Shorts Again
Posted by Allwet on January 04, 2023 at 00:47:36
This is to continue the “Shorts” thread from below, but it has moved too far down the list, so I will post it here. I didn’t have time to write this while the topic was more current. I apologize for such a long post. Keep in mind this is just my opinion based on my experience, and I won’t be offended if anyone disagrees.
I agree with most of the sentiments expressed that it should be up to the wearer to decide if they “count” as clothed swimming. This is like those old theological debates about how many angels can fit on the head of a pin. People have such different experiences growing up. Much of this is reaction to whatever rules or restrictions people faced while growing up, and what was considered the norm (or not) in one’s particular environment. For many, this wet clothes attraction is based on going against established norms, whatever they are, and daring to be different. So, just swim in whatever you like and have fun with it.
I always greatly preferred shorts to swimsuits. Shorts feel better wet, and wearing underwear with them was a lot better than those nasty mesh liners. But I never considered them to be part of a “fully clothed” experience. Swimming in shorts or cutoffs never gave me the excitement, anticipation or boner that long pants did. I never experienced chafing or discomfort from wet cutoffs or the cotton briefs we wore under them. As an adult, however,I have gained a new appreciation of swimming in shorts, especially the heavier cotton cargo shorts, or jean shorts when they were in fashion. I have had several good experiences in them, with or without underwear. There is also a lot to be said for synthetic mesh basketball or gym shorts, commando or not.
When I was growing up, shorts were often used as swimwear, and no one ever cared or noticed, or considered them “clothes” that shouldn’t be used for swimming. Most people we knew other than our family had pools, so I never went to a real public pool, other than hotels we sometimes stayed at, and they never cared. As a kid the holy grail for me was a fully clothed, immersed swim in a long pants and a shirt, and even better with shoes and socks. It took several years to achieve that after discovering my liking of wet clothes. (Much of that delay was my own timidity, thinking I needed a real excuse. I later realized that neither my mom or my friends cared). I often swam in t-shirts, and, again, no one cared, it was quite common in Southern California.
By my early teens in the early 70’s, cutoff jeans were the most common swimwear for guys my age (with the exception of surfers). I never owned a true swimsuit throughout my teens. It was pretty much standard. And these were not lower income kids who needed to improvise, we were comfortably middle class kids who could easily afford swimsuits. One time when we were on vacation, and the pool at the resort we were staying prohibited cutoffs - the old “threads clog the filter” thing. Instead of a swimsuit, I bought a pair of gym shorts, which in those days were were very short and made of cotton twill, (a lightweight denim-like fabric which became wonderfully softer and faded with each washing). They were essentially heavy boxer shorts with an elastic waistband but no pockets, fly or drawstring. Wearing a shirt was almost required to prevent them from being pulled down when diving in the pool.
Back then everyday shorts for teens were not common. The clothing companies were not making them for teens, and by the time we were 12 or 13 we saw them as little kids clothes that moms dressed us in to look “cute”. Grown boys wore pants. When worn by adult men, shorts would be seen by teens to be nerdy country club attire, and kids didn’t want to dress like their dads, especially back then. It also seemed like swimming in long pants was more common until about the early 70’s. If someone showed up to a party or picnic without a swimsuit and people were swimming, what the hell, just wear your pants. In Boy Scouts we never wore shorts, and if we ended up at a river or lake on a hike we would just wear our jeans.
I do not consider swimming in just underwear to be the same as shorts, but something much more erotic and stimulating, especially with a long t-shirt. With dark colors, no one will know it’s underwear. I’ve tried both boxers (knit are the best!) and boxer briefs. Some of my experiences with wet underwear are more appropriate for the other forum.
It seems like over the last 30-40 years the acceptance of shorts as swimwear has diminished, even as the variety and acceptance of shorts as everyday wear has increased. Swimwear is the one thing that has become more stuffy and rule-bound, even as everything else in society has become more casual. About 20 years ago I was at a convenience store far from home installing a retail display for my employer. As I was working, I overheard a conversation between the store’s cashier and her son who had just come into the store. It was the last day of school, and he needed to get into their house to get his swimsuit for a swimming party. The mom said, “Well, you can just wear your shorts”, as if it were the most obvious thing in the world. The son was almost incredulous. “No, I don’t want to do that! I need my swimsuit.” (It was a hot day in a desert community, so having dry clothes after was not a consideration). They went around like that a few times, and I don’t know how it was resolved. He apparently felt there was a big stigma to swimming in shorts.
So that’s my very long take on shorts. They definitely have a place in the clothed swimming pantheon, but for me, long pants are always the more ideal swimming experience.
- Re: Shorts Again Zonie 05:25:32 1/04/2023
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