When I refer to bikini, I mean bikini brief swimwear. Not the bikini underwear.
I remember vacationing in South America for the first time and going to the beach with my board shorts (I was probably a freshman or sophomore in college at the time). And as soon as my sister saw me with them on, she tells me that I need to get "more appropriate" swimwear. Because all of the men were wearing speedo type swimwear. So we go over to a swimsuit shop and she picks one out and tells me to try one on. And it was pretty small probably smaller than what the other guys were wearing. So I try it on, look in the mirror and yeah it was really small. It was only pretty much covering my package and backside.
Then she tells me that it's "more acceptable." And the on thing that I remember once I got onto the beach, was that significantly more eyeballs were looking in my direction. And now there were eye winks, smiles and women turning their heads as I walked by. It felt as if I was walking naking in public....but legally.
So ever since, whenever I could, I wear my bikini brief swimwear.