Truly clothing optional

Is it me or is a clothing optional beach just a euphemism for nude beach? What I mean is I tend to find very few people remain clothed and to be honest I think anyone who does is probably a gawker. I've seen pics of one nude person on a beach where everyone else is clothed. This is cultural for sure but does anyone know of a beach that is genuinely clothing optional where some choose to wear clothes and some don't but neither judges the other or seems uncomfortable in the presence of the other?

 

Also mods, can photos of what I'm talking about be allowed in this thread please? I'm talking photos with an even split between clothed and nude or one or two nude people surrounded by clothed people who don't seem to mind.
Not one or two clothed people on a nude beach because that's the norm in my experience.

 

Just prior to Covid my partner and I visited a resort in Jamaica with a nude beach that was posted clothing PROHIBITED. No ambiguity there. Very comfortable.

 

There are any number of places on the internet where you can see photos including nudity. But sites which have nudity yet aren't full of pictures with some sort of sexual intention are quite rare. Maybe it's true that "clothing optional beach is just a euphemism for nude beach" but most of the time, "nude pictures" is just a euphemism for "sexy pictures"! In fact I wonder if we're so conditioned by being surrounded by porn that we can't see nudity any other way.

Look at the way so many people on Hipforums come to the "Bare it" section to talk about being voyeurs or exhibitionists or whatever sexual fantasy tickles them, in spite of the fact that there are other sections to talk about sex. It's very difficult to stop this kind of stuff from coming in; I suppose I'm looking pretty tedious for saying I don't like it.

 

I go to Gunnison Beach and always see some clothed people. Either one person of a couple, by themselves or as a group.

 

If I'm at one of those types of beaches, I'm totally bare ('cept for sunglasses). Why should I wear my swimsuit if I don't have to?

 

Well clothing optional just leaves the choice open. You are not forced to do either.
I personally, will always lose the clothes if given the choice, but not all do unfortunately... I go to Wreck beach where it was once known as the only legal nude beach in the area, and although it was always "Clothing Optional" you went there to be nude. It appears, at least, it has been infiltrated by a younger group that seem to have no interest in going nude but its just cool to say "we spent the day at Wreck". So it does end up that there is a pretty even split of nude and textiles. Some also just there to gawk as well... Some maybe considering it but not ready yet.
I am sure if they actually tried going naked just once, they would understand the attraction and never look back, opting to always go nude.

I have also noticed for couples, if only one of them goes naked, its more often women go naked and their male partners stay clothed - quite the opposite from when I was young and going to Wreck in the 70's most everyone went naked, however there were a few Female holdouts just not comfortable enough.
For singles, its still more naked males...

(amontillado). As for sexual overtones,I think there is always a sexual awareness at nude beaches regardless of what the purists will claim, however its not welcomed if flaunted by any stretch so it is left at just that.., an awareness of those around you being naked and feeling all your senses come alive as natural human beings. There is nothing unsavoury in that itself.

I only wish there were far more locations with the option to go nude.
I am not aware of any indication of more trouble on Wreck in fact probably the opposite result and if there is, its not the nudity that is the issue, so why they have not allowed it on other beaches is a mystery. It only takes a posted sign to assure people are not confronted with a wayward penis sighting destroying their Childs innocence...
(the same child who surfs porn all day and virtually chainsaws people to bits in the name of fun on video games) but a live dick or boob will scar them for life... go figure.
People like OPTIONS to choose their own path, so enforcing nudity would not be welcomed either. But for God sake people try it, you'll like it.... lol

 

Going nude on a beach ? How radical.......lol

 

I agree completely with you regarding the posting of photos in these threads. At best the photos are annoying, and most of the time their posting merely announces the juvenile, stunted level of sexual development of the poster. It's the internet, after all. There are countless places to see such photos. As one raised in a nudist family, though, I don't necessarily agree with you regarding discussions of voyeurism and exhibitionism. Both of these behaviors are operative in most nudist settings (and I don't mean the gawkers--predatory or not--or those who display themselves merely in order to offend). Not everyone who enjoys nude living and nudist venues is an Fkk nudist longing to run bare through the German countryside. Last I saw the membership of the AANR was said to be around 30 million. That's paid membership. About all such membership gets you is a discounted admission to member campgrounds, along with an opportunity financially to support those trying to keep nudist sites viable and available. Last I saw getting naked didn't really require a paid admission. Way more than 30m are enjoying some type of nude recreation. So-called "nudists" often declare their alliance with freedom and openness as the primary reason for enjoying nudism in the first place, yet with distressing frequency they are the first to want to impose rules of behavior on others. Puzzling (or not really). Like others I most enjoy the sense of liberation and oneness with my surroundings that nudism can afford, but I'd be less than truthful if I denied that I often enjoy being seen in the nude and sometimes quite enjoy seeing others nude. What good, in the end, is there to discussing nudism if we don't do it in an honest, straightforward way?

 

What difference if any does it make? Why are you even concerned? The "optional" aspect allows those not yet ready to be nude themselves to see and somewhat experience a nude-friendly environment. At some campgrounds it can allow parents to remain clothed while affording the kids an opportunity to see if nudism might not be healthy and fun. At times I'm a bit of an exhibitionist and enjoy being seen in the buff. If well-behaved men want to come to the beach and relax in the sun I have no problem whatsoever if they also enjoy seeing me and usually a few girlfriends running bare naked. Why should I? Hubby and I often go to the unofficial nude areas at Indiana Beach. We sometimes go with another couple we've come to know well. The husband isn't comfortable being nude (his choice, and his only) and so the guys wear trunks and his wife and I spend the day nude. In a "nude only" environment this wouldn't be possible. With all due respect, sir, maybe you're the "gawker," gawking at those who choose to exercise their freedom to remain clothed.

 

I don't think I expressed myself as well as I might have. The more I think about it the more it seems to be a cultural thing I'm getting at. Since there are so few nude beaches in my part of the world 95% or more of the people who go to nude beaches are there to be naked. There are some cultures where nudity is way more acceptable and it just fascinates me to think people could go to a beach and mix with people without really noticing who's nude and who's not. Maybe the same people go nude some days and not other days like when I go to a beach sometimes I go for a swim and sometimes I don't for reasons I can't necessarily explain. It would be a much healthier society if that were the case.

 

I see more clearly now what your intended meaning likely was. I, too, might better have expressed my views. Didn't intend to be abrasive or rude (just kinda my way of going about things). The mixing of the clothed with the nude is an interesting one. Sometimes it works seamlessly, sometimes not so much. Depends on how well people know one another, the circumstances, and I suppose prior expectations. As I indicated in a prior post I personally have no problem at all being nude among people clothed, so long as those people aren't offended or made uncomfortable. I also have no problem being clothed or covered around nude people should that better suit my mood at the time. Anyway an issue more nuanced that I'm making it out to be, but one worth exploring.

 

Here in Europe nudity on beaches is far more tolerated than it is in America where I understand it's simply illegal. For example, in Spain, although they have many designated nudist beaches, all beaches are in a way clothing optional as nudity is legal on any beach. There are other laws which just make common sense and mean no-one goes nude in popular busy areas where they would be many families, but basically find a quieter spot of beach and nudity is fine. It works well, and everyone is accepting or at least tolerant. France and Portugal are similar, in both Spain and France I have sunbathed nude on many beaches and also gone for long nude beach walks and swimming too. I was brought up in a nudist family and we often went to France for holidays and it was fairly common to see nudist families. Netherlands is very accepting of nudity on beaches too, less experience of elsewhere, except the UK which is far less accepting.

 

The only nude beach per se that I have been to is Playalinda at the Canaveral National Seashore. Nude beaches being rare in the U.S., they seem to be sought out by those wanting to be nude and avoided by those who don't. The internet tells me that in Europe especially nude beaches are more common and nudity in general is more accepted, so that there is much more "sharing" of beaches by nudes and textiles leading to more true optionality.
I have been nude in many settings, without offending anyone, in places that were remote enough- river, lake, mountain stream, Florida springs- that nudity was unofficially accepted and the space was intermittently shared by those in swimsuits. It's surprising how many folks are NOT offended by nudity in such remote and out of the way places.
In addition, in my young and single days I would often go with a female companion who while keeping her suit on, or bikini bottom on, would be fine with my being nude. So those were swimsuit optional two-somes, or whatever you care to call them...

 

Truly clothing is optional... truest headline I read today

 

When I lived in Europe, I used to go to clothing optional beaches. First couple times there nude I got a hard on just because it was new to me but after a awhile it was everyday normal. Once you are comfortable in your own body, no matter what you look like, everything is okay. I never went up to people with a hard on, I was embarrassed about it and people didn’t seem to mind anyway. I’ve never been to a nude beach in the US though but I still enjoy being naked whenever possible. I feel that Europeans are more open to nudity and being natural than folks in the US.

 

That exact optional aspect is what enabled me to take the first-time plunge and visit a beach where there was nudity. Back then, I didn't have the nerve to go to a nude-only beach because the pressure to get naked was too much for me.

I could however go to a clothing optional beach, because there was no forced nudity so I could ease into the environment. I don't think 15 minutes had passed before I was naked, but nudity being optional instead of mandatory still made all the difference.

About half the visitors were dressed (a majority of the men and a minority of the women) but IMHO the presence of textiles was a non issue. Most visitors were there in groups of mixed nude and dressed people.

I have similar experiences with friends who prefer to remain clothed. On a mixed clothed/nude beach, nobody has to compromise. Doesn't work with all friends, of course, and for some reason the friends it works with for me are all female. Could be a coincidence.

 

I have never felt that way about someone clothed. I always felt they were just trying to get use to being there and the courage to strip. I had a couple sit next to me one time she was outgoing nude he was down to board shorts. I overheard gave my advice and encouragement from sliding out sitting on a towel to fully exposed to actually swimming. They were both very grateful by days end!

 

Many resorts are also clothing-optional.

My wife would have never agreed to visiting a resort that wasn't clothing-optional for her first time. That allowed to "feel things out" before considering taking anything off. So C/O does have it purpose.

After a few C/O trips, she started feeling that she was "missing out" on doing more than just tanning or swimming naked; because she wasn't comfortable staying naked when so many people were covering up outside the pool area. So we tried a "nude-mandatory" resort where people were hanging out everywhere naked. And she finally felt comfortable walking around, hiking and doing lake activities naked. So we stuck with the "nude-mandatory" thing.

But it's up to everyone's comfort level and personal preference.