It is unfortunate that society dictates to one's own comfort and choice of swimwear but that seems to be the way it is right now.

[JohnC]

The most interesting two paragraphs from the mennonnosapiens.com article CD posted (see link above):

There was, I’d venture, another, weightier reason for this swimwear elephantiasis. The late ’80s was also when male obesity became a big trend in the United States. Baggy shorts hide baggy buttocks. They also wear higher, and their large profile makes a baggy stomach considerably less obvious than when hanging over the waistband of a Speedo. Moreover, “board shorts” hide the chicken legs of a car-centered society in which men watch sport (while eating) instead of playing. Is it simply a coincidence that when many young American men saw their bodies losing masculine definition they started wearing ladies’ bloomers?

The ’80s also saw the rise of the male as appetizing, idealized media sex object. The bar for male beauty was being set higher and higher as the reality was getting heavier and heavier. The tyranny of “boardies” is an expression of male self-consciousness, self-loathing-and paranoia both of being “checked out” and not measuring up. The ’80s saw a steep rise in the American male’s awareness of gays-and with it his desire not to be mistaken for one by in any way signaling that he had an ass and a packet. Baggy shorts are a deliberate and cruel affront to homos – but it’s nice to know that straight men are thinking about us so much.

[mancspeedoboy]

Here in the UK most shops don't stock them, even sports shops only have a small selection. It's not down to puritanism though, the UK doesn't really have any loud religious groups (not any that are listened to anyway); the reason is that most guys are just embarassed to wear something so small that clearly shows off their willies.

When I ever tell any lads (or girls for that matter) my age that I swim every day they always ask if I wear speedos with a smirk; I know they secretly admire my balls for doing so.

[aussiebumfan]

Thanks for the input guys. this has turned into an interesting discussion with a lot of interesting (and well observed) viewpoints, as well as an insight into different cultural aspects of swimwear and sexuality (God, i think I'm turning into a social anthropologist!). The points on obesity are interesting, and there is probably a lot in that, as with the body culture of the 80's. Having always moved within the gay scene until getting older and moving away from it, meant that I moved in a culture that was body orientated anyway, but it also meant that i only ever went to places where their were gay people, so the movement towards boardies etc wasn't all that obvious at the time. it has always been a laughing point (don't take that the wrong way) mancspeedoboy, that Britain has no beaches as such, and not the greatest weather (except down south). Do you think that because you don't have a beach culture as such, that may influence what people wear or don't wear to the beach? Or the availability of a wide range of swimwear?

[Cozzy]

Where can I get this.