The ancient Cretans would like a word with you.
It’s pretty good question. Female breasts weren’t covered in many cultures although the covering of the genitals took place in most cultures.
However, although it wasn’t universal, covering the female breast did take place in many cultures. This was true in China which considered the fact that Cambodians didn’t cover their female’s breasts to be quite shocking and it was also true in Egypt and the Tigris/Euphrates civilizations too.
My theory is that it has to do with the fact that female sexual development included breast development. Therefore, developed breasts were a sign of female sexuality (yes, I know they’re not sexual organs, but I didn’t say they were).
One theory I found interesting says clothing was created to cover up sexual arousal which might make it hard to communicate between people.
Imagine a culture with no clothes, and a man is talking to a woman, and merely wants to let her know he has some nice cave paintings at his place she might be interested in looking at. If he is …uh… pointing North while having that discussion, it would blow his game. Better to wear a small piece of cloth to cover any activities that is taking place in his Southern hemisphere so you won’t distract your conversation partner with unintended messages.
Women, when they’re aroused get erect nipples, and therefore, covering a woman’s breast was a way to hide their sexual arousal.
Out of curiosity, what would be the largest religion (in terms of number of worldwide adherents) that does permit women to publicly expose nipples?
When did those swimsuits go out of style? The ones that looked like long underwear, with red and white stripes? I thought they looked classy! 
One trip to a nude beach in 70’s was enough for me. Let’s just say the majority of people look a lot better clothed. 
That includes me too. Nudity is best left to actresses and models that shave carefully and diet frequently.
I recall Wendy O Williams appearing on late night tv with electrical tape over her nipples and nearly all her boob exposed. That was broadcast and legal.
Wendy and her electrical tape covering.
They went out of style in the late 1930’s, when it finally became legal for the male nipple to be shown.
This, Ají.
I’m not sure what you mean about cities. Is there some inevitable clash between tall buildings and nppls?
:dubious:
I think that we should parse this question into two parts.
It seems to me that there would be a at least a few cultures and subcultures that reject **most **displays of nipples/areolas in public places, but make an exception for breastfeeding.
I get the impression that most Muslim countries reject even the latter, and while women may nurse their kids in public, they are required to drape the sight with a completely opaque shawl.
For all I know though, in Africa far enough south of the Sahara, cultural norms are different, and the intermediate possibility is in effect, even when Islam prevails.
Anyone have the answer for this one?
The Crete images are from rituals or Queens, not common people going to Starbucks.
People living in the jungle tend to be freer with their clothing (or lack thereof)
The simple answer is that cultures that develop in hot climates tend to have different standards of dress and modesty than cultures that develop in cold climates. Nudity or near-nudity is the norm for virtually all cultures near the equator. Covering up is the norm for virtually all cultures with cold winters. Interestingly, hot climate cultures also tended toward clothing that draped around the body - what we today call dresses - for both sexes, and cold climate cultures tended toward leggings for both sexes - what we today call pants. The association of effeminacy with dresses is a modern affectation of cultures, like ours, that come from northern Europe.
There are gazillions of cultures in various times and places and tendencies rather than rules are the only possible generalizations, so I’m sure exceptions exist. But norms develop from local conditions, so that’s the first place to look for explanations. That’s also what makes them look out of place when moved elsewhere. What’s right for northwestern Europeans doesn’t instantly translate when imposed on colonies.
Because females don’t tend to crash their cars into the nearest light pole if they spot a male walking down the sidewalk with his nipples showing.
It is sexist. It’s a statement about the complete inability of males to control themselves. 