AIBU to go topless at the local outdoor swimming pool?

[BrightBlueStar]

It's a glorious day & I'm at the local outdoor pool. It was a right hassle getting here (3 children under 5, queue to get in etc.) but now I'm here it's amazing! HOWEVER realised I've forgotten my bikini top!!! Not wearing a bra so can't use that instead. Going back for a bikini top isn't an option (it's a long round trip, would have to pay/queue again yadayadayada). This has made me think - Could I go topless? Im desperate for a swim and don't care about other people seeing my breasts. I'm not English and where I'm from going topless is more common. But here none of the women are topless.

Is it against the law? Would I be told off?

Would you go topless and if not why not?

I never wore a bra when I was breastfeeding. Another layer to undo - no thanks. I have small boobs anyway and they were like rocks at that point so never needed a bra. Now, however...

Would you be asking this question if you forgot the bottoms but not the top?????

It wouldn't bother me in the slightest but it isn't the done thing for some reason.

Very jealous of your perky, drip-free tits. Mine are veiny, leaky, saggy abominations. Breastfeeding is kinder to others from the sounds of it.

Yeah I wouldn't do it. If I was in another country or on a beach where other people were then I would but it's not really done here and generally frowned upon. You might risk being asked to leave if there's actually a policy about it. It is unfair though. Men can be topless but when women do it is considered inappropriate. Silly really, boobs and nipples aren't a sexual thing for me at all. They fed my babies for several years. They aren't actual genitals. Men are allowed their bare nipples in the pool so it is odd to me. If it was the done thing here and I didn't have to worry about being thrown out of my local pool I think I'd definitely consider swimming with my boobs out

I wish to be free to go topless too. Men can so why can't we?! But no, you'd be told off in a pool for sure. English are absolute prudes!

So we've had manners, boobs are ok in strip clubs but not on beaches/at the pool and a parallel between breasts and vulvas in today's arguments.
I despair sometimes.

hey, Im a 61 year old man, Hormones not like an 18 Year old any more,
But I'm not dead either.
Dear, I'd LOVE to see a woman Topless at a beach or pool,
But really, No, It's not proper.

[email protected] bet you would......way to go Gdad..you still got it😂😂😂😂

I don't think Brits are that prudish... we do have quite a bawdy sense of humour. Unfortunately going topless seems to have gone out of fashion in recent years. In the 80 s and 90s it was pretty common to see topless women sunbathing at the beach but even then I don't think it would have been the done thing at a Lido. It's a shame I love swimming topless it feels great.

Ps I was surprised to discover the Americans are really prudish about it.

YANBU. I have often gone topless at the lido, as have other women of all ages shapes and sizes. You will not get 'told off' or asked to leave, and if you are so what? Don't leave!

This made me laugh..
I was once turned away from entering the swimming pool at the hotel I was staying at for business, because I was actually wearing a swimming cossie! They had a no clothes allowed in the policy, which I believe is often the norm!
Having ignored the reprimand, I decided to brave it fully clad, but oh my...I saw some things I never ever want to see again

Forgot to add said hotel was in Europe!

The funniest person in this thread is the one who is completely outraged by the idea of a family going to a swimming pool on a sunny day.

It's 100% not illegal, despite what people think. However, it won't be acceptable, and the pool are allowed to have rules over and above the law. So sadly and ridiculously, no, you should

Yabu for dragging 3 small children on a hassle filled journey, then queuing up for a packed outdoor pool on a blazing hot day. Specially when youre going to be sitting out of the pool feeding your twins 'all day long' (your words) What is your other under-5 child going to do while you're doing that ? - I assume not allowed to swim unaccompanied. Sounds hellish.*

Yes - I don't believe this thread either.

Topless sunbathing has probably gone out of fashion because of camera phones. Not surprising really. Personally I don't want to be on a 'splooge on my tits' website so I can understand why.
I don't understand why people are having a go at the OP for going to an outdoor pool on a hot sunny day. That's the kind of thing people do.
Only on mumsnet.

It's not against the law is it??
I'm British and prudish would not be a word to describe me ;) I go topless out the back of mine, the neighbours can see in from up their stairs but I'm a firm believer in if you don't like what you see stop looking and do on the beach, I don't walk around topless tho and would never go out without a bra on it's more of a comfort support Thing! haha, definitely would at the outdoor pool if it was allowed hate tan lines...

It will distract the pool attendant from her/his key duty which is to ensure everyone is safe in and around the water.

Do it if you must; we all have to pop a balloon now and then.

Now I've read the whole thread - wow. Tory Britain.

I and my partner and a group of friends swim most days in the river local to us. We swim naked. If we're in the water, you can't really see anything, but if we happen to be getting in or out or drying off, you will. This happens most days, and nobody has EVER complained. You can go topless on a beach and almost certainly nobody will complain, but if you went naked on a busy part, someone probably would. In a pool, I'm certain you would have an issue with other swimmers and staff. It makes no sense, you see boobs on TV, in advertising, breastfeeding etc, you can see them on the beach or in a river, but in a pool people will die. This is because people don't THINK most of the time, they just react in the ways they're programmed to. To be offended because it's "not the done thing" or "a bit too much" contains no logic. It's an unexamined reaction to something which harms nobody, and which we would accept in a country where it was "the done thing", because that's somehow important? Bodies are harmless. They can be used sexually or to cause harm whether they're dressed or not.

The OP asked for a simple piece of advice, why be a dick about it?

Well said StealthHippy.

I am definitely a prude myself. I have 3 boys ranging from 8 to 16. They've never seen my breasts apart from the days they breast fed. I suppose the older boys saw me feeding. But I didn't get them out. They'd be trying not to look at someone at a pool without a top on 😂 The 8 year old probably wouldn't stop looking!
As for breast feeding and leaking. When I had my oldest I used to leak all the time, I had soaked breast pads for the first 6 months. I could fill up a plastic breast cup off the opposite boob to the one baby was feeding from. By baby 2 it wasn't so bad. By number 3 they didn't leak at all. So I can see how it would be different with each person.

So we've had manners, boobs are ok in strip clubs but not on beaches/at the pool and a parallel between breasts and vulvas in today's arguments.
I despair sometimes.

Also: "they might distract the pool attendant.

This shit makes me want to walk around starkers.

Wouldn't bother me if you did.
Could you tie together some muslin cloths into a kind of bikini top??!!

Tory Britain?