If Men’s Bikinis and Thongs Weren’t Taboo
Ok, this might be hard, but let’s imagine for a minute that all the options for women were normal options for guys at the store too. Along with us having an equivalent store to Victoria Secret nearby. What would our underwear world be like? Would there be as much excitement related to our bikinis and thongs? Would this make things better for us?
If this was the case, we should be able to assume that how things are for women would be similar for us guys. There would be an acceptance that guys can wear bikinis and thongs without some of the current stigmas attached to them. I still think bikinis and more so thongs are still going to have some stigmas. For one I don’t think people are going to get past how can a thong be comfortable with fabric between the cheeks. I still would say they both would get categorized as sexy underwear.
Now for the excitement factor I feel it still would be there with them. My guess is less than 50% of women wear bikinis or thongs especially regularly. I’d say even lower with swimwear. I feel women probably get some excitement when buying or picking out a bikini or thong. We have to assume with the selection that is out there in underwear they must enjoy shopping for it and wearing it. Maybe we wouldn’t have as much excitement and interest as we do now, but I’d find it hard to believe we’d lose very much of it.
I would say things would be better for us. We’d be able to get our hands on our underwear in person instead of waiting for the package to come. There would have to be a better selection and cheaper per pair options available to us. We wouldn’t have to be bashful or as bashful. I know women aren’t as open to showing off their undies as they are portrayed to be. There’d be a better chance that a few guys would be sporting some form fitting swimwear at the beach and pool. I don’t think the swim thongs will still be seen too often though.
I probably wouldn’t get into blogging if our underwear availability would be the same as women’s. I still feel I’d be into underwear and have more than I really need. Just wouldn’t feel I needed to be a voice to say that men can wear skimpy underwear and swimwear. What’s your thoughts on if we had the same selection of underwear and swimwear and availability of it as women do?
Ways to Support The Bottom Drawer by Shopping
The range of brands might reduce as no store could possibly stock every brand * every style * every colour/size, and those that were stocked would no doubt sell more than via on-line shopping. This could lead to less popular on-line brands disappearing due to insufficient sales.
However, I for one would love to see what I was buying before actually doing so. Far too many of my underwear purchases have ended up in the bin within days of receipt due to poor quality or not being suitable, despite what the photo seemed to show.
Some of the on-line only brands would have to lift their quality if they wanted to be sold in a shop. The inconsistency between items within a style in some of the brands has been commented on before, and I doubt any major store would accept big numbers of items being returned due to poor manufacture – those brands would surely disappear quickly from their range.
I agree about getting the items sooner, and cheaper as well as postage costs are greater than transport costs for me, though with how some of the major shopping centres are charging for parking that argument may not hold for much longer.
Your 50% of women wearing bikinis or thongs might be a little high for modern times in Australia, even in younger females. However, that was not always the case – in the 1970s and 1980s I’d say one in four younger females wore string bikinis, and with bikinis included this would have been more than 50%. Far less in the older population of course.
Now for some speculation – we talk of endowment in terms of penile or testicular volume. I wonder if there are some men (me being one) who have more nerves or more sensitive nerves in those areas and that this “feel-good” factor when wearing such items is one thing driving me to appreciate male string bikinis or G-strings. And why it appears that many other men do not care for such styles. No idea if this is true, but as people can vary markedly in what is pleasant or comfortable it might be possible.
I could see the reduction in brands too. But really some brands aren’t that much different than other. You have Joe Snyder, Cover Male, Daniel Alexander, Good Devil that all have a pretty similar offering. Might be some differences in fabric, color, etc. Then a lot of the brands with the branded waistband are pretty similar other than the brand name on them. So I guess with clothes it’s the in-style brands that will win out.
I haven’t seen paying for parking at shopping centers around me yet. That would drive me to stay away. I already don’t like going shopping at them and prefer online shopping. An underwear store probably would motivate me to go if it carried what I liked though.
I agree age does factor into the underwear and swimwear style chosen. Probably could say location would effect that too.
I for one would love to just go into a store check what I am paying before purchasing.
Being new to thong wearing and only owning 4 thongs. I too have discarded thongs which I waited for so long to arrive via shipment and paid nearly double in customs. My believe is people will still purchase their preferred style but I for one would enjoy it. Thongs and strings just do it for me. There is sex appeal in it. There risk in it but also it’s comfortable. People just don’t want to understand or believe that because of stigmas.
It’s all a big hoax, and the truth is that you have been brainwashed, my friend. The world has been brainwashed, and still is being. I have had the same thoughts, like you, about underwear stores for men. Why don’t they exist? I think generally spoken, that most men don’t care about what they are wearing. My friends don’t. I must be a member of a minority or subculture. Some care, some don’t. Everybody has an opinion, and almost the same opinion, sadly 🙂 I have been asking the staff in female underware shops, why the don’t have a men’s department? Why not grow income by doubling up the goodies? Maybe men would buy additional for their wife’s / girlfriend’s and the opposite way around too? When I ask why not? They answer, it’s not our company politics to sell men’s underware. I think by my self; it’s not our company politics to grow business and money? Idiots! I would fire them. The companies are led by conservative old school men, who don’t dare anything. They lost their entrepreneur ship long ago. Second point is, that they would look gay, when promoting gay stuff. Who want to do that? Very very few I think! Suddenly a bright head at a big retailer here in Denmark, became the idea to promote thong underwear for men. Yes, at last was my thoughts. 6 months later they were gone again. Thongs were actually sold out at all times. I asked again! They answered, no we don’t have mens thongs anymore. They didn’t sell well, and beside that, we don’t sell Sex stuff and gay underwear. I replied, that I am not gay, and you are idiots 🙂
Main world is brainwashed by papers, movies, social media, religion and what else, that mens thongs are only for gay. Think about the massive brainwash. Repeat, repeat, repeat and in the end people will belive, what is repeated. From childhood we were told by parents what is wrong or right. By media’s and influencers. By government. By friends. Massive brainwashing. Movies all ways making fun of men in skimpy underwear. Nude women and no nude men. Nude men must be ugly I think? Or? Conservative and un-liberal thinking by the masses. Few want to stand out. You have started to stand out, in your own way, by sporting ultra conservative speedoes on the beach. One first step in your own liberation. Thank god for that. What will you do about the issue, that there are no decent underwear stores fore men? Start a movement by gathering 1 or 2 percent of men in US? It’s gonna be a long struggle, and you will be convicted as gay before it all starts;-) I don’t hate gay men or women. I am bisexual my self, and think that both gender are beautiful. I wish too that in the future, mens underwear situation will be liberated, more as it is today. What can you do in the mean while? You started this blog for sure (like it a lot). Many did before you, but they remains as sub cultures, and still are. I myself have started working on how I build a good life, for me. I recommend (to anybody still reading) to research The Wisdom of the Eneagram, and find out who you are, and how to get complete as person, in peace and harmony, with your self, and other people. It sounds holistic, but (I was sceptical) it ain’t.
The eneagram are sorting people in 9 types, and for sure you will find your type. I literally cried when I saw online, the description and manual, of me. I thought I had my secrets, but no. Everybody who want to, can definate my person, quite more accurately, than Facebook and Google together. If you want full benefit of the program, you need a coach. I’ll tell you all, that thongs or speedoes will be no issue no more. My underwear was in the beginning in the bottom drawer. Now in the top drawer 🙂
Have a great day, being who you are!
Sorry for my poor English!
Keep on blogging:-)
Over and out for now. I’ll now pack, and go to the local indoor heated swim range, for 1 hour of swimming (do once a week) Of course I will “educate” (by showing) that some don’t care about what others think, in my 1/2 inch side, half back, pouch speedo from Oboy.de. I’d rather swim nude, but not possible on that site.
It’s taboo cuz it’s rarely seen and even less rare in advertising. That and people see something they don’t understand they’ll call it weird or gay or whatever. When I’m sunbathing in the backyard (season over til May) I like to think that the few neighbors that can see me- if they look they just think there’s the g string sunbathing neighbor- like maybe if they saw me not regularly they’d think it’s strange but the more they see it then it’s not weird or some kind of wild sexual experience- just a guy sunbathing in a g string the end
I know I’ve mentioned this before,but I am old enough to remember the days when you could walk into the menswear department of various high street stores and find thongs,g-strings,bikini briefs,swim thongs,swim briefs etc all displayed on racks for all to see rather than hidden away in a dark corner. It was also common for shops to have bikini briefs packed in small presentation boxes with a picture of the briefs on the outside. Sadly,those days are long gone,but we can only hope that someday today’s fashion for boring underwear will be replaced by the sexier styles that we all long for.
Unfortunately, I don’t see men ever having the selection of sexy underwear and swimwear that women have in any store. Let’s face it, we thong/g-string/bikini-wearing men are in the minority, and stores would not sell enough to make it worth their while.
You’re absolutely right about us being in the minority,but could that be partly due to the fact that your average Joe only has a limited choice of undies when he goes into a high street store and is very unlikely to surf the internet for the racier styles?
I would love to see a well known high street store take a chance and offer a selection of thongs,g-strings and bikini briefs as an alternative to the boring boxers etc. They might be pleasantly surprised by the reaction,and even if only a small amount of men were bold enough to take the plunge and make a purchase,I’m sure their wives and girlfriends might be tempted to snap one up as a surprise for their other half. I know it’s unlikely to happen,but it would be an interesting experiment.
Thinking about this further, a small men’s underwear specialty store might not need to stock every style * colour * size combination for any brand. It might be acceptable to stock one size and colour of, say, one G-string style to let customers see the item, then let them order the required size/colour. The customer would pay for the order before the store assistant placed the order. As long as not too long to wait and no extravagant on-costs to pay. I’d be happy with this arrangement.
However, I really think on-line shopping has killed a small specialty store stocking underwear. Surprisingly, there was just such a store in the large regional town I lived in during the early 1990s. I can remember Hom being stocked. It did not last long though, just 18 months, no doubt closing due to low sales.
I would have to think that awareness would be better , just of the exposure of having stores carrying mens bikinis and thongs would help. With these stores also would come marketing that would also bring awareness and improve the acceptance that mens thongs and bikinis can be worn for more than just date night. I would like convienance of having stores carrying them , it just be nice not having to wait 3 to 5 days to get your order mailed to you. With stores you also get salespeople that can help with recommendations and style and sizing questions. Though I having a brick and mortar store would be nice I think the reality of retail has shifted a lot towards online , just look what online shopping has done to major chain stores. It’s been awhile since I bought underwear at store , I just don’t wear boxer briefs enough purchase them there. The last time I did it was for a jock and that is almost as tough as buying a thong .
The market for what we like to wear is too narrow and specialize for any company to stay in business but that does not let the stores and department stores that do specialize in men’s wear off the hook. There is the chicken and the egg dilemma with the sales of men’s thongs/bikinis even here in California-stores will only stock what sells and yes, they did carry more thongs/bikinis in the past but going to Macy’s, Target, Sears, J.C. Penny, et. al. at this time (according to my one man survey,) will find nothing on the shelves except one or two pairs waaay back in the section. We need ourselves to step up and ask for what we want even if it risks asking a young lady (haft or more my age) for some ‘naughty undies!’
My wife and I, just went by Karstadt Mall in Germany. They had Hom Plume in different colors, Armani thongs and som other brands. I bought 3 pairs, among Original Levi 511 and a new leather belt. Nice day ?
I definitely think more high street shops should stock more choices of men’s underwear I’m a 29 year old living in the uk and started wearing thongs at 14 this was just because I was out shopping for clothing and at the time top man sold mens thongs they was sold separately and was around £5 before this I’d never even thought of wearing one or knew that they had things for men but they only had black or white so I bought 4 pairs and found them so comfortable at the time I dident have acces to a credit card so I couldn’t buy anything online so I would make it a point that every shop I went in I would look in the underwear section for men’s thongs I came across bhs and found they sold 2 choices of thongs made by hom a 2 pack of g strings and a single pack thong the I found some in debinhams but after time topman and bhs has stopped and it’s disappointing what I’m saying here is that it is due to the fact that they was sold on the highstreet I didn’t find it taboo so if they had more shops I think the rise of men wearing thongs would increase a lot also there would be a lot less stigma with it in the time I’ve been wearing thongs I’ve faced a lot of backlash due to the fact I do not hide it if I’m in the gym locker room I will just change and not care who sees I also wear thong swimwear on holiday at the beach and hotel pool I’ was at a beach once and there was women walking round in thongs and as I was coming from the water a guy walked past and said faggot On another acasion a women said I think you should cover yourself up when there was girls walking round the pool in far less covering things than me on these both acasions I was in Spain where I go a lot it was English people who made there rude remarks so it got me thinking and I did my own little secret studie by going over and making random conversations with strangers just about the weather and everyday stuff I found that Spanish and German and other Europeans would mostly talk and not even say anything about my thong but the English all seemed to try not to talk or keep laughing with there freinds or even make rude remarks I found on group of English girls that was really friendly at my hotel pool and they would come and sunbathe next to me when they come to the pool and even have a few drinks with me after a few days one of them asked if I was gay I told them no and she then said ow we thought you was gay I mean this is not acceptable not that I have anything against gay people I just think that if I saw a girl wearing jeans or those boyshorts underwear and swimwear and I walked over and said you must be a lesbian or something like that I would probably get a slap top and bottom more of us guys who wear thongs should be more open about it and maybe it wouldn’t seem like such a big deal to narrow minded people
I think you are right if they were in stores and in front of men’s faces then that would make them aware they are made for men. Then secondly it would tempt them in wondering how they would feel. Hard to say if that would help with the acceptability or not, but may at least get a few more guys to try them out. You have come to the same conclusion as others that a lot of Europeans are more open to bikinis, thongs, and swim briefs. It’s a pity that people are judgmental and feel they have to voice it.
Hi James. Reading your post was like a trip down memory lane for me. I too shopped in BHS and Topman back in the day when thongs for men were on open display along with the more “conventional “ undies. Believe it or not,I still have some of those thongs lying in drawers unworn since the day they were bought. Do you remember a shop called C&A? We had one in my hometown of East Kilbride,and they sold swim thongs which I believe were made in Italy(where coincidentally I’m currently on holiday). For some inexplicable reason,I gave them away in a charity bag many years ago,and I wonder if they found an enthusiastic thong wearer,or were tossed in a bin due to being unsaleable even though they were also new?
If that guy had called ME a faggot,he would probably be swimming with the fishes by now (it’s my Sicilian influence)lol! You are also so right about Europeans being much more laid back about guys wearing skimpy swimwear. On this current trip,I’ve met people from Germany,Belgium,Holland and locals who not only wear the aforementioned swimwear,but are also happy to bare all.
I agree with you that guys like us must do more to promote our underwear preferences,but I realise that is easier said than done for some.
Forgot to mention I was in my local Debenhams recently looking for some new holiday clothes,and even though I know they don’t sell g-strings,I thought I would browse the underwear section just to see if they stocked anything other than the usual boring stuff. Was pleasantly surprised to see string bikinis AND packs of 3 thongs. Was almost tempted to buy some in an effort to promote them even though I’m a staunch g-string supporter,but at least they are there on display should any passing guy be curious enough to give them a try
James,
This is amazing. Even the little study you conducted. I agree that the western world is so influenced by media that they lost their ability to be anything else besides rude, stereotypical towards things they don’t understand.
I could pick up early that the European and Italians are very open to swim briefs or skimpy underwear and swimwear.
Not everyone will like a thong or brief but just because you don’t does not mean someone else won’t. That to me seem to be the issue with the haters. They want everyone to be like them. You get people who will only wear boxer shorts and only certain manly colors.
Some men don’t even wear thong slippers because it’s gay. Like how is that gay.. So ignorant.
So we a long way from having thongs back in store or ever. Yet I do feel people should just let other people be.
I was at Wal-Mart and they had string bikini underware so I bought a pack of 5 colored bikinis. I really like the way they feel when l wear them, and I am not gay.