Have Confidence!

[BJE]

Here is an interesting article from Esquire magazine. The part of it I like most is where it says that wearing a speedo is the ultimate sign of self confidence. Go out there with confidence!

When a man wears a Speedo, he's not just "wearing a bathing suit" or "ready for a swim." He's wearing a Speedo. And even though Speedo is technically a brand—with a full range of performance-based swimwear and accessories, thank you—the brand is synonymous with its tight, revealing, freeing, brief. It's known for the brief because it's the standout piece of swimwear. There's no statement-making quite like a Speedo statement-making. When a man wears a Speedo, it's a thing. Well, at least in America. European and South American men have been wearing the suit without stigma for years. Athletes wear them, too. So why is the simple swimwear such a shock to see at a pool party or, say, on your dad? And is it ever truly acceptable to wear one? This is what swimwear experts had to say.

Performance Comes First

When it comes to peak performance, there is no better option. "It's been an iconic silhouette in both the fashion and sports world," says Giorgi Duvall, vice president of merchandising and design at Speedo softgoods at PVH. "In America, we see it a lot in competitive swimming, diving, or water polo. It creates freedom of movement and support."
Five-time gold medalist Nathan Adrian confirmed the Speedo's practical use for sport. "So much of the water is a feel thing—you feel how your body reacts to it," says Adrian. "I need my skin to touch the water. When you're actually swimming, there's no question a Speedo is faster."
There's another practical Speedo movement happening a bit out of sight: Guys are layering Speedo briefs under longer trunks for added support, or to cover up until they get into the water. "I see that a lot in places like the Hamptons," says George Sotelo, founder of Thorsun swimwear. "Guys wear the shorts over briefs because you're really exposed in a Speedo."
It seems the brief's practical support or performance use is the gateway to wearing a Speedo as a style statement. "I think it still starts in competitive swimming and then leaps into fashion," says Duvall.

Adrian seems to exemplify that idea exactly. "It started off as a uniform thing for me," he says. "As a typical shy kid, I'd wear a blue or black Speedo so nothing stood out. Now, it's much less something that I want to hide or not have people notice. It's a little bit more of a statement."

Know Your Environment

Speaking of statements: No one knows the statement piece better than Europeans. "Europeans are all about the tan lines," says Adrian. "I've traveled all over the place, and it's totally normal to have a ton of dudes in Speedos."
Sotelo sees the European approach influencing styles in the states. "I think American men are starting to become more comfortable with shorter shorts," says Sotelo. "The European influence is coming into America, and will continue to do so."
Still, we're not all the way there in the States. And sure, if you're surrounded by a bunch of deeply tanned European dudes in their array of banana hammocks, you won't raise any eyebrows in your own Speedo. But in America today, the more conservative environment makes a brief look like the odd one out.
"Be aware of your environment," says Sotelo. "It can be aggressive and overly sexual if you wear it when it's not appropriate. If I have a pool party at my house, and everyone is in more conservative trunks, don't be the dude in the Speedo. You will be the peacock."
Which, depending on your personality, might be the look you're going for exactly. In which case…

Confidence is Key

As with all things style related, you have to know the rules before you can break them. What does this mean for Speedo wearing? Well, it means it's a conscious, confident decision that you make. A brief might not fit the norm (duh). You might—make that will—get some comments and questions, sure. But if you do wear one? Damn does that show nerve.
"The brief is the sign of confidence," says Duvall of Speedo. "It's as much of a sign of confidence on an elite swimmer as it is a sign of confidence on a gentleman in South Beach."
Nathan Adrian sees things similarly. "You totally just got to rock it," he says. "The level of confidence you have is clutch. If you just walk around like it's normal, then it is normal."
Sotelo of Thorsun, a proponent of men being adventurous (and comfortable doing so), says wearing a Speedo is the ultimate sign of self-confidence, and the unequivocally best way to highlight those hours at the gym.
"I'm super jealous of guys in Speedos because they don't care what people think, and that's awesome," says Sotelo. "If you're wearing a Speedo, you have to have some level of confidence because it's such a statement. So if you look good and you can fill it out, why not? Go for it."

[Thom]

Here is an interesting article from Esquire magazine. The part of it I like most is where it says that wearing a speedo is the ultimate sign of self confidence. Go out there with confidence!

Good article BJE. Good advice. I read this the other day. I guess a corollary to this would be Aussiebum's slogan, "If you doubt yourself, wear something else." And to paraphrase Yoda, "Wear, or wear not."

[solarguy]

Great article! Thanks for sharing it with us. I absolutely agree that it's a confidence thing!!

[BJE]

I like this quote:

"I'm super jealous of guys in Speedos because they don't care what people think, and that's awesome," says Sotelo.

I hope this is true for a lot of guys. I hope that men who see me in my speedo are jealous of me and wish they had the courage to wear one.

[rmf]

I like this quote:
"I'm super jealous of guys in Speedos because they don't care what people think, and that's awesome," says Sotelo.
I hope this is true for a lot of guys. I hope that men who see me in my speedo are jealous of me and wish they had the courage to wear one.

I wonder that too. Because I take a Master swim class at our local neighborhood pool that basically all our neighbors are members of too, I told my wife the other day that cat is pretty much out of the bag to that fact that I am 'the neighbor friend' who wears speedos. My wife is completely cool with it and doesn't care and, there are other guys who were speedos too so I can't say I am the only one. However, I am the only one among our friends who wears them which is completely fine. ....

[swimmy]

Pretty much exactly what I keep saying here. It's the uniform of my sport, it has been my everyday training suit since I was a kid, it's what I wear at the pool. It's what I run around in at home, do (back)yard work in, how I get my (almost) all-over tan. When we're at the lake with friends and the "swim to the other side and back challenge" comes up, everybody knows the board shorts are coming off and there's a Dolphin underneath. They're used to it.
Author Sotolo's comment about taking the fashion statement into overly sexual is absolutely key here. I do not wear a speedo to show bulge and cheeks. I don't even own a banana hammock, other than the JOK half mini in my avatar, which I only wear at home so far, LOL...
The whole banana hammock in public thing attitude is why there is disdain for speedos, too many people don't understand the difference, much less the reason a speedo is necessary to us swimmers.

[speedobillyuk]

Not sure if it really is a confidence thing for me, and probably many others out there. I gre up in the 60s and 70s when speedos were what you wore at the pool or on the beach. I've never worn anything different, and never will. It's not so much confidence as what I feel comfortable in, plus the sheer practicality of briefs for swimming. I've been around long enough to know that whatever you do there will be those who approve, and those that don't. I don't seek anyones pproval - I simply wear what I like, and those who don't approve - why should I care.

[SpeedoUSA]

Great post... time will tell

[Thom]

Not sure if it really is a confidence thing for me, and probably many others out there. I grew up in the 60s and 70s when speedos were what you wore at the pool or on the beach. I've never worn anything different, and never will. It's not so much confidence as what I feel comfortable in....

I'm from the same era, and this is pretty much true for me as well.

[swimmy]

Today it was so hot at the local lake beach. The docks surrounding the kiddie area were pretty full of sunbathers and teens and moms with little ones but hardly anyone was in the deep roped off swimming area outside of the docks. So some old geezer came along in full tourist regalia, the straw hat and sunglasses and tank top and canvas cargo shorts and loafers. Found a clear spot and slipped off his shoes, put his sunglasses in them, put the hat on the shoes, added a tank top and the shorts, leaving him standing there all muscled and tanned in a black Speedo endurance. Dove into the lake like it was the Olympics and wasnt seen for fifteen seconds, doing the underwater dolphin or something, cause when he came up he was at the barrier ropes, twenty five yards out. Then he started swimming fast freestyle the other way, back and forth, also about a twenty five yard length. Stopped at the rope barriers each time and treaded water for about ten seconds and took off again. About a dozen times. Then did breaststroke back to the dock, climbed out, slipped the dork shorts and shoes on, sunglasses and hat, carrying his shirt just walked back to his sports car and drove away.
Shockingly, nobody freaked. No kids cried or screamed and their mommies didn't faint or dial 911 for the Perv Squad. The teen boys were surely all somewhere between jealous and awestruck over that swimmer physique but pretended not to be staring. The little teenie bops in bikinis and braces each had a bent index finger between their teeth and sunglasses pushed up for the best view possible.
It was so hot! Ninety three degrees! Fuck that water felt good!

[52dno98]

So I've been rocking the speeds at the gym pool as of late, and first of all I LOVE rocking the speeds in public. Second, I don't know if it's a confidence thing or what, but I've had a couple of occurrences that make me feel like other people think, "oh, he's the real deal because he's wearing a speedo"

First time was when a guy in the next lane (wearing jammers) asked me how far I was swimming, and he seemed impressed by the distance (just a mile- something I don't find especially impressive). Second time was when the Masters group asked me if I wanted to join them in their workout set this morning.

Anyway, I'm getting more and more confident wearing in public, and it's awesome.

[Thom]

So I've been rocking the speeds at the gym pool as of late, and first of all I LOVE rocking the speeds in public. Second, I don't know if it's a confidence thing or what, but I've had a couple of occurrences that make me feel like other people think, "oh, he's the real deal because he's wearing a speedo"

First time was when a guy in the next lane (wearing jammers) asked me how far I was swimming, and he seemed impressed by the distance (just a mile- something I don't find especially impressive). Second time was when the Masters group asked me if I wanted to join them in their workout set this morning.

Anyway, I'm getting more and more confident wearing in public, and it's awesome.

Congratulations!! This really is awesome.

[shadowmn]

I consider myself a veteran speedo wearer as I've been wearing them in public for about 15 years. There are still some times that it takes a little nerve to wear my speedo at public beach or pool, but for the most part I can do it without hesitation. Taking my off shorts and sitting out is no big deal at all, but the initial walk to the pool or water can be intimidating if you have to walk through a crowd. The other day at the beach, I was getting hot from laying out and decided it was time to make the trek down to the water. I had to talk myself through it because I was alone this time without a support line from my wife. She doesn't say anything usually, but just her being there is makes it much easier. Once I was ready to exit the water, I again had to talk myself through it to make my way back to my chair. My suit was wet so more detail was revealed and I was facing everyone. I just put my sunglasses back on, put my head up, looked straight ahead and walked up the sand. I tend to look down as I'm walking, but this time I made sure to look straight ahead without looking down. That is the best advice I can give anyone who is lacking confidence to wear a speedo. Once you get a little wet and make yourself seen, it's all cake from there.

[swimmy]

ALL the boys are wearing briefs.... http://www.floswimming.com/article/5969 ... YO0p4TyvDc
watch the video

[52dno98]

ALL the boys are wearing briefs.... http://www.floswimming.com/article/5969 ... YO0p4TyvDc
watch the video

It's just a head shot of a dude talking about his swims?

[rmf]

Look beyond and notice the kids in the background practicing....

We just had the our all-city swim meet last week and I have to say it was a pretty much even split. You could tell the clubs in the more affluent neighborhoods - there were more boys were wearing the expensive technical jammers where as the public pool clubs there were more briefs. But overall, there were still a lot of briefs out there.

[swimmy]

Watch the video! Pay attention to what is going on in the background. None of the boys at the meet are wearing jammers.