Difference between Briefs and Bikinis

[sebbie]

Practically any swimmer in major competition (and most minor ones) wore a Swim brief with about a 3-inch side.

Then the European swimmers started showing up wearing skimpier briefs with narrower sides, at first modestly skimpier with maybe a 2-inch side. The American guys started thinking that if they were to be competitive they had to wear something similar, and started doing so.

These briefs were styled to look like the regular briefs with wider sides, but the sides gradually morphed into a 1-inch side. Pretty soon most of the swimming competitions featured guys in suits with 1-inch sides but they were not called bikinis. The fit became snugger as well

Then suddenly everyone decided a jammer made from a special fabric that mimicked sharkskin or was faster than regular human skin, which led to the swim meets were all guys covered to half knee. Then the full body suits eventually ruled illegal. Then to the mix we see today.

At a typical high school swim meet the videos I see reveal about a third of the participants back to briefs with maybe a 2 1/2 inch side. I notice in a lot of the meets the winning swimmer is wearing a brief not a jammer, and this is gradually having an impact over time on what guys wear.