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Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

"Cheeky" swimsuits. Just why?

552 replies

disappearingfish · 21/09/2023 17:22

I get it for posing on the beach, but why do swimwear makers cut the bums off suits otherwise aimed at the "proper swimming" market. I do not want to see bare arses at 0630 under the bad lighting of my local council swimming.

This, for example. Who buys this? www.arenasport.com/en_uk/006660-women-s-swimsuit-arena-mesh-panels-power-back.html

OP posts:
Thread gallery
8
InstructionsUnclear · 21/09/2023 18:40

Somanycats · 21/09/2023 18:36

But this cossie has three purposes only and none of them are swimming.
1- For the male gaze
2- To delineate between the women who care about looking good for males and those who don't (who men can then avoid)
3- To point out with a big red arrow, women who have been taken in by societal pressures to conform to what others (male) want and to almost believer IT IS THEIR OWN PREFERENCE. So easy targets for those who prey on the not very strong minded.

so are you suggesting that any time a woman does something like show cleavage or leg or in this case a bit of bum it’s because she wants to impress a male? That’s a bit depressing. I’m standing by what I said. Maybe if we were all relaxed about our bodies a bit more thoughts like this wouldn’t occur. I don’t think the elderly ladies in Spain who are wondering around in thong bikinis with their breasts out are doing it for the male gaze. They’re far too long in the tooth for that having met a fair few of them.

Lorieandrews · 21/09/2023 18:40

I’m on holiday right now and I’ve seen a few of these

took me days to realise the swimsuit was that way and they didn’t just have their swimsuits proper wedged up their bum!!

looks fucking ridiculous in real life

InstructionsUnclear · 21/09/2023 18:41

Sorry, wandering not wondering

NatashaDancing · 21/09/2023 18:41

ssd · 21/09/2023 17:37

I wonder if they make them for men to show most of their arse at the baths too

There is the truly horrific half thong and as someone else mentioned the C string.

I've never seen either in real life. They look even more ridiculous than the arse baring monstrosity on this thread.

Pigflewpast · 21/09/2023 18:42

Jesus I’m glad they weren’t an option when my dcs were training, some of their friends would have had them at 13/14 and loved the male attention.

emilybr · 21/09/2023 18:42

InstructionsUnclear · 21/09/2023 18:21

I lived in Spain and this sort of thing is common. As is topless bathing and they have lots of nudist beaches. And it’s women of all ages, shapes and sizes who go topless and nude. They just don’t care. And I’ve seen such swimming costumes in their public pools too (which are outside and really cool btw).

I much prefer their way of thinking than this thread. Who cares if someone’s bum is on show? Maybe if we relaxed a bit we’d be a bit more like the Spanish and they are MUCH more body positive over there. Maybe if we stopped judging our teenagers wouldn’t have so many issues. Who cares what others are wearing.

By the fact there are low standards and females are showing of a lot of their body for the male glaze.... is the issue.

EmmaEmerald · 21/09/2023 18:43

InstructionsUnclear · 21/09/2023 18:21

I lived in Spain and this sort of thing is common. As is topless bathing and they have lots of nudist beaches. And it’s women of all ages, shapes and sizes who go topless and nude. They just don’t care. And I’ve seen such swimming costumes in their public pools too (which are outside and really cool btw).

I much prefer their way of thinking than this thread. Who cares if someone’s bum is on show? Maybe if we relaxed a bit we’d be a bit more like the Spanish and they are MUCH more body positive over there. Maybe if we stopped judging our teenagers wouldn’t have so many issues. Who cares what others are wearing.

I love being an English prude. Posts like this remind me how much I love it.

Anothershitusername · 21/09/2023 18:45

I swim every day
no one in our pool wears one .

Sugarfree23 · 21/09/2023 18:45

OMG 😲 😱 these are a 'thing'
I keep seeing a young teen with one of these and keep thinking, can her mum not buy her a swimsuit that fits. It looks like she's outgrown her swimsuit.

I guess they are up there with thong leotards of the '90s. People will look back and say what we're we thinking!

InstructionsUnclear · 21/09/2023 18:46

emilybr · 21/09/2023 18:42

By the fact there are low standards and females are showing of a lot of their body for the male glaze.... is the issue.

You think it’s just for the male gaze?! What a depressing and uncultured view.

CantThinkOfANameAtAll · 21/09/2023 18:47

Who cares what others are wearing.
I care because I don't want to see your fat hairy arse waddling along the poolside. It's not like you get to see it as well since it's behind you 🙄

nopuppiesallowed · 21/09/2023 18:48

Choppysue · 21/09/2023 17:48

Think I'd need a YouTube guide to get it on, nevermind the horror if I did.

😅🤣😅🤣😅

OutwiththeOutCrowd · 21/09/2023 18:48

Either Edwardian swimsuit or naked for me - the in-between zone just doesn't look comfy.

No to nominally-contained cheeky bottoms or anything that requires landing strip topiary and a lot of self-conscious yanking into position.

Ohwhatadag · 21/09/2023 18:49

God i hate i bum flashing fashion. I used to live in Australia. Loved going to the beach. Hated seeing endless bottoms.

Yes. I did bother me. And that was the young fashionable stuff (which I begrudgingly accept that it makes it my problem and not theirs).

That swimsuit though is just wierd. Too uncomfortable for swimming, too frumpy at the front and then bottom out for unpleasant wobbly viewing.

I agree with the OP. Don't get it.

Fallingthroughclouds · 21/09/2023 18:50

Ilefttownonsaturday · 21/09/2023 17:57

All of these things are designed for the male gaze and women have been conned to think it's liberating. Unfortunately, it's another form of exploitation and modern culture has been sexualised so much that if you don't buy into it people think you're weird.

I guess you could argue the same for a lot of things. Where are you drawing the line? Make up, haircuts, moustache/leg/bikini waxes, nice outfits, high heels.

Usernamen · 21/09/2023 18:52

No one is forcing women to get their arse out, they are choosing to because they want to flaunt their lovely figure.

If you’re uncomfortable with a woman choosing to flaunt her body, for male attention or otherwise, I would say that’s very much a ‘you’ problem.

emilybr · 21/09/2023 18:54

@InstructionsUnclear why else would women be walking around 3/4 naked?

IDoughnutKnow · 21/09/2023 18:54

No one is forcing women to get their arse out, they are choosing to because they want to flaunt their lovely figure

How about the ones who look like the proverbial back ends of buses, and who would be better off keeping their flabby arses well and truly covered up?

Worldgonecrazy · 21/09/2023 18:57

I have a great arse (thank you Caroline Girvan and a million Bulgarian lunges) but I wouldn’t wear something like that. It’s gross.

LadyWiddiothethird · 21/09/2023 18:57

I belong to David Lloyd and swim daily,there are loads of girls wearing these,they look hilarious.None of the wearers are serious swimmers,they are mostly sitting in the jacuzzi,I wouldn’t sit in there!

Usernamen · 21/09/2023 18:57

smilesup · 21/09/2023 18:21

I saw a beautiful young woman wearing an incredibly short dress coming down an escalator. She was not wearing any underwear as I could see pretty up up to her cervix 😁.
I couldn't work out if she knew or not as she was immaculate in every other way.

DP and I saw a completely commando woman in a very short dress in a restaurant not long ago. Fully flashed when she sat down / got up.

She was immaculately dressed otherwise so I presume it was on purpose. It didn’t bother me as it was in an upscale restaurant in Soho at night, but I accept it might be a bit much in a family friendly gastropub on a Sunday afternoon.

Shitzngiggles · 21/09/2023 18:57

Saw loads of women wearing these bikinis on holiday in Greece. Sorry but bare arse cheeks is not a good look on anyone stunning figure or not. And the amount of women who kept fiddling with them and hooking them out of their arse, they're clearly not that comfortable at all.

Soapyspuds · 21/09/2023 18:57

Possibly controversial but I would rather see a person of a health BMI in that than a morbidly obese person in a regular swimsuit.

InstructionsUnclear · 21/09/2023 18:58

emilybr · 21/09/2023 18:54

@InstructionsUnclear why else would women be walking around 3/4 naked?

Because they want to? Because being nude is quite freeing? I swim nude in a private beach spot I know. I’m alone, no one else sees me. I just enjoy it. You think all nudists who go to places together are doing it for the male gaze? Men and women of all ages go to nudist things and it’s often very respectful because it isn’t bloody sexual It’s part of Spanish culture and the men don’t stare like they would hear because it’s common and women of all ages, even the elderly, do it. I’m sorry for you that you can only assume that women do things for men, but not all of them do. Being naked, being topless isn’t all about bloody men. Maybe you have nudity issues but some women don’t. Stop sexualising everything.

Notpooryet · 21/09/2023 18:58

Wishthiswasntmypost · 21/09/2023 17:33

I am constantly infuriated at clothes manufacturers making women look like idiots. The vast majority of bums you see in these are not stunning. They just look frankly like they've got a wedgie. People stare with wry smiles. You never see men wearing ridiculous items of clothing. It really makes us (women)look easily led, and is usually laughable

Er, jeans so low slung they look like they'll fall off and you can see undershorts? These are bad but men do wear stupid fashions too.