Topless in High Street - acceptable or not?

Most of the men I have seen bare chested ought to be well covered up.

Well it makes me feel good about myself!!
At 72 I never expected to walk down a high street and know that my body looks better than those of so many of the young people that I see.
How did that happen? It’s a bit sad.

And it's not just Portofino, which is such a beautiful place, more and more towns and cities are having to clamp down on topless, shirtless, shoeless, drinking, simply because there are those who will always push and push to do exactly what they want, where they want and to hell with anyone else.

I truly don't feel that just because you're not 'doing any harm' or some people can take the view that they're 'not bothered' by sweaty half-naked people joining them in supermarket queues or sitting with their dirty feet up on chairs in bars and cafés in towns, that one can talk about such behaviour being 'acceptable''.

What about 'appropriate?'

We know about appropriate dress codes, most of us have learned in life that moving amongst society and in public spaces, there have always been rules which need to be followed with regard to clothing. Wear what you like? Nothing wrong with that. But wearing nothing is entirely different. Look at the offensive and unpleasant behaviour of Kanye West and his "Wife". Whilst he's on the spectrum, what on earth is the matter with her? How can she genuinely feel that appearing in public all over Europe and forcing anyone in the vicinity to view all and every aspect of her naked body is the way to go. Where, if left unchallenged, do such displays lead?

It is essential to maintain standards, some standards. If you are in the street, why dress for the beach or for a swim? In France men cannot use a public swimming pool in shorts or cutoffs -even if they are recently laundered - or anything in which to swim that they might be able to wear in the street. So.......why then walk in the street in a state of undress and which for young women can often mean thongs and no bikini tops or semi-sheer beach clothes and bare feet. Why not drink in a bar or a café? That's appropriate. Why not reserve nakedness for your own home? Are you that desperate to exhibit yourself?

No service in shops in our town in France if you are half naked and shoeless. It doesn't matter if it's so hot that one has to stand too close in a queue alongside someone if that someone smells nice and is wearing summer clothing. But a bunch of tourists with their bare chests pressed over the cold cabinets? Why?

It's not appropriate, any more than sex in public, spitting in the street, being drunk in a public place, fighting, stealing, the list is endless. Laws and bye-laws exist and being fortunate enough to be blessed with sunny days should not affect anyone's brain sufficiently so that uncaring, selfish behaviour could so easily spoil the ambience of a town where the citizens take such pride in their surroundings.

Behave as you like in your home. (Grumppa has it right - private viewings!) In places that do not belong to you, follow the rules and just for once, show some respect for the people around you, and yourselves.

grumppa How much do you charge.

I would never have walked down a high street topless, and certainly not as I got older.

Of course, private viewings can be arranged.

Maybe we should follow the example of the Italians.

“An Italian coastal town popular with UK tourists has brought in strict new rules - including a ban on walking through the streets in swimwear or while barefoot. Authorities in Portofino in Liguria say there will be on-the-spot fines for tourists who break the new rules.

From July 15, travellers will no longer be allowed in the streets barefoot, topless or in swimwear - and beachwear is also banned in the town's main square. Alcohol has been banned in the streets except for at hotels, restaurants and in specifically designated zones.

The rules also extend to a ban on sitting on the pavement or walls, while lying in the street and in parks is also banned. The rules are designed to cut down on anti-social behaviour and littering in a town that sees 100,000 tourists every summer.”

dotpocka

in usa public store pubs etc
no shoes no shirt no service
male or female

In the UK, the local where I used to live was covered in notices about the pub rules and the no shirt/shoes was one of many.

Mostly I don't care or notice what people are or aren't wearing but I once had the misfortune to sit next to a large, topless man on the bus. I was sat on the inside and the man was sunburnt, damp and sweaty and smelly. He took up more than his fair share of the double seat.

I wonder why people think that the fewer clothes we wear in hot weather, the cooler we’ll be. Surely loose fitting, light coloured cotton is best? Another baffling choice of summer wear is tight- fitting black polyester ‘shorts’, usually seen on ‘plus sized’ ladies. Not a good look.

I presume some men take their tops off because they have not learnt how to cope with hot weather ( or care about social graces). Many southern Europeans ( men and women) seem to manage to dress appropriately, and manage the heat. Frankly I wish I was better at keeping and looking cool!

I witnessed two men being told, in no uncertain terms, to put their tops on by police officers in Taormina, Sicily. Put on your clothes now! No messing about.
I’m afraid they were British, I overheard them complaining to each other.

Oh dear, its not fair, I've not seen a topless man for many years now!!

TBH I wince at seeing men out in public in singlets, too. Whether they have big fat guts/tattoos or not.

Ilovedogs22

Hi Witzend, in answer to your question. The body-parts on show (always on ruddy show!) were indeed her huge dumplings boiling over! 😄
Ps Not mention her big bottom striving to wobble out of her very short shorts! Still I suppose it was a treat for MrIlovedogs. 🤔

I'm still laughing!

Many posters on here are so witty - I love this thread BUT not shirtless men in the High Street.

Unless he’s like the hunter from ‘Netflix drama ‘1923’ then no, it’s usually not a good look ha.

I agree ha ha

Ohh live and let live it all sounds so twee…. so unhygienic why? Are you about to hug these sweaty men there’s plenty of girls walking around with little on, boobs hanging out, shorts up (sometimes) fat bums Let’s make a rule that we all cover our ankles up too
Oh enjoy the warmth on your old bones and stop tut tutting if you don’t like it don’t look
I don’t see why men are more unhygienic than women don’t women sweat gosh I see some wonderful sights on our sea front but they re enjoying themselves so onwards and upwards

My ex next door neighbour of 70 used to parade around bare chested, he was uncouth.

Unless you are by the pool or sea it’s a NO!

Having read this thread yesterday morning, when I saw a bare-chested man walk past me yesterday afternoon, I wanted to ask him if he'd walk down the street like that with his granny.

Hi Witzend, in answer to your question. The body-parts on show (always on ruddy show!) were indeed her huge dumplings boiling over! 😄
Ps Not mention her big bottom striving to wobble out of her very short shorts! Still I suppose it was a treat for MrIlovedogs. 🤔

Only last week my chum and I were in a local Shopping outlet. Very sunny day, a few teenage girls walked by with Bikini tops with just shorts, they were beautiful well endowed young ladies. A few paces behind them a group if lads tops off were walking, they got stopped by the Security guard and told to put their tops back on, but only seconds before he let the girls stroll pass. We both thought that it was double standards. If we were slightly nearer I would have spoken to the Security chap and told him, one rule for all.

My local seaside high street sees these visually displeasing visions by the dozens. Horrible.

A mayor in Italy brought into effect a fine for shirtless men/bikini topped women in his town centre.
I’m with him on that.

It's a definite no-no from here too. Even if I'm in a holiday resort, I hate to see men sitting down in restaurants or bars bare chested - even women in bikini tops. It doesn't take seconds to put on a throw or sarong or something. Who wants to sit somewhere where someone else has been sitting bare chested? No thanks.

I live in London, and one is more likely to see hoodies because they are usually out to steal phones or anything else they can get their hands on. Why do a day's work when one can get it for free?

I have never seen a man topless, but here they wear a shirt that is totally open, so there is little difference.

I’m not prudish, or at least I dint think so. I see the beach or my back garden as the place to wear a bikini, swim suit, or fir the chaos a pair of shorts

Not the high street and not the beach cafe, put a shirt on chaps, wear a sarong girls, or better yet a beach frock

It’s so tacky ( my mum would have said it’s common )

I don’t remember ever coming into physical ‘contact’ with a man’s body down the high street.
🤣🤣🤣
You’ve obviously never stood next to one in a supermarket queue. And the hotter, sweatier and often smellier they are, the closer they seem to want to get.