To wonder when boobs went out and bums came in?

[PrincessOfPreschool]

Just come back from a beach holiday in Italy and both Dsis and I commented on lack of topless women. In 11 days I didn't see one! (Tbf, I wasn't scouring the sun loungers on the beach but not noticing even one seems odd). In the 80s and 90s when I was a teen/ young woman there were loads of topless women on European beaches. However, I did notice a huge number of thong bikinis, or the ones that really go up your bum and show off bum cheeks (even very young girls - preteens). Almost everyone wore one.

What's caused this change? Just fashion changes? Why has it changed? Sis thought maybe greater US influence on Europe?

As someone who was born this way (my bum looks exactly like that naturally) and spent their entire adolescence and young adulthood being so ridiculously self conscious that she would ensure she was always the one walking at the back so nobody could look at her bum, I find it hurtful to read such comments on the internet from other women.

Can we not call other women “hideous”? It’s nasty. Or if you must, post your bum alongside your judgy comment.

If that’s the case it would be good for me 🤣 Yet sadly for me I don’t think boobs will ever go out.

👏

I agree with this, couldn’t have said it better. I was a teen and then in my 20s through the 2010s, and I saw the change from thin + massive boobs to tiny waist + bum. It did help me a lot with my body image, which was terrible for me as a teen.

What if a woman is naturally slim with a larger bum though, like Beyoncé, Shakira, Jennifer Lopez etc? How are they ‘fat’?

Ugh, I don't want to be in danger of nearly seeing someone's poo hole thanks. I don't know why you would have to wear a thong to show off your bum. You can see what someone's bum looks like in a normal bikini. Can you imagine the outrage if nearly all men started wearing a thong? 😂

I noticed this on holiday earlier this year. Not the lack of boobs but the bums everywhere. No one wants to see my bum in one of these bikinis - it would be like a pound of cottage cheese in a string bag.

Yes it’s strange isn’t it! I once overheard a group of males joke that it’s all about the arse now and that big breasts are “out of fashion” and that “nice/big tits are so 90’s coded”. Thinking about it, it was all about the legs until the 80’s came along then legs got replaced by breasts. Maybe these things come and go in cycles! I remember growing up in the 90s that you wanted to have the smallest, skinniest bum possible.

I’m sure you look lovely though and in proportion with the thighs to match your bum, those like Kim will BBLs look ridiculous due to having skinny legs with huge arses ! Very insect like

I think the fashion relates to a lot of prevalence of gym and fitness culture. It’s hard work in the gym to get the perfect bum.

Wrong country, no? Or maybe the part of Italy you were in? I spent significant time on the beach in Italy in the 90s (southern Tuscany) and women didn’t go topless. I think that’s more south of France.
I assume it has to do with MeToo but also the Kardashian’s. Bums are anonymous, no one is looking at your face while they’re looking at your bum!

What a charming group of men. Clearly very 90s coded themselves, although there was a vestige of gentlemanliness and respect still back then that meant they didn’t usually have those conversations in front of women.

Agree with you on the skinny bum though, I was always really embarrassed about my huge round bum until I met my husband who liked it before it was fashionable. Now I find I am right on trend!

Topless for me in the late 70s Spain however I never felt comfortable so never did it again. Now I am 60+ and my bum seems to have migrated to my belly I’m wondering as to whether I could get away with full front coverage and semi cheeky bum for my winter holiday. I just looked like a shapeless frump in last years full bottoms. But I need to cover the fat at front so if anyone can suggest anything I’d be grateful! Plus the fat at side of vag area I hate that no idea what it’s called but I won’t inflict that on anyone 🤣

Last year on holiday my worst sights were a guy in a red thong thing walking about the beach and a young woman in thong on a boat trip which meant when I was sat down and she stood up her arse was eye height and I thought that was a tad unnecessary if I’m honest.

The beach was full of all shapes, ages, sizes but no one was topless (Canaries). Plenty of anything went for the bottom half! So I thought I might as well join them!

Why does it matter? Either way, it's objectification of women...reducing them to either ass or tits. Let's stop doing it.

I've never done either personally! Just interested in how it's changed since I was young - and looking for reasons why. I actually think the topless trend was less objectifying and more about freedom for women, reclaiming the breast for ourselves (like not wearing a bra) etc. rather than showing off. I'm not sure why, but the bum trend feels different to me. Maybe cos I'm old.

I don't think people go topless now because the phone cameras

It was not aimed at people who have a naturally large bottom. The 'hideous' comment was that someone should want to change their body so much in such an exaggerated manner.

It was a picture of an arse almost identical to
mine with “that is hideous” as the comment.

Thongs have more class than a lot of the commenters on this thread do.

I can see why you might have taken it the wrong way if you didn't read it properly, but I'm not going to apologise for something I didn't say, so take it or leave it.

Agree!

And the Kardashians have all slimmed down somewhat

I would say it’s more a LATINO culture thing, culturally central and South American countries have admired big bottoms. I think men naturally have (generally) always been attracted to breasts more though

Kim Kardashian. I noticed lots of teens wearing thing bikinis on the beach this year. While the lads were in shorts, of course! We wouldn’t have worn them in my day (90s), no way… But I suppose we had “Hello Boys” instead.

Phones. Nobody wants their tits blasted all over TikTok

What about topless men? Is that OK? Personally I don't want to see either unless on the beach.