On Speedos

I have a lifelong history with Speedos, due to the fact that they were my dad's preferred choice of bathing attire throughout my childhood. In more recent years he began wearing regular bathing shorts (or "trunks" as my husband still likes to refer to them) over his Speedos, but the Speedos were always there.

Somehow he was able to get away with it, even during the 80s and 90s when Speedos went out of fashion as regular swimwear. Everyone could spot my dad at the beach - with his Speedos, dark beard and savagely tanned skin that never faded. Other dads didn't wear Speedos, but mine did. And I was ok with it.

My kids are on the swim team. Most boys now wear "jammers" which are basically Speedos but longer. They look more like shorts. However, every now and then a daring young man will show up on deck wearing a real Speedo. Typically this young man will be very sure of himself, getting loud cheers from his teammates and sometimes dancing on deck to the music prior to his event, leaving little to the imagination. It's pretty entertaining.

Today as I was timing the swim meet in the blistering sun, I overheard the following conversation between two teenagers as they were preparing for the next event.

Boy #1: I will NEVER wear a Speedo.

Boy #2: You've never worn one?

Boy #1: No way.

Boy #2: Dude, when you wear a Speedo, it feels like you're naked, even though you're not. It's really weird.

Boy #1: (laughs)

Boy #2: Yeah, the first time you wear one it's like Whoah! I could be naked right now! It's so bizarre.

Boy #1: I'll bet.

Then the conversation continued along the lines of how much support each type of suit provides, at which point the other mothers and I had to turn away to hide the fact that we were laughing. It was too funny.

Speedos. Not everyone can wear one. But I'm sure the ones who can get away with it enjoy it. Feeling naked and confident in public at the same time takes balls. (Pun intended.)

My Tato - the original Speedo man, 1977 in North Carolina