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Original poster

British men in hot weather

187 replies

gerispringer · 19/06/2025 14:58

Why do ( some) Brits ( men) strip off their tops the moment the sun is out? I don't want to see sunburnt beer bellies, multiple tats and baggy nylon shorts wandering around the supermarket. Men in France and Italy where its much hotter for longer wouldn’ t do this. Smart shorts and a polo shirt much nicer.

OP posts:
SwimSwamSwimSwam · 21/06/2025 13:00

TheAmusedQuail · 21/06/2025 12:48

Female breasts are only sexual because society says they are. That isn't their function. It's the patriarchy that tells us they're sexual. Because men see them that way. The same men that walk around topless themselves.

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I'm sure it's not just the men who walk around topless who sexualise female breasts.

spoonbillstretford · 21/06/2025 13:04

I saw a young man and his son with just shorts on walking down the street the other day when it was only about 22C. He was fit, but it still doesn't make it any better. At home or on the beach/by a pool is fine, but out and about put a shirt on.

Greenfields20 · 21/06/2025 13:13

TheAmusedQuail · 21/06/2025 12:48

Female breasts are only sexual because society says they are. That isn't their function. It's the patriarchy that tells us they're sexual. Because men see them that way. The same men that walk around topless themselves.

Show quote history

Well a penis and vagina both exist for a function- the creation of life, and to get rid of fluids. But they are still sexual body parts. I dont know about your upbringing but rightly or wrongly I was told that certain body parts are more private than others. The male chest area was not one of those private parts. If you think women should walk around topless because boobs are just boobs then I think we would need to allow all body parts to be shown. Maybe one day that will be the case (especially with global warming maybe in hundreds of years we wont even wear clothes) but we arent there yet and we do view certain body parts as private.

Giggorata · 21/06/2025 13:15

mathanxiety · 19/06/2025 15:46

I think it's uncouth.

I live in the US, where summers can be very hot and sticky. Most convenience stores and other places where you can buy chilled beer/ cigarettes/ lottery tickets have notices on their doors saying 'No shirt, no shoes, no service'.

It's understood that you do not try to gain admittance to a supermarket or any other business premises without a shirt and at least flip flops. Wearing clothes and footwear is a basic standard of deportment.

It doesn't have to be smart clothes. Lots of people shop wearing nylon basketball style shorts and tanks, or bike shorts and a tank top, with flip flops or slides on their feet.

I think it's uncouth, too.
I agree it is deportment, manners, standards, however you want to call it not to go about in public in a state of undress, in your nightwear or in beachwear, etc.

Everyone's an exhibitionist these days..

Treesandsheepeverywhere · 22/06/2025 11:56

Same reason some women wear scrunch bum short shorts or no bras, because they want to.

JingsMahBucket · 22/06/2025 13:24

CeaselesslyIntoThePast · 21/06/2025 11:35

It’s just British culture. You’ll miss it if it goes.

No, no we fucking won’t.

Pedallleur · 22/06/2025 14:53

JingsMahBucket · 22/06/2025 13:24

No, no we fucking won’t.

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This plus stopping men wearing baseball caps backwards. Looks cute on a 6 yr old not on anyone over 18.

SwimSwamSwimSwam · 22/06/2025 14:55

Pedallleur · 22/06/2025 14:53

This plus stopping men wearing baseball caps backwards. Looks cute on a 6 yr old not on anyone over 18.

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My topless work colleague had his baseball cap on back to front too. I was pissing myself. He's a lot older than 6 too.

MyHouseInThePrairie · 22/06/2025 15:49

Absentmindedsmile · 21/06/2025 11:38

It’s man thing. And it’s not just British. We lived in France and they do it there too. Gross. 😷

Edited

Not in a shop.

mathanxiety · 22/06/2025 19:07

LightDrizzle · 21/06/2025 03:06

The “cant cope in the heat” argument is bollocks. It’s about getting a tan and or a weird kind of “You got a problem with it???!!!” peacocking. They may well be cooler in a supermarket topless or in the shade in a breeze, but they will actually feel hotter in direct sun on a hot day with skin exposed. When it’s hot here (Southern Europe) I wear loose, natural fibre tops and bottoms and it’s much more comfortable than a strappy top with arms and chest exposed.

Agree it's peacocking.

It's a form of provocation too - a middle finger raised by a certain sort of man against the standards of civilized society. In the US this sort of attitude is part of what is sometimes called redneck culture.

LlynTegid · 22/06/2025 19:53

Pedallleur · 22/06/2025 14:53

This plus stopping men wearing baseball caps backwards. Looks cute on a 6 yr old not on anyone over 18.

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When Geoffrey Boycott did this in the 1970s/80s when coming on to bowl in one day men's cricket matches, and started the trend, it looked silly on him, and he is not alone.

Slatterndisgrace · 22/06/2025 19:55

gerispringer · 19/06/2025 16:30

Im guessing all those defending this are also in favour of those people in cars who drive around blasting their music so the whole street can hear.

Nooo, that annoys me. Completely different thing though.

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