Are Victorian swinsuits the norm for men now?

Question

It seems unreal now! When the movie The Addams Family Values came out, I was on the swim team. I thought it was so funny the way Pugsley wore a shirt and long shorts to the camp to the lake, while all the other boys were shirtless. Back then, speedos were mandatory on my team.

But American fashion killed the speedo, but it did not stop there. For the last 3 years I've been seeing more and more guys wear cargo swimsuits that go below their knees, and more and more guys with swim shirt to swim.

What I thought was ridiculous years ago, is now a reality.

I see everyone with long shorts to the pool, and what's worse, most guys with a swim shirt.

I'm still in great shape, but I don't wear speedos anymore because no one else does. even though I swim laps. I do sometimes go like at 6 AM, and wear my speedos, they stil feel awsome, they make feel so free, and feel so good in the water.

What's wrong with society, are we going back to Victorian times?

Answer 1

if more guys wear speeds then more guys might wear them and no one would feel self conch or out of place wearing them

Answer 2

I am a lap swimmer and I wear a speedo bikini brief type bathing suit.  My feeling is that I am exercising and that I should be able to wear the attire I like best and that is most comfortable.  I swim for about 1 hour every morning.  I am only one of a handful of guys that wears a speedo bikini, most wear these elaborate speedo skin suits (but I think they are training for a triathlon).  My feeling is that each should wear what they are comfortable with.  If a girl is so grossed out by my bathing suit that she can't handle it, then so well.  My g/f likes me to wear a speedo and for lap swimming you can't beat it.  I do often wonder though about guys who wear the cargo shorts down past their knee and shirts to swim in.  I figure they must not be serious swimmers (which is OK) or they just don't like to show skin (which is OK too).  As long as people don't expect others to conform, it is all OK.

Answer 3

As one who swims for personal fitness, I also wear the brief style suit/speedo for swimming - whether doing laps at the gym, in the backyard or at the beach.  Like you, I've come to the point of not caring what the fashion world dictates and am going for what is personally comfortable.  I watch other guys in their "clown pants" and wonder how they can actually swim in them.  We recently had some neighbors over to join us in our pool and I had my speedos on (it is my pool) and no one said anything.  We'll see how the rest of the summer goes - will they come back!?  If not, then I guess I know where their comfort level is and I will need to re-evaluate what I wear when company is present.  While I love my speedos, I also like having friends and am willing to throw on the board shorts when they are here if necessary.

Answer 4

This swimmer is not going back to Victorian times!  I could

not agree more with the answers above me; at my age I

still keep fit and am a good swimmer; former lifeguard

instructor and certified SCUBA diver.  I think the so-called

"board shorts" that are loose and baggy and hang below the

knees look like women's split skirts and I refuse to wear one!

They are even uglier when worn hanging down over boxers

that show - it makes the wearer look like a complete idiot!

They cause drag and are heavy when wet and very difficult

to swim in.  I prefer the brief style swim suit or better yet, no

swim suit, but many folks get uptight about that, so I wear

the briefs in public and wear them with confidence.

It also makes my day when I get compliments from the ladies

about my swim suits.  And there is no truth to the myth that

wearing a brief suit means you're g*y - that is probably

spread by the little insecure non-swimmer wimps to make

themselves feel better.  Those same wimps like to see the

girls wear bikinis!  I say live and let live; I wear the kind I like,

others can wear what they like, and if someone doesn't like

what I wear, let him (or her) look elsewhere.

Answer 5

I could not agree MORE! I am only 18 and I notice that everyone my age back in the States has become really uneasy about showing any skin at all when swimming. I just moved to Portugal from the States and the first thing I noticed today at the beach was that all the men were in Speedos and here's me and my recently expatriate brothers in board shorts past our knees. I felt like a fool! The first thing we did on the way home was stop in a swim shop and buy a Speedo because, to h**l with it, we're young and it's not illegal to show our skin every once in a while. I wish the US would just grow up and wear Speedos. I'm rolling my eyes over here in Portugal haha! End cultural disghust rant.