?Bikinis in the supermarket

I have to admit Bags that if he had been young and gorgeous I would probably not have minded at all Although it would still help if his jokes were funny!

I'd say that the 'inappropriate' or 'disrespectful' wording and concept would change according to location. If in a seaside resort, I'd say 'inappropriate' and in traditional/rural area, where the locals dress very conservatively, I'd say 'disrespectful'. Context is so often the key.

Now that would be giving away my secrets.

simtib!! And....................what did you decide?

I was once in Austria staying at a hotel leisure complex with a swimming pool and also saunas, steam rooms and jacuzzis. I went to go in there wearing my swimming costume and realised that no one was wearing them. you could wear a costume if you wanted, but no one did. So I was left with the decision wear a costume and have 100 people stare at me or not wear one and every one would ignore me. Exactly the opposite to normal life.

Just tried to envisage myself striding down the road to Waitrose (with wheelie bag, of course) clad only in swimsuit (not a bikini) and crocs. No.... I couldn't see it, even in my imagination.

This morning the BBC's weather presenter was showing her bellybutton - both the BBC and the Met Office are government departments .... doesn't seem quite right somehow but it does seem to be the norm that much female flesh is on display even in professional settings.

I must be getting old!

When on holiday, if I want to get a drink or ice cream or whatever from a shop close to the beach, I always put on shorts and a top over my swimsuit. I certainly would not go to the supermarket in a swimsuit.

I think wearing something loose and light is cooler than exposing lots of flesh

Just a little bit off topic here, but in India you see for sale at markets and little shops long cotton drawstring skirts which look lovely and cool and comfortable. Unwary foreigners often buy these to wear on their hols, no doubt thinking they are also respecting local customs. What they don't know is that these are actually petticoats worn under the sari and a source of amusement to the locals who see them striding around in underwear.

ella, maybe they're always dashing out to cocktail parties after their TV presentations!

I'd feel self-conscious in a bathing costume of any kind in a supermarket. I suppose with 'plentiful' shorts (think they used to be called walking shorts) on your bottom half, a proper swimsuit as your top would be OK in very hot weather and at beach resorts.

I usually find supermarkets too cold and often take in a jumper even if I don't need one outside.

I agree Bags about tv presenters and weather girls, who wear things more suitable to a cocktail party sometimes.

Quite!

I personally would feel vulnerable if I wore a bikini in a supermarket.
It wouldn't take much for some idiot/pervert to yank the top off, and there are enough idiots around these days.

Do people who think bikinis in supermarkets disrespectful think shorts and strappy vests are disrespectful too? Or is that acceptable/appropriate summer supernmarket or street wear?

shorts

There does seem to be a tendency in the West for women to show an awful lot of skin nowadays.

Mind you, traditional Indian saris expose midriff (sensible in that climate). They are more discreet about chests and upper arms though, not to mention legs, and infinitely more elegant than short and strappy vest. Less practical sometimes perhaps.

I think wearing your beachwear to go shopping is totally different to people in their traditional dress - unless of course bikinis et all are now traditional dress.

I'm finding the word 'disrespectful' doesn't quite sit with me in this context. I think I would say that wearing a bikini for going shopping is just not appropriate. Sorry for the wordsmithery but I don't feel disrespected if people wear inappropriate clothes; I just feel surprise that they can dress inappropriately.

I think some of the clothes one sees TV presenters wearing are a bit inappropriate – women often look far too dressed up for my taste, while the men tend to be... let's just say less excessive. I don't think it helps reduce the objectifying of women when they dress up to look glamorous when simply smart would do.

So yes, I think there's a scale of inappropriateness in dressing from excessive under-dressing (e.g. bikinis in supermarkets) to excessive over-dressing in the visual media.

Good point Bags would we be more likely to accept a young, good looking,fit man wearing a vest leaning over the counter than the old, hairy, sweaty one? Also is a young woman with a good figure more acceptable than a older overweight woman with rolls of fat hanging over the bikini?

Personally I wouldn't go shopping in a bikini( even if I did have a fab figure) any more than I would go visit someone in hospital, attend a dentist appointment or whatever. It just seems disrespectful.

I actually don't mind nakedness as such. What I am saying is that one should respect those who do somehow. Because it's the polite and civiised thing to do.

If he had had an attractive young not sweaty body, would you all have minded, deedaa?

I still wonder why we mind near nakedness so much though.

That's true, vegas. I hadn't really considered the angry responses.

When I worked in M&S we had a regular customer who used to come in in his vest. He was middle aged, rather overweight and covered with lots of white hair. In spite of the way we all used to disappear when he arrived he was under the impression that he was one of our favourites and used to lean his sweaty self over the counter while he told long and unfunny jokes.