Speedo Heaven

Breyette - Alan in Swimming Trunks

 There's something special about swimming trunks, the cut, the texture...
Breyette has cleverly captured it in this picture.
The water stream cascading in the background is, ahem, 'skillfully' positioned. 

See Life Saver for more nice speedos

Swimming pool steps also seem to capture the imagination of beefcake photographers. This artist has mirrored the sweeping curves of these modern hand rails in the arched shaping of the swimmer's body. It's almost as if they have life and are wrestling with him.

Compare that effect with this watery image by Breyette (from mitchmen blog)

click on the 'wet' label below for more Breyette 'wetness'  

Explore The Art of Michael Breyette

Mermen swim back

Gabo - Merman

 

Of all the mermen I have featured here over the years, I think I like this the best. 

His face and his physique are bang on the button for me right now 

and there's a delicious swirl in his tail that makes a very pleasing image.

The dreaded 'join' is swept aside with confidence as if it didn't matter.

But the merman himself doesn't seem totally happy about it.

No prospect here of fathering merkids, it seems.

Don't worry, there's someone for everyone.

 

(If I may say so, a harpoon-toting merman seems a bit like a turkey voting for Christmas or Thanksgiving but then again, I'm no expert on the species).

 

 

Gabo - Merman, dressed

By way of consolation Gabo has produced a human alter ego 

and he thankfully seems to have the necessary tackle.

I do love a man in swimming trunks!

Not crazy about ones who carry harpoons though.

And if he turns into a merman at midnight things might get tricky

Gabo is on Deviant Art

 

Yellow

 Ivan Gudkov by Serge Lee

 

 I have a bit of a thing about swimming trunks.
Proper ones that look like swimming trunks, not underwear.

If they're skimpy and yellow, I'm hooked!

 

This pose highlights the brevity factor and vulnerabiliy

The little badge seems to add a frisson of importance.

The knotted waist cord looks a temptingly fragile defence.

 

Away from the prying eyes of beach goers

Serge Lee Photography

Swimwear by Marcuse

Floral Trunks

 It's summer time now, down under, a perfect excuse to indulge my little obsession with floral patterned underwear and swimwear (see label below for more). This pair modelled by David Castilla for Marcuse fit the bill (and him!) very nicely. It looks as if he's wondering if it's safe to go out in them.

 

 They look exceedingly skimpy indeed when modelled by Pierre Zamyatin.

He seems to be contemplating having a bath in them. Kinky!

 

A rose-bud features in the centre of the rear view.

As Pierre demonstrates how you take them off.

 

 

Here, Dominic Calvani puts the trunks through their paces for Michael Downs who knows a thing or two about man appeal. Living dangerously I call it.

Here's the proof, Zach Altovito wearing them at Wrestler For Hire 

 

 

 

Zach looks suave

Mark looks ready to  be tied up already

 

 

Urghh!

 

 

 

 Down on your knees!

 

Total Defeat for Zach

Despite his cool trunks.

 

See 'Amour' swimwear on other men

Marcuse men's wear

Between Two Palms

 

DW Chase by Calvin Brockington

mitchmen has a thing about patterned briefs and swimwear (click on the label below for more examples). There's something showy about them which suggests the wearer has an interesting character and sweaty, hairy DW Chase is certainly not your average, plastic, fashion model. The decorations on these trunks often contrive to flatter the male figure, I'm not sure whether this one does or not!

dw-chase-by-calvin-brockington at DNA magazine

Dangly Things

Cavin Knight

 Summer seems a long way off in the Northern Hemisphere but where these Aussiebum swimming trunks come from, it is the height of the season. Laces on swimming trunks had a serious purpose in the old days when trunks were made of natural fibres that sucked up water and created a drag that could unclothe the unwary. Low waisted designs are still vulnerable, lacking body curves for waistbands to cling to. In general though these days laces are more decorative in nature, but allowing them to dangle risks the same thing happening if a mischief-maker takes a fancy to grabbing them. Cavin here seems to be grappling with a stray hand of his own although I hear he's not averse to letting them drop in the right situation. 

Model: Cavin Knight, Photo by Mark Henderson

Floral Trunks

As we bid farewell to summer in the North (and look forward to it in the Southern hemisphere), this image takes a slightly wistful look at the humble swimming trunk. A tiny piece of fabric that speaks volumes of men and their lives, as we dream of them. 

This image is a good example of how briefly-cut swimming trunks showcase male anatomy. The low waist dips at the front to highlight the model's rounded, abs 'washboard'. The leg line traces the a curve across the top of his thighs and together they give extra shape to his bottom. In this case that rounding effect is enhanced by the bold pattern at the back. 

I have a slight obsession with men in briefs like this (click on 'patterned briefs' label below to see more). At one time no man would be seen dead in such attention grabbing designs and I suppose that's part of the attraction. In some ways we seem to drifting back to plain-ness ang grey-ness which brings out the earthiness and modesty in a man, but invisibility too, I fear

These trunks are officially known as the 2eros, Honolulu Ocean Swim Brief (from 2014)

The model is Ryan Greasley. If you want to see more of him in these trunks (and the yellow variant), there's a video of his 2eros modelling session on You-Tube. Nice stills at Underwear News Briefs (!)

The Diver

This back-flipping diver seems to represent the world's readiness to embrace a new era after the catastrophe that was 2020, cute trunks too!

The Way We Were?

Swimmers 1934, Halley Johnson (?)

This is an eerie perspective on Summers gone by

 with two (male) swimmers seemingly stranded on a tiny island

one looking distinctly stressed as he clutches his beach ball

while a yacht serenely passes by with no sign of a human crew

and above them a strangely disconnected moon 

looks down through a window torn in a darkening sky.

The styling of this image is striking, Deco? 

Maybe, but it's initial promise of charming, carefree nostalgia

seems to rapidly dissipate on closer inspection.

 I've not been able to fully verify the artist's identity,

 but the date (if true) suggests a further ominous spin on the mood.

Or are the long shadows and gusting breeze simply signalling sunset,

and the sorrowful ending of an idyllic day in paradise?

Sorry, no link available!

Life Saver

Alex Cairns by Armando Adajar

I have a weakness for beautiful men in swimming trunks.

Model Alex Cairns has the strong lean look of a true swimmer.

The lifebuoy he is holding suggests he's in a life-saving job 

but judging by the placid water in the pool, 

there are no customers to save just at the moment.

Giving him time to think exciting thoughts apparently.

(for more swimmers click on label below)

Summer is coming (again)

If this picture of Allen Clippinger strolling on the beach with a parasol seems familiar to you, 

click on this reminder and you'll know why. 

Hong Tao's recreation of the subject copies the photograph fairly closely, but he seems to have swapped the hint of boyish mischief seen here in the model's face for a more serious and sensitive demeanour. He focuses our attention on the model's character (and subtly changes our perceptions of it) by removing the distracting background of sea and beach, with all it's associations with summer, play and fun. Comparing the two pictures gives a rather good illustration of how we are subconsciously influenced by what appears to be minor detail.

The disappearance of the sporty numbers on the swimming trunks is also part of that transformation though I must say I like to see numbers on a man, it suggests he's got some energy and offers the faint chance that he might be capable of submitting to discipline. 

When I first saw Hong Tao's picture I was struck by the apparent flimsiness and loose fit of the model's shorts which gave it a slightly erotic flavour. You can almost see the same effect in the original photograph but it's clear here that it's created by shadowing and the dishevelling effect of actually getting them wet in the sea (God forbid!). The suggestive dark shadowing just above the waistline in Tao's picture is however, pure artistic licence (or should I say licentiousness!).

Bee still my beating heart

Aaron Kuttler for Aronik

The generous proportions of the pink swimsuit Aaron Kuttler wears here as he wades into the sea seem distinctly retro, reminiscent of the days when modesty was the rule for beach attire, but they would have been thought very daring back then and you can see why. The unconventional, bright colour draws the eye to his shapely bottom and the striking pattern shows off it's shape, indeed it seems to enhance it. Aaron looks round as though he can feel the eyes of fellow beach boys upon it. The honeycomb pattern links with Aronik's use of a Bee for it's logo but it's also the shape of chicken wire, which conjures up a rather different fantasy.

Parasol Beach

HongTao - Man with a Parasol

Images featuring umbrellas on beaches have had to compete with something of an iconic cliche in recent years, but this straightforward picture of a handsome, young man arriving at the beach, oiled up and ready for a day in the sun by-passes self-conscious artiness and has a strong gay vibe. His loose shorts contrive to be almost as naughty as closer fitting, racy styles. The artist's casual use of green spotting, suggests not just sea spray but the sensual wetting of the body.

The Elixir

Sotiris Thomaidis beached (click to enlarge)

 This colourful image is a great ad for the bottom enhancing qualities of Modus Vivendi swimwear! The curvy seams shamelessly copy the classic styling of denim jeans but then, no-one ever got bored looking at them! 

The bottle of turquoise liquid, suggestive of idyllic locations, is a constant and mysterious presence in the pictures of this advertising campaign. In this particular image though, the photographer has conjured up a feast of ideas which epitomise the world of advertising - the handsome man reaching out for a prized, precious object, which appears to have been spilled and nearly lost. But these are ideas that have a resonance for our everyday lives too which gives this picture a touch of true art.

Model: Sotiris Thomaidis photographed by Panos Misailidis for Modus Vivendi's 'Contrast' Line (2016)

Young Masculinity

Phil Hunter

Phil Hunter's shapely, slightly fleshy physique and rugged face seems the epitome of young sporting maleness. The slightly precarious pose (sadly I can't credit the photographer responsible) shows off the curves and bulk of his body extremely well. It also conveys a nice sense that he's here to do someone else's bidding . His pulled back arms and the brightly coloured costume emphasise the display of his his lower body area. You may have read elsewhere that he won't do full nudity and his slightly disgruntled facial expression here makes the irony of this provocative pose all the more delicious. This is a memorable picture that he may never equal in his modelling career, a worthy entry in my 15 minutes of fame gallery (see label below)

Up for Inspection

Sergei by Vitaly Shiryaev

I have a thing about swimming trunks and also about the power photographers have to get their models to do things which they wouldn't dream of doing in real life. Like this pose where Sergei seemingly offers up himself for a hands on inspection. His expression doesn't suggest he's looking forward to it. It's nice to see Russian artists taking their place in the global family, let's hope that silly man in the Kremlin doesn't mess it all up for them.

visit Vitaly Shiryaev

Shallow End

Chris Farrell

by Tom Cullis

The excitement of the Summer Olympics still smoulders on in the memory, here's more magical sporting imagery. The yellow trunks connect with my previous post but there no boyish theme here. The elaborate and artfully arranged bow in the drawstring is intriguing. Trunks like these are sadly disappearing from the competitive scene in favour of technology suits, only divers and water polo players keep the faith. However, the next installment of my Olympic Sketches series at the Yahoo! group (link in sidebar) does feature a swimmer in trunks.

Photo courtesy of Tom Cullis Photography