Smugglers or Thongs — That Is The Question

Are ladies wearing the latest fashion in beachwear (the G-string bikini or thongkini) any different from speedos on men (known as ‘budgie smugglers’ in Australia), and are they acceptable?

Do these brief swimsuits push the limits of acceptability, or is wearing them at the beach okay? They certainly have shrunk since the early swimsuits!

Some attribute the latest G-strings and thongs surge to celebrities wearing the swimwear style, including Emily Ratajkowski, Kim Kardashian, Kendall Jenner, and Kate Hudson.

The ‘thongkini’ (as it is known) seems to be Hollywood’s swimsuit of choice. Earlier this year, there was controversy on the Gold Coast (one of Australia’s premier beach tourist resorts) because one resident felt there was ‘too much being exposed’ and that they should be banned.

How it started.

There has always been debate over what is and is not appropriate regarding swimwear, especially when it spills off the beach and into shopping areas or restaurants.

Societal attitudes towards fashion and body image are like the sand on a beach - continually shifting with time.

The first bikinis appeared in the 1940s amid controversy. They embraced a more liberated and empowered woman, and I dare say, to the delight of every warm-blooded male.

Since then, women have always had a wide choice of swimwear, ranging from a more classical one-piece through high-waisted bottoms to the new ‘daring’ G-string thong bikinis.

The thongkini is all the rage among celebrities (of all shapes and sizes), and, as a result, other females have mustered the confidence to wear one.

Social media (so I discovered) is full of commentary on whether wearing this swimwear to the beach is acceptable and, if so, at what age girls should be allowed to sport one.

Males are also asking the question,

"if a girl or lady is wearing a thongkini, is it O.K to look?"

Read on.

As Steve Austin, the WWE Wrestler, used to say — hell yeah!!)

Men vs Women

In some societies and cultures, conservative swimwear that covers most of your body is all that is accepted. Conversely, other cultures thrive on more revealing swimwear options, like bikinis for women, and speedos (‘budgie smugglers’ as they are known in Australia) for men.

Australia is one of those societies and countries. Surrounded by blue waters and sandy beaches, and blessed with a warm climate, going to the beach or pool is a big part of Aussie culture. Add to that a population that has a high degree of self-confidence, and what do you expect?

The question is,

”Are speedos or thongkinis pushing the friendship and going too far regarding exposure?”

When you think about it, you have this small piece of material that is only a few millimeters thick that separates decency from indecency. One also needs to look at the practicality of these things. The G-string bikini seems more suited to sun baking and less to go for a swim.

If you see ladies in G-string bikinis in the water at the beach, they go through constant surveillance to see whether these small pieces of material are in the right place and whether they have moved.

Given the small degree of latitude available, there is only a small margin before more gets revealed than they might wish.

Fashion advice tells us that is not the case. Those in the know say thongkinis are very comfortable to wear, flattering and show off curves, sexy, stay in place, easy to take off, and look good on everyone.

I agree with some of these points, but I am unsure about others (they don’t look good on everyone!).

And what about men?

These days, it is frowned upon to venture to the beach in a pair of speedos for anything except a triathlon or if you are a lifesaver.

Who knows? Maybe it is because the speedo took a huge hit in popularity when a former prime minister became renowned for wearing them.

There is much to be said for speedos from a comfort and practicality perspective.

They are far more comfortable when you are swimming and especially when you get out of the water compared to a wet, heavy pair of board shorts (‘boardies’ as they are known) that cling to your legs like some deformed octopus.

Thank goodness males have not decided to compete with the ladies and adopt the ‘mankini’ made famous by Borat. Anyone would have to draw the line at that!

To Look or Not to Look

So, let’s assume that thongkinis lack practicality as a piece of swimwear, despite what the fashion houses say. The allure then lies in the ability to make a statement and ‘turn heads.’

The trouble is when males turn to admire a nice body in a brief bikini; many label them as some sort of pervert.

It is not for everyone, and, in my mind, it takes a special kind of person with a high degree of self-confidence and a great body to sport a G-string bikini, whether at the beach or anywhere. Well, at least that is how it should be.

I have to say that some people who clearly exude confidence really should not embrace the thongkini. (It is like two ferrets trying to get out of a sack in some cases, but there isn’t much of a sack there!).

The real question, it seems, is about freedom of expression. It is a free country (well, at least we assume it is still a free country) , and people can express themselves in a multitude of ways.

Embracing personal style and taste without judgment or constraints is what freedom is all about, isn’t it?

If people feel comfortable in their own skin showing off ‘more than the average bear’, good for them, that is their choice. We may not understand it, but there are things that we do that others probably don’t understand.

Bottom line (excuse the pun!), if it doesn’t totally show all the ‘girly bits’ or ‘boy bits’, go for it! If you don’t like it, then don’t look!

Everyone knows what is underneath anyway. It probably causes some concern for children, but you see just as much, if not more, on the TV these days.

As a final comment, if you think the thongkini is bad, you ain’t seen anything yet because the next fad apparently is a modified version called a ‘T-front thong.’

Haven’t heard of that one?

Whoops, it seems we are out -of time to talk about them. Mr. Google will answer all your questions, I’m sure. 😊

Till next time,

Calvin