Not everyone embraces the snug fit and body-conscious cut of the men’s bikini, but we’re on a bit of a mission to get more guys to give it a try.
Our resident photographer Armando Adajartook fitness model Alex Edown to the beach in San Diego and managed to persuade him to pull on our bright and bold bikini styles.
Following the shoot, We caught up with Alex to see if he was a convert.
The verdict on the bikini
Men’s bikini swimwear – or swim-briefs – isn’t a style that we see a lot of on the beaches of North America – most guys tend to favour surf-shorts or swim-trunks. Men wearing bikinis is much more common in Europe, and it’s a style that is fairly universally embraced by gay guys.
“When I first tried them on, I realised how great they are!” confirmed Alex, when we asked him how he felt trying on a bikini for the first time. “Maybe I’m a bit more European in my outlook, but I feel like people should be less afraid of exposing their bodies – there’s just so much freedom and confidence that comes with being comfortable in your skin.”
“What I like about the men’s bikini is that you don’t end up with tan lines in inconvenient places…” added Alex. “Plus, it’s an excuse to show the quads off!”
“This is swimwear that exudes confidence, no matter what your body type is…” advised Alex. “Life is too short to worry about what other people might say or think. The male physique should be celebrated. I feel like the bikini is definitely the style that shows off the male physique the best.”
“If I’m planning a hike or something, I might still opt for shorts or trunks…” considered Alex. “But, for hanging out on the beach, the bikini is definitely where it’s at.”
Embracing an outdoors lifestyle
“I recently moved to San Diego from Oklahoma, so you can imagine how much a previously landlocked guy loves the water…” explains Alex. “My family and friends hate me because I’m on the beach so much. I can’t get enough of it!”
“The beach is the one place I can be active and hike, hang out with friends, or just work on my tan – all in the same day!”
Using Instagram for inspiration
We’ve been following Alex E’s fitness journey through his regular updates on Instagram. We asked him how he stays motivated.
“Growing up, I was always the ultra-skinny kid…” explained Alex. “I’m talking bean-pole-skinny, at 5’11” and 140 pounds. There’s nothing wrong with being lean, but my confidence suffered from it, and as a result, I was bullied throughout school.”
“One day, I decided I wanted to live a healthier, more confident lifestyle, so I picked up the weights and pushed myself…” added Alex. “I ended up falling in love with weightlifting. I love constantly pushing myself in the weight room, and in the rest of my life by extension.”
“I think of Instagram as my fitness log, and if I don’t share my progress, I miss out on being able to look back on how far I’ve come on my fitness journey…” shrugged Alex. “One of the biggest compliments I can get is that I am an inspiration. If I can inspire just one person, I think that documenting my journey is worthwhile. I know what it feels like to be directionless and to lack confidence, so I hope that my fitness journey can help others to find that direction.”
Not just a pretty face
“I’m actually currently applying to medical school…” said Alex, when our conversation turns to goals and aspirations for the months ahead. “I know I’m a nerd, but the sciences and intricacies of the human body are huge passions of mine.”
“I’m also pursuing a modeling career…” added Alex. “Being from Oklahoma, I lacked the resources to pursue modeling, but now I’m going at it full force. I’m hoping to start a career in fitness modeling.”
