Typically I am the first and only one. Also during the winter months, I am one of the few going in the water too (like the op). While I do occasionally see guys in speedos, thongs or even bikinis are rare.
I’ve only worn a thong at the beach solo though. Every time I’ve been with friends or family, I’ve opted for a bikini. At this point I’m comfortable enough that I could wear a thong to a pool or around certain people, but the opportunity hasn’t arisen yet.
Everyone here has already mentioned the basic things. Go to quiet parts of the beach, away from families. Also if women are wearing thongs, than it should be fine for me. Increasingly I feel confident going out in one, even if no one else at the beach is wearing one. It does help that I live in Southern California though.
The vibe of an area can make all the difference too. San Diego has fully embraced the thong. That seems to be the preferred swimwear for most women, and I’ve even seen a few men wearing them.
Orange county tends to be more conservative. Most women wear bikinis. You occasionally see one in a thong, but I have yet to see a guy in one. I do see more Speedos out there though than any other area.
Los Angeles it’s a lot more urban in culture, so you’ll see a lot of women wearing thongs, but often they’re the impractical “can’t get wet” type. With the exception of gay beaches, most men tend to wear very baggy shorts. Not only am I the first but almost always “the only”.
Just being confident and acting naturally is more than 50% of it. Also wearing something that fits correctly helps. If you’re constantly having to adjust it, it sags in the wrong areas, or it doesn’t sit correctly on your waist, you will feel more self-conscious.
But there are almost always women wearing thongs, especially at a beach. I don’t think I’ve ever been to a single beach and didn’t see a woman wearing a thong. Maybe in a very conservative area? Not sure.
Thongs are so normalised among women. Men have to join in on the fun.
Why away from families? Thongs aren’t sexual. Also often times a beach is too crowded that you can’t be that picky. If you see beach chairs you generally should take them, especially if you weren’t there early. This is coming from a man that has a family and wears a thong (obviously).
This is why I follow a strict “no thongs unless women in thongs” policy. I’m trying to cultivate acceptance and making a scene, intentionally or not, undermines everyone.
@cambridgeguy … I agree with this. I don’t wear a thong unless in know it’s 100% legal and in a place where you would expect to see swimwear. I use to visit a portion of a certain beach but stopped because every time I went there were a couple gentlemen in VERY small g-strings. They made it a point to walk up and talk to everyone on the beach including me every time I was there (including families). It made me uncomfortable. They crossed the line from enjoying the beach to forcing all into being part of their exhibitionism kink. I’ll be the first to admit I’m an exhibitionist but I think there’s a pretty clear line when it gets crossed and it perpetuates and enforces the general public dislike and disapproval of men wearing thong swimwear.
My other rule is, Don’t be a creep. Wandering around in a thong around talking to everyone crosses the line for me. By all means, be friendly to people who talk to you, but going out of your way to chat up other people is a big no for me.
First I like to state that I do not like crowds. So I’ll never go to the very famous and thus crowded beaches.
So normally we go to quiet or moderate crowded places where is enough room to live and let live. There I just undress into my thong and do my thing: Relaxing in the sun, walking along the beach and looking for shells and nice stones, swimming, getting something to drink in the beach bar, etc.
Never had a real issue, sometimes a remark or people staring.
The days are getting longer, but it isn’t warm enough to wear a thong outside in the Pacific Northwest just yet. I’ve been frequenting a nearby sauna and cold plunge where swimsuits are de rigueur. It’s a relaxing way to spend an hour regardless of the weather.
In the past, I might have started in a more modest style, gotten a sense of the norms, and perhaps even waited until I saw someone else wearing a thong before donning one myself. Instead, I wore a thong swimsuit on my first visit and every time since.
Most people prefer more traditional attire. Women wear a mix of swimsuits and athletic wear. Men almost universally wear swim trunks. I have seen a couple of women wearing thongs, but I have never seen men in anything less than fitted shorts.
The vibe is the polar opposite of the gym I belong to. The staff and patrons are warm and welcoming. Unlike a beach, there’s no room to spread out. People make space for each other and, no matter what they prefer to wear themselves, are accepting of everyone else.
When I was a kid in the 70s, men’s swim trunks were all tight Speedo like trunks. Makes more sense than baggy long shorts. When long board shorts became commonplace, I wore 1" Speedo type in the 80s–2000s, except of course at the nude beach. But now at the community pool, I wear 7–9" swim trunks, except where g-strings are more common.