[Bede735]

I've noticed an absence of girls wearing bikinis at my local pool for several weeks now. My theory is that bikinis aren't really for swimming - they're for posing in. If women want to swim they wear one-piece swimsuits.

So a place where bikinis are prevalent e.g. a beach, is a place to pose in. And that's where the problem lies. If a man wears a pair of briefs at the beach he is posing, and that's just not the done thing. Far better to wear a pair of long shorts so as not to flaunt yourself.

Conversely, briefs aren't (or shouldn't be) a problem at a swimming pool because it is a place for the purpose of swimming.

In conclusion, I think clothes/sports shops should adopt a two tier strategy. One section should just be for swim briefs and headed FOR SWIMMING ONLY, while the other section selling (swim)shorts should be headed FOR POSING ONLY.