My (Long) Swim Briefs Story
Posted: Fri Aug 01, 2025 10:24 am
Hi all, I discovered Nate's blog and the forums several years ago and today I finally decided to create an account to tell my story. I'm not sure exactly when my interest in swim briefs first began (probably as a young teen?), but my story really starts about 5 years ago in 2020. I was 19 at the time and a full-time college student while also working 30+ hours/week. I lived with my parents in FL about 40 minutes away from Clearwater Beach. I didn't have a great body but I guess something about the pandemic made me crazy enough to say now is the time.
For a little background, I grew up in a large Christian family and my parents were quite strict about a lot of things including "modesty". We boys were never allowed to go shirtless except in the pool or at the beach, and even that ended up getting banned when I was 11. I hated that shirts required rule so much that I completely stopped swimming for a few years in protest before finally giving in. My cooperation was only surface level though. I was generally a good kid from the outside, but secretly a rebel in a lot of ways. I won't get into it here but I'll clarify that I never did anything illegal or objectively even all that bad.
Anyway, getting back to my swim briefs story, at 19 I had money, a car, and a somewhat unpredictable work schedule so I bought my first pair of swim briefs in early June and started creating opportunities to work towards wearing them in public. Obviously that was easier said than done for someone who hadn't even been shirtless around anyone else in 8 years. Typically I would pick a weekday to pretend I had work and then go to the beach instead. I would put on my work uniform, drive to somewhere with a large empty parking lot, change in my car (hopping out quickly to spray on sunscreen), and then drive to the beach.
At first I wore my normal board shorts with swim briefs underneath. I had no intentions of taking the board shorts off since I was just getting used to going shirtless again, but it was nice to have the briefs underneath. Eventually I switched to wearing gym shorts once I felt ready to start working towards wearing just the briefs. I don't remember the exact day I was finally able to push through, but I'll never forget the experience, unfortunately in both a good and bad way.
It was late August, so it had taken me all summer to work up to it (looking back now I realize that was actually pretty quick). It was a weekday as usual and I had chosen to go to a much quieter beach a few miles down the road from main Clearwater Beach. Underneath my shorts I was wearing a pair of briefs that were royal blue with some kind of gray geometric pattern. I don't remember all the details, but I know that shortly after I picked a spot and got settled my shirt came off, my shorts came off, and there I was laying on my towel in just my briefs. My mind was racing with excitement and anxiety, realizing this was the moment I had been waiting for.
Of course I was petrified to move and potentially draw any more attention to myself, so I just lay there trying to calm myself down by listening to music with one earbud and sipping from my water bottle. I rolled over every so often but eventually I got too hot and sweaty, so I had to stand up and walk down to the water to cool off. Unsurprisingly (to my logical brain) and unbelievably (to my anxiety brain), no one really paid any attention. I was thrilled and having the absolute time of my life.
I don't remember how long I stayed, but I do distinctly remember choosing to walk back to my car without getting dressed. When I got there I discovered that one of my windows had been smashed and my backpack had been stolen. Luckily my work uniform wasn't in it but I did lose a couple portable speakers, a few pairs of swim briefs, and some other random stuff. I cleaned out some chunks of glass still in the window and drove back with one window missing and the other rolled down. Thankfully it wasn't difficult to convince my parents that the break-in had happened at work so I never got in any trouble. Between the stolen backpack and the window replacement, my first swim briefs experience ended up costing me around $500 but it was worth every penny.
Fast forwarding through the next 5 years, I only remember wearing briefs at the beach one other time that summer. Then I got too busy with work and school, and I didn't pick it up again in 2021. After I graduated, I moved out on my own to a different state for a job. Due to a combination of work stress, sedentary lifestyle, and depression I gained about 60 lbs on top of already being overweight. I got help though and started figuring things out (obviously an oversimplification of what was and continues to be an immense struggle). So far I've lost 75 lbs while also getting a lot stronger. I probably have another 15-20 lbs to go before I'm at a truly healthy weight, but I've been getting the swim briefs itch again and I've been working hard to rebuild my body confidence.
Which FINALLY brings me to the reason I decided to post today. I just booked a last minute, long weekend beach trip 3 weeks from now. It will be my first ever solo vacation, which already scares me, but I've also decided I'm not going to pack any swim trunks. Of course I'll have gym shorts if it turns out I'm really not ready, but I want this to be my opportunity to finally pick up where I left off 5 years ago and continue writing my story.
For a little background, I grew up in a large Christian family and my parents were quite strict about a lot of things including "modesty". We boys were never allowed to go shirtless except in the pool or at the beach, and even that ended up getting banned when I was 11. I hated that shirts required rule so much that I completely stopped swimming for a few years in protest before finally giving in. My cooperation was only surface level though. I was generally a good kid from the outside, but secretly a rebel in a lot of ways. I won't get into it here but I'll clarify that I never did anything illegal or objectively even all that bad.
Anyway, getting back to my swim briefs story, at 19 I had money, a car, and a somewhat unpredictable work schedule so I bought my first pair of swim briefs in early June and started creating opportunities to work towards wearing them in public. Obviously that was easier said than done for someone who hadn't even been shirtless around anyone else in 8 years. Typically I would pick a weekday to pretend I had work and then go to the beach instead. I would put on my work uniform, drive to somewhere with a large empty parking lot, change in my car (hopping out quickly to spray on sunscreen), and then drive to the beach.
At first I wore my normal board shorts with swim briefs underneath. I had no intentions of taking the board shorts off since I was just getting used to going shirtless again, but it was nice to have the briefs underneath. Eventually I switched to wearing gym shorts once I felt ready to start working towards wearing just the briefs. I don't remember the exact day I was finally able to push through, but I'll never forget the experience, unfortunately in both a good and bad way.
It was late August, so it had taken me all summer to work up to it (looking back now I realize that was actually pretty quick). It was a weekday as usual and I had chosen to go to a much quieter beach a few miles down the road from main Clearwater Beach. Underneath my shorts I was wearing a pair of briefs that were royal blue with some kind of gray geometric pattern. I don't remember all the details, but I know that shortly after I picked a spot and got settled my shirt came off, my shorts came off, and there I was laying on my towel in just my briefs. My mind was racing with excitement and anxiety, realizing this was the moment I had been waiting for.
Of course I was petrified to move and potentially draw any more attention to myself, so I just lay there trying to calm myself down by listening to music with one earbud and sipping from my water bottle. I rolled over every so often but eventually I got too hot and sweaty, so I had to stand up and walk down to the water to cool off. Unsurprisingly (to my logical brain) and unbelievably (to my anxiety brain), no one really paid any attention. I was thrilled and having the absolute time of my life.
I don't remember how long I stayed, but I do distinctly remember choosing to walk back to my car without getting dressed. When I got there I discovered that one of my windows had been smashed and my backpack had been stolen. Luckily my work uniform wasn't in it but I did lose a couple portable speakers, a few pairs of swim briefs, and some other random stuff. I cleaned out some chunks of glass still in the window and drove back with one window missing and the other rolled down. Thankfully it wasn't difficult to convince my parents that the break-in had happened at work so I never got in any trouble. Between the stolen backpack and the window replacement, my first swim briefs experience ended up costing me around $500 but it was worth every penny.
Fast forwarding through the next 5 years, I only remember wearing briefs at the beach one other time that summer. Then I got too busy with work and school, and I didn't pick it up again in 2021. After I graduated, I moved out on my own to a different state for a job. Due to a combination of work stress, sedentary lifestyle, and depression I gained about 60 lbs on top of already being overweight. I got help though and started figuring things out (obviously an oversimplification of what was and continues to be an immense struggle). So far I've lost 75 lbs while also getting a lot stronger. I probably have another 15-20 lbs to go before I'm at a truly healthy weight, but I've been getting the swim briefs itch again and I've been working hard to rebuild my body confidence.
Which FINALLY brings me to the reason I decided to post today. I just booked a last minute, long weekend beach trip 3 weeks from now. It will be my first ever solo vacation, which already scares me, but I've also decided I'm not going to pack any swim trunks. Of course I'll have gym shorts if it turns out I'm really not ready, but I want this to be my opportunity to finally pick up where I left off 5 years ago and continue writing my story.
I was 43 before I wore a pair on the beach (last week lol). On a cool note, you lived near Clearwater, you were very near the Skinzwear store that sold ultra skimpy mens (womens) swim suits. Keep up the good work on the weight loss, and let us know how the upcoming beach trip goes.
