Bikinis were made for the male gaze so isn't it about time we stopped wearing them

I get a funny vibe from him.

I wear a bikini because I like wearing a bikini. I like the sun on my skin. I like being able to go to the loo more easily. I like not being sliced in two by a swimsuit that is too short for my long body.

If a man wants to look at my wobbly tummy that has stretched for three babies, so be it but I couldn't give a toss what men think.

At one point I felt too self conscious to wear a bikini but a friend and I dared each other to try it and see if the world ended. It did not.. .

I am going to come clean and say I don’t understand what the point was.

Fgs, the concept of feminism has changed since my day. Leave people alone to choose what they wear. You aren’t the wardrobe police.

The above sentence should have been

'it sounds narcissistic (or you're not comfortable with natural self) and it sounds pretty insane.

Not that the woman are insane. JFC

Choicey choicey “feminism” is rarely beneficial to women as a class in the long run.

Feminism is about equality, at the very least, and liberation from the patriarchy.

As always, there’s rarely an intelligent discussion to be had to MN on thread like these, unfortunately. A couple of good posts but mostly the point has clearly whooshed over everyone’s head.

Sounds narcissistic, or you're not comfortable with your natural self, and pretty insane.

Or you're conforming to expected beauty standards and gender stereotypes and have been brainwashed into thinking it's empowering.

I don''t believe people that say they wear this or do that, not for anyone else (men or women) but just for themselves.

Not talking about bikinis here but in general. My appearance is for me not anyone else etc

If the whole world went blind tomorrow, and it was just you and your mirror.
Would you seriously still spend hours styling your hair and applying make up and so on?

You'd do all that just to look at yourself in the mirror and feel good?

Sounds narcissistic, or you're not comfortable with your natural self, and pretty insane.

The two ladies that said before that they do want to look good for the opposite sex were at least being honest

Is choice the point of feminism? Choice of, specifically, garments totally outside of necessity?

"You're a strong independent woman, of course it's up to you if you wear a thong in public. Or dungarees. Or a skirt short enough to flash your pants... Payrise? I've asked, I'll ask again... promotion to director? Not without a bit more experience... Eight years? I suppose so. Yes he did make director after only two years but he was more qualified... no not on paper, I agree, on paper you're the best... you just need a bit more practical experience. Look how about you do this really difficult job none of the chaps want to do because it involves actual hard work and a ton of flak? On your current pay, yes, but this will help your case for a rise. Good girl, yes, wear what you choose."

This! I do this when I go swimming, no way I’m pulling a costume down, quick yank to one side and you are good to go.

It's an interesting subject to ponder because apart from societies where religion dominating clothing choice the fashion industry has largely been dominated by gay men and what's on the runway has tended to filter down to the high street.

I don't think many straight men are involved in design of women's clothing although on a more individual level men may influence the clothing of their partners and daughters.

It would probably make an interesting reality tv show to get a bunch of average blokes to design some women's clothing and see what they came up with. Would they give us more pockets? Or would it be all slinky little dresses? If it was my DH he'd probably choose some version of waterproof hiking trousers and a fleece because that's what he likes. Maybe with an accent of pink somewhere so you know they're for women. 😂

Social media influence has possibly meant that women are leading more on fashion trends now rather than waiting on the catwalk cycle to rinse and repeat. So maybe we get shown more clothing designed to appeal to straight men minus the avant-garde high fashion angle, rather than less.

This is all just speculation because I rarely go on instagram or tiktok and see what is trending with young women and I'm only moderately interested in fashion trends.

Haven't RTFT, but...a tankini. All the benefits of a bikini and a swimsuit. Practical for weeing, but lots of room to show a beautiful print, really stylish designs, flattering. Can also have (light) period bottoms, or mix and match tops and bottoms.

All of us have been subjected to the social conditioning that tells us what looks good. And it’s always about what men like.

I think fashion would be very different if it were all about what men like.

Sexual attractiveness is obviously relevant, but I don’t think that, for instance, men were particularly attracted to women in fingerless gloves or sailor collars in the eighties, even though they were both fashionable.

Yeah I added that before. To one side.. no idea why I said pull it down. That's just silly.
It definitely doesn't fall on the floor though. That's just my trousers when using toilets and hoping that is just water on the floor 😞

Nah- hook to one side like we did with body suits in the early 90s!

I like the appearance of my body in a bikini and I feel less hot if the sun is out if I wear one.

Point of feminism is choice. If a woman wants to wear a bikini, she should. If a woman wants to wear a burqini, she should. Or anything in between. And not be judged. By man or woman.

@Zebedee999 By absolutely anyone from the opposite sex ? Some people are easily pleased 😁

I have the same issue. Not to mention needing the underwire and support a bikini can offer. Very few swimsuits come with adequate breast support or large enough cup coverage. Plus if you need the toilet it's much easier to be in a bikini than a swimsuit.

I do have a swimsuit for when I go to leisure centre type pool in the UK but I hate wearing it and find a bikini or tanking far more practical.

There are many reasons why a woman might wear a bikini, sometimes simultaneously.
Let's not forget about the different types of bikini and practicalities or lack of.
I also do not like to be told what to wear by anyone inclother women.

Yes, topless for everyone and ban bras too 😂

Yep. An admiring look in my direction by the opposite sex makes my day. Long may it continue.

@SaltPorridge Yes. Should I report my post and ask for the images to be removed? Sorry about that but I was trying to get it through to some posters that the (extreme) male gaze and certain types of clothing is real and not just about woman being told what to wear

I’m not convinced this is true. After all men swim in attire that is often smaller and more revealing than underwear, for practical reasons - hydrodynamics and ease of drying. I can think of plenty of things women are expected to do with no counterpart for men (shaving, wearing high heals, wearing tiny clothing), but bikinis do have an equivalent male counterpart.

Maybe the problem is just the male gaze, and there should be higher expectations on how men treat women, rather than seeing us as objects to drool over?

I've asked for this to be marked sensitive because I don't want images of naked women on my phone.
And this is the point: these bikinis in the picture are string with tiny triangles of fabric covering the nipples. The "pants" appear to take the same theme. (Image is cut off).
I disbelieve any woman who claims she wears such a garment for "comfort". The idea that it's feminist act to wear exiguous clothing is straight from the voyeur's charter.

And women aren't being targeted with clothes that will appeal to them because it make them attractive to men?
Do woman really like short shorts that expose half the buttocks? Tops that only just cover the nipple area? And I'm not talking about bikini on the beach but general attire.
I refuse to believe that some women are wearing these clothes for themselves ..and not because they know men will find it sexy and so on.

Imo it's just as bad, not liberating, to cover from head to toe, as expose yourself from head to toe.

Two extremes both engineered by men.