the younger generation

[zaps]

I'm curious what other people think about speedo usage with the younger generation

I work at a boat rental during the summer. I see a lot of people of all ages. This year, I have seen about 5 guys in their 20s in speedos, but what surprised me this summer was that I've seen over a dozen kids in jammers. These kids are probably about 8-12. Do you think these kids may one day be speedo-wearing adults? Prior to this year, I've never seen anyone in anything less than board shorts.

Do you think this may be a sign of a shift in swimwear style?

[shaulis]

Only time will tell if brief swimwear is a major trend.

[d_i_f_f_e_r_e_n_t_c]

We know all the reasons for wearing them, lets hope the self confidence grows and the social stigma dissipates. I wear a Speedo in my pool and on certain beaches around here. My 10 year old's favorite suit is his jammer, followed by his Speedo. He has gotten a friend to see the light, and those are their suits of preference (when they wear suits!). Several of his friends have tried them and seen the benefit, but can't get past the social stigma of wearing one. Hopefully the pendulum is swinging back toward the direction of common sense and comfort.

I wouldn't be the least bit surprised if those kids in jammers already wore Speedos... or less. I'd also bet they'll grow up to wear them, seeing as they already know first hand all the benefits and advantages.

[Byron]

:( Sorry to be one but I can only think of this as yet another false dawn.

[louis]

My Opinion Young Or Old Is Not An Issue, Any Age Just Follows The Present Style And Trend If The Brief Style Swimwear Came Back In Style All Ages Would Wear Them.

[California Dolphin]

Jammers are just a sleek version of boardies and a continuation of the down-to-the-knee fad.

Both of them can go to the hot place ASAP. :mad:

[shaulis]

Granted jammers are not briefs but jammers are better than the baggy boardshort.

[Byron]

.....and better too against the chance of a nasty maritime nip I guess.

[kumu]

The way to get the younger generation to dig speedos is to force them to wear huge uncomfortable baggies and ban speedos explicitly. Or if you wanted to lay some money out hire a couple of alpha males to just casually go to the beach in speedos; a marketing approach. Hire some really attractive females to accompany the speedo lads so adolescent males would think of speedos as heterosexually attractive. Marketing campaigns can be on the expensive side. Maybe just stage such public presentations with friends. Can you imagine what it would do for speedos to have just one NFL star photographed in a speedo.

[California Dolphin]

Only time will tell if brief swimwear is a major trend.
On another closely related matter:

http://www.mensswimsuitboard.com/forums/showthread.php?t=495

Swimwear follows running wear so something's gonna happen. ;)

[Byron]

Well, well - forgotten all that of nearly a year ago and there we were discussing split-sided short running shorts - a subject which arose
again only last month.

(hope it follows ....)

[shaulis]

Granted the trend is slow but its gaining momentum. Short shorts seem to have had an easier come back. Brief swimwear on the other hand have all kinds of image issues to overcome (not of their own making) and are slowly going forward.

[California Dolphin]

Granted the trend is slow but its gaining momentum. Short shorts seem to have had an easier come back. Brief swimwear on the other hand have all kinds of image issues to overcome (not of their own making) and are slowly going forward.
The "image problem" is a red herring for the real issue of how much of men's upper legs should be exposed. Upper legs are upper legs no matter whether it's running shorts or swimming briefs.

The main problem is having the courage to wear what you want and to Hell with the illusory issue of what the public thinks.

[shaulis]

The "image problem" is a red herring for the real issue of how much of men's upper legs should be exposed. Upper legs are upper legs no matter whether it's running shorts or swimming briefs.

The main problem is having the courage to wear what you want and to Hell with the illusory issue of what the public thinks.
I agree, people should have the confidence to wear what they want and not care what others think. When people see a guy in short shorts their first thought is oh he's a runner. When people see a guy in brief swimwear their first thought had been oh he must be gay since he's wearing that swimsuit. This is why I think guys have been reluctant until recent time to buy or be caught looking at brief swimwear. Please let me know if my thinking is flawed on this matter.

[Drenalin]

I agree, people should have the confidence to wear what they want and not care what others think. When people see a guy in short shorts their first thought is oh he's a runner. When people see a guy in brief swimwear their first thought had been oh he must be gay since he's wearing that swimsuit. This is why I think guys have been reluctant until recent time to buy or be caught looking at brief swimwear. Please let me know if my thinking is flawed on this matter.

I'd say you've hit the nail on the head. I can speak from experience as I once was thinking from the opposite side of the pool. Two years ago I was absolutely positive I would never be caught dead in a speedo due to the false precrption that only gay guys wear speedos. I never could understand why a guy, minus the boys in water sports, would slip on a pair.
Thankfully I accidentally gave em a try and have realized quite the opposite. Hopefully I can recruit some trunk wearers to convert as well.

[Byron]

Agree - it is not about body visibility at the thigh per se . The trouble with the younger generation is that they aspire in fashion to be seen in nothing which may be thought insufficiently macho and it must be acceptable (and preferably admirable) alongside their peers (just like a herd of sheep).

The image must be right and "cool" for what is currently "in" and anything not so conforming frightens them and so must be loudly condemned as unacceptable.

Guys going for short shorts will likely have an image advantage here however as they say "I am a fit guy - I look after myself and I demand maximum freedom of movement to maintain the good running times in my workout program".

The speedo brief however says ......................................(what?
(it may denote athleticism at the pool but on the beach ...... ??)

The impractical boardies may be useless for swimming but their statement is that "I wear the same as those bold and trendy guys who master those big waves you see out there".

There is hope however if tennis may be taken as an example of style evolution. Here is the playing
"uniform" of the early 1900s and what the youth of the period thought about the acceptability and/or inspiration of that we shall doubtless never know.
The subsequently famous Rene Lacoste was however bold enough to bring his
new shirt to the US Open in 1926 - and with SHORT sleeves would you believe! (but the long flannel trousers remained as I guess that a change there also might have been taking a step too far for the time)
http://blog.clothes2order.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/Capture3.png

[California Dolphin]

I don't get the connection that wearing a brief style suit for swimming is somehow "Gay".

As a practical matter, swimming is done best while wearing a minimum of clothing and that's why briefs were the standard for decades.

More coverage in the water (boardies and jammers) just gives me the annoying "Taking a bath with your clothes on" sensation.

[Byron]

The age old problem - it is not the facts that count but what are generally perceived to be the facts.
Any marketing and/or advertising practitioner will tell you this is used to their advantage on occasions and politicians are quite happy also to leave a misconception in place if it serves their cause.
I may be misquoting Hitler or Goebbels here but "The bigger the lie the more it will be believed".

[shaulis]

Thank You Bryon and Drenalin for helping clarify my position.

[Byron]

You're welcome, as Louis might say (and maybe we had better think of casting a new speedo medal if Drenalin succeeds in his conversions)

[Torchwatch]

Most gay men claim to be str8 acting, this means that when they are not on the cruise they will blend in with the str8 community. So the majority of gay men will be wearing board shorts on the beach. Therefore board shorts are being worn by gay men pretending to be str8, because str8 men wear them.

Meanwhile homophobes who are actually repressed gay men in denial are being attracted to and denouncing anyone wearing speedos.

If you aren't a gay man pretending to be str8, or any man who cannot take being denounced by homophobes then it is time to go to the beach and wear speedos.

Life is complicated .......

[Drenalin]

You're welcome, as Louis might say (and maybe we had better think of casting a new speedo medal if Drenalin succeeds in his conversions)

I was sold on speedos quite easily and I was raised with a down home, country mindset. Modestly conservative but blended with a healthy dose of redneck blood. I wore boots and jeans all through high school which produced the whitest legs you've ever seen. Of course this was practical for after school I hit the fields and barns for farm work. A pair of shorts wouldn't cut it while putting in hay or cuttin tobacco.
So if my mind can be changed so easily than others shouldn't be that difficult to change either. If course, everyone has they're personal preferences. I just want people in the US to have a more open state of mind and, even if they consider something not to be their cup of tea, respect those with different preferences and stop the damn stereotyping.

[Byron]

Yes, and the sad part is the last sentence of Torchwatch's first paragraph - that remains so despite all the legislative progress against discrimination in recent years.

[shaulis]

Thanks to Torchwater, Drenalin and Bryon for their comments. With so many misconceptions no wonder it has taken this many years to start to unravel the lies.

[Byron]

Not a matter of wearing speedos but I did post off-topic having been amused by a report of homophobic Louisiana police making fools of themselves.

[Torchwatch]

I forgot to mention that the str8 acting gay guys actually avoid camp gay guys as being seen with them would compromise their security.

Camp gay guys realise at an early age that whatever they do they cannot hide the fact that they are gay. Facing bullying and hate crime that can extend to suicide and murder, many camp gay guys camp it up even further and then "come on to" the homophobe who is trying to hurt them. Homophobes run away in terror while str8 guys and women are amused, Julian Clary based his career as a comedian on this.

Many young camp gay guys are labelled as twinks; they are slim, smooth skinned (not hairy) and physically fit. They look good in speedos and happily wear them, so putting off all the str8 acting gay guys from wearing speedos.

At this point the homophobes start shouting that only gay men wear speedos and start harassing anyone not camp enough to scare them off that dares to wear speedos in public. So if you are str8 and wearing speedos you risk being followed about by homophobes denouncing you as gay.

I warned you that this was complicated!

[knikon]

I am straight and in my 20's Out here (socal) people are very trend driven and speedos are a rare sight...