# If someone is wearing just a towel, do they count as naked? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [December 8, 2013, 1:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-someone-is-wearing-just-a-towel-do-they-count-as-naked/675817 "2013-12-08T13:08:22Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![EmilyG](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/emilyg/32/364_2.png) [@EmilyG](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EmilyG)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2013, 1:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-someone-is-wearing-just-a-towel-do-they-count-as-naked/675817/1 "2013-12-08T13:08:22Z")
If you see someone and they’re wearing nothing but a towel, would you consider them naked? ---
**Author:** ![bobot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bobot/32/21622_2.png) [@bobot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bobot)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2013, 1:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-someone-is-wearing-just-a-towel-do-they-count-as-naked/675817/2 "2013-12-08T13:17:25Z")
Not naked. Close, but no cigar! ---
**Author:** ![Renee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/renee/32/287_2.png) [@Renee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Renee)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2013, 1:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-someone-is-wearing-just-a-towel-do-they-count-as-naked/675817/3 "2013-12-08T13:18:17Z")
No. ---
**Author:** ![BrotherCadfael](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/977dab/32.png) [@BrotherCadfael](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrotherCadfael)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2013, 1:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-someone-is-wearing-just-a-towel-do-they-count-as-naked/675817/4 "2013-12-08T13:28:33Z")
> [@bobot](#): > > Not naked. Close, but no cigar! Bad-a-bing! ---
**Author:** ![planetcory](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/planetcory/32/1032_2.png) [@planetcory](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/planetcory)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2013, 1:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-someone-is-wearing-just-a-towel-do-they-count-as-naked/675817/5 "2013-12-08T13:38:14Z")
I do. And I realize that it makes little sense compared to what clothes are. Maybe it’s because of how temporary or insecure a covering it is. ---
**Author:** ![Slithy\_Tove](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/slithy_tove/32/18248_2.png) [@Slithy\_Tove](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Slithy_Tove)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2013, 1:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-someone-is-wearing-just-a-towel-do-they-count-as-naked/675817/6 "2013-12-08T13:41:55Z")
Only if it’s not so short and not sarong. ---
**Author:** ![Snerky\_Snerk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/6bbea6/32.png) [@Snerky\_Snerk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snerky_Snerk)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2013, 1:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-someone-is-wearing-just-a-towel-do-they-count-as-naked/675817/7 "2013-12-08T13:46:07Z")
IMHO, if worn around their body, covering all the dangly bits, no, not naked. If worn around the neck, like Superman’s cape, then yes, that’s naked. ---
**Author:** ![CrazyCatLady](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/dfb087/32.png) [@CrazyCatLady](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CrazyCatLady)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2013, 2:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-someone-is-wearing-just-a-towel-do-they-count-as-naked/675817/8 "2013-12-08T14:13:05Z")
> [@Snerky\_Snerk](#): > > IMHO, if worn around their body, covering all the dangly bits, no, not naked. It’s not technically naked, but it’s close enough for government work. > [@](#): > > If worn around the neck, like Superman’s cape, then yes, that’s naked. No, that’s nekkid. ---
**Author:** ![drewtwo99](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/d07c76/32.png) [@drewtwo99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drewtwo99)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2013, 2:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-someone-is-wearing-just-a-towel-do-they-count-as-naked/675817/9 "2013-12-08T14:48:22Z")
Not naked. To be naked you have to be entirely 100% without clothing. A man wearing nothing but a belt around his waste is not naked. A woman wearing a towel on her head is not naked. A child running around in a pair of socks and nothing else is not naked. If there is anything on your person whatsoever that can be removed, you are not naked. ---
**Author:** ![Lanzy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/74df32/32.png) [@Lanzy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lanzy)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2013, 2:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-someone-is-wearing-just-a-towel-do-they-count-as-naked/675817/10 "2013-12-08T14:55:40Z")
Exposed? Maybe. Naked? No. ---
**Author:** ![johnpost](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f17d59/32.png) [@johnpost](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/johnpost)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2013, 3:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-someone-is-wearing-just-a-towel-do-they-count-as-naked/675817/11 "2013-12-08T15:05:53Z")
does jewelry count as covering for the minimalist nakidity model? ---
**Author:** ![Mrs.Cake](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/2acd7d/32.png) [@Mrs.Cake](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mrs.Cake)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2013, 3:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-someone-is-wearing-just-a-towel-do-they-count-as-naked/675817/12 "2013-12-08T15:19:14Z")
Depending on who it is, the answer may be “oh god, I hope so” ---
**Author:** ![PunditLisa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/4af34b/32.png) [@PunditLisa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PunditLisa)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2013, 3:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-someone-is-wearing-just-a-towel-do-they-count-as-naked/675817/13 "2013-12-08T15:35:29Z")
No. But if they were wearing just a towel in public, it would be wildly inappropriate. ---
**Author:** ![Justin\_Bailey](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/justin_bailey/32/8792_2.png) [@Justin\_Bailey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Justin_Bailey)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2013, 3:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-someone-is-wearing-just-a-towel-do-they-count-as-naked/675817/14 "2013-12-08T15:43:57Z")
In real life… yes. As far as movies/TV are concerned… no. ---
**Author:** ![Pixel\_Dent](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/bc8723/32.png) [@Pixel\_Dent](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pixel_Dent)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2013, 4:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-someone-is-wearing-just-a-towel-do-they-count-as-naked/675817/15 "2013-12-08T16:42:34Z")
> [@CrazyCatLady](#): > > No, that’s nekkid. No, “nekkid” is “unclothed and up to no good.” ---
**Author:** ![James\_Toothpaste](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e56c9b/32.png) [@James\_Toothpaste](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/James_Toothpaste)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2013, 4:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-someone-is-wearing-just-a-towel-do-they-count-as-naked/675817/16 "2013-12-08T16:50:28Z")
Not in my book. ---
**Author:** ![Lord\_Ashtar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ea924/32.png) [@Lord\_Ashtar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lord_Ashtar)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2013, 5:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-someone-is-wearing-just-a-towel-do-they-count-as-naked/675817/17 "2013-12-08T17:05:46Z")
I’m sorry, you’ll have to speak up. I’m wearing a towel. ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2013, 5:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-someone-is-wearing-just-a-towel-do-they-count-as-naked/675817/18 "2013-12-08T17:27:33Z")
“Naked except for a towel” or “wearing nothing but a towel” is how I would describe it, so, no, not technically “naked” without further qualification. If someone were to tell me a story of seeing someone naked, or being greeted at the door naked, it would be, to me, lying by omission if they don’t mention the towel part. ---
**Author:** ![DMark](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e68b1a/32.png) [@DMark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DMark)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2013, 5:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-someone-is-wearing-just-a-towel-do-they-count-as-naked/675817/19 "2013-12-08T17:34:27Z")
Ages ago, in Berlin, friends of mine took me to a local sauna in the neighborhood. The main facility was on the ground floor of a new apartment building - quite nice, rather new, very clean (hey, in Germany, what did I expect?) and it had a nice pool, etc. There were additional saunas on the roof top - and as this was mid-winter, they suggested going up there to get in the sauna, and then relaxing in the freezing weather on the rooftop. We took the elevator to go to the top floor, wearing only our towels. The elevator stopped on the first floor and two little old ladies got on, fully dressed. The one lady said to the other, “Oh yes, I forgot to mention we get people only wearing towels on these elevators…” Neither of the two ladies seemed particularly upset, but it was kind of weird to realize we were just riding a normal, apartment building elevator up to the top floor wearing nothing but skimpy white towels. ---
**Author:** ![pancakes3](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ba9def/32.png) [@pancakes3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pancakes3)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2013, 7:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-someone-is-wearing-just-a-towel-do-they-count-as-naked/675817/20 "2013-12-08T19:36:18Z")
Now I finally realize the reason for distinguishing “butt naked” from just “naked”. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-someone-is-wearing-just-a-towel-do-they-count-as-naked/675817.md?page=2)