# What's the Purpose of Such A Swimsuit?
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-purpose-of-such-a-swimsuit/424352
**Category:** Factual Questions
**Created:** [October 28, 2007, 6:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-purpose-of-such-a-swimsuit/424352 "2007-10-28T18:09:17Z")
**Posts on this page:** 20
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@ralph124c](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ralph124c)
#### Post date: [October 28, 2007, 6:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-purpose-of-such-a-swimsuit/424352/1 "2007-10-28T18:09:17Z")
Warning-not safe:[u rl][Peekaboo 1 String G-String - The-Bikini.com peekaboo 1 String Thong](http://www.the-bikini.com/galleries-peekaboo-one-string/)
I mean, this doesn’t attempt to cover anything-is there any purpose to this?
Finally, is something like this leagl on beaches?
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### Author:  [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)
#### Post date: [October 28, 2007, 6:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-purpose-of-such-a-swimsuit/424352/2 "2007-10-28T18:13:55Z")
The purpose? To show off a sexy body; that’s the purpose.
Legal on what beaches? In the US probably not. In Europe? No big whoop.
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### Author:  [@Sunspace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sunspace)
#### Post date: [October 28, 2007, 6:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-purpose-of-such-a-swimsuit/424352/3 "2007-10-28T18:20:58Z")
You speak of sexual advertisement as if it’s a _bad_ thing…
Of course, not all people believe that displaying the breasts is sexual advertisement.
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### Author:  [@Revtim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Revtim)
#### Post date: [October 28, 2007, 6:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-purpose-of-such-a-swimsuit/424352/4 "2007-10-28T18:26:31Z")
I think the question is: why not just go nude?
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### Author:  [@Uncertain](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Uncertain)
#### Post date: [October 28, 2007, 6:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-purpose-of-such-a-swimsuit/424352/5 "2007-10-28T18:26:38Z")
[QUOTE=John Mace]
The purpose? To show off a sexy body; that’s the purpose.
[/QUOTE]
I took the question to mean “why bother with this, rather than just being naked?”
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### Author:  [@Rico](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rico)
#### Post date: [October 28, 2007, 6:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-purpose-of-such-a-swimsuit/424352/6 "2007-10-28T18:34:31Z")
\
Broke link - it’s still accessible, you must cut/paste, however.
WARNING: Not safe for work.
\
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### Author:  [@An\_Gadai](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/An_Gadai)
#### Post date: [October 28, 2007, 6:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-purpose-of-such-a-swimsuit/424352/7 "2007-10-28T18:34:49Z")
[QUOTE=Revtim]
I think the question is: why not just go nude?
[/QUOTE]
Because it frames the body I suppose. Bikinis made from dental floss, that’s a new one on me though.
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### Author:  [@scr4](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scr4)
#### Post date: [October 28, 2007, 6:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-purpose-of-such-a-swimsuit/424352/8 "2007-10-28T18:34:57Z")
[QUOTE=Uncertain]
I took the question to mean “why bother with this, rather than just being naked?”
[/QUOTE]
Because it’s more sexy. Same reason people buy sexy lingerie.
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### Author:  [@ralph124c](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ralph124c)
#### Post date: [October 28, 2007, 7:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-purpose-of-such-a-swimsuit/424352/9 "2007-10-28T19:07:11Z")
[QUOTE=scr4]
Because it’s more sexy. Same reason people buy sexy lingerie.
[/QUOTE]
Yes, my comment was: this is just like being naked. There are no tan lines, and eveything is exposed. So why wear it? (Looks uncomfortable). :smack:
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### Author:  [@Sunspace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sunspace)
#### Post date: [October 28, 2007, 7:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-purpose-of-such-a-swimsuit/424352/10 "2007-10-28T19:10:11Z")
[QUOTE=ralph124c]
Yes, my comment was: this is just like being naked. There are no tan lines, and eveything is exposed. So why wear it? (Looks uncomfortable). :smack:
[/QUOTE]
Because simply walking along naked might just mean that you are a nudist.
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### Author:  [@jjimm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jjimm)
#### Post date: [October 28, 2007, 7:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-purpose-of-such-a-swimsuit/424352/11 "2007-10-28T19:15:51Z")
[QUOTE=ralph124c]
Yes, my comment was: this is just like being naked. There are no tan lines, and eveything is exposed. So why wear it? (Looks uncomfortable). :smack:
[/QUOTE]
It’s tittilating for the observer. Concealment of all-but the ‘goods’ can be sexier - that’s why there’s strip-tease, rather than someone just walking on stage stark bollock naked.
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### Author:  [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)
#### Post date: [October 28, 2007, 7:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-purpose-of-such-a-swimsuit/424352/12 "2007-10-28T19:16:50Z")
Perhaps it covers just enough not to get arrested for indecent exposure? I know that in some states the women in the strip clubs are required to wear pasties over their nipples.
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### Author:  [@jjimm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jjimm)
#### Post date: [October 28, 2007, 7:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-purpose-of-such-a-swimsuit/424352/13 "2007-10-28T19:26:30Z")
[QUOTE=Dewey Finn]
I know that in some states the women in the strip clubs are required to wear pasties over their nipples.
[/QUOTE]
You have no idea [how funny that sounds](http://www.naturalcollection.com/organic/cornish-pasties-cornwall.aspx) to this Englishman.
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### Author:  [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)
#### Post date: [October 28, 2007, 7:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-purpose-of-such-a-swimsuit/424352/14 "2007-10-28T19:27:26Z")
Hey if they want to stick those on themselves, who am I to say no?
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### Author:  [@bibliophage](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bibliophage)
#### Post date: [October 28, 2007, 7:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-purpose-of-such-a-swimsuit/424352/15 "2007-10-28T19:34:25Z")
Women can go about topless legally in more states than you might imagine (Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, New York, Hawaii, etc). I find women in those states are sadly remiss in exercising their rights.
Complete nudity in public is legal in at least a few states. It’s generally legal in Vermont. Maine has a law against it on its books, but a court case a few years ago makes it unlikely that it could be enforced.
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### Author:  [@Anaamika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anaamika)
#### Post date: [October 28, 2007, 7:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-purpose-of-such-a-swimsuit/424352/16 "2007-10-28T19:46:04Z")
[QUOTE=jjimm]
You have no idea [how funny that sounds](http://www.naturalcollection.com/organic/cornish-pasties-cornwall.aspx) to this Englishman.
[/QUOTE]
Heh. [Pasties](http://secure.condomania.com/images/E-PASTIES_1_th.jpg) on this side of the puddle.
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### Author:  [@Shodan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shodan)
#### Post date: [October 28, 2007, 7:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-purpose-of-such-a-swimsuit/424352/17 "2007-10-28T19:58:54Z")
Who was it that said “a bikini is like a company’s financial statement. It reveals much that is interesting, and covers everything that is essential.”
Regards,
Shodan
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### Author:  [@ArmenE](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ArmenE)
#### Post date: [October 28, 2007, 8:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-purpose-of-such-a-swimsuit/424352/18 "2007-10-28T20:22:55Z")
[QUOTE=jjimm]
It’s tittilating for the observer. Concealment of all-but the ‘goods’ can be sexier - that’s why there’s strip-tease, rather than someone just walking on stage stark bollock naked.
[/QUOTE]
I’d argue that this doesn’t conceal the goods at all.
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### Author:  [@Anaamika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anaamika)
#### Post date: [October 28, 2007, 8:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-purpose-of-such-a-swimsuit/424352/19 "2007-10-28T20:24:12Z")
[QUOTE=ArmenE]
I’d argue that this doesn’t conceal the goods at all.
[/QUOTE]
Think of it more as decoration than concealment.
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### Author:  [@jjimm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jjimm)
#### Post date: [October 28, 2007, 8:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-purpose-of-such-a-swimsuit/424352/20 "2007-10-28T20:34:31Z")
[QUOTE=ArmenE]
I’d argue that this doesn’t conceal the goods at all.
[/QUOTE]
Well, you can’t see the clitoris…
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