clothes Archives - Zjuzdme.org

Habit is perhaps the problem

As I write this, I got home from a walk.

The sun was out, it was warm. Perfect for a nude walk, but, being in a populated area, that’s not always an option. (Haven’t we all been there…)

When I got home, I was close to boiling, and I didn’t know how fast I should get out of my clothes. My body couldn’t get rid of the heat that had accumulated inside the textile prison, and only after a few nude minutes I actually started to feel better.

At that point I wondered: is everyone feeling that way?

Habit

Most people are in the habit of wearing clothes. All the time. Even in bed (insert scary feeling). I suspect that those people are not affected by the same heat-sensation that I had gone through after the walk. Or at least not that much. They trained their body (or rather, their mind) to ignore this problem (for the most part). And the part that can’t be ignored is going to be fixed by switching on the air conditioner or a fan.

Nude-aficionados probably have ‘trained’ their bodies and minds to lose all that excess heat by releasing it immediately, or not even ‘storing’ it – which is possible when you’re nude. Not so much when you have the fabrics all around. And that, I’m sure of it, made me get that hot flash as I came back home.

Maybe I’m entirely wrong about this (correct me if you know better), but does this make any kind of sense?

More and more I am convinced that nudity would solve a lot of climate problems, if enough people would go for it and stick to it. Look at damage done, and pollution created by the fashion industry. Look at the power consumption of air conditioning. Look at climate change. This place appears to move towards the situation as I described in “Nude in Space“! Parts of the world overheating, and those who can afford it, hide in air conditioned cities, making the situation outside even worse.

Let’s hope it doesn’t get that far. And let’s also hope we can find some kind of leverage to make the nude life more accepted.

Cloth Vader. The dark side of clothing

You probably know this gentleman. Darth Vader. Seeing his clothing, I doubt that he was aware of the idea that being naked can be a relief.

However… his mental attitude was mostly a bad one during the series.

In an older blog post I already talked about the way that the fashion industry is a big bad player in the pollution ‘industry’.

The whole affair is taking a step in an even worse direction: climate change and the heating up of areas. The whole pollution part must have an effect on the climate, with all the mess that’s put into the ground and the water. But the all-hallowed clothes have an effect on air conditioner sales as well. I am convinced of that. And air conditioners have a few bad sides:

They consume energy which has to be created, which in turn will add to the heat that is already in the atmosphere. (Hello America and Canada, heat domes?)
Air conditioners produce a lot of heat as well, which is conveniently blown into the atmosphere. (Heat dome revisited.)

I really wonder how much difference there would be if more people were to strip off their Cloth Vader and thus reduce part of the need for air conditioning. Yes, part of it, because I’m not stupid. Temperatures that go up to 45 and 50 degrees Celsius (113 – 125 F) or more aren’t for humans, no matter how nude they are.

The crazy stuff in Aquaman

Have you seen the film? Aquaman?

At the moment I’m writing this, I saw half of it. It’s 2.5 hours long; I can’t sit and watch something for that long, so tomorrow I’ll watch the rest.

It’s a well-made film I think. I love the special effects and the works that come with them. There is, however, something I don’t understand at all. It’s how the underwater people look.

Look at this bloke. In a bit, metal-looking outfit.

Excuse me? Under water? Look at the weird collar-stuff that point up. That scoops up water and will slow you down like a pro.

Another thing I really don’t understand is why some of them wear those long, flowing capes. Under water. Perfect to get caught in rocks or corals.

I understand that the filmmakers are bound to the rules and regulations of ‘decency’ and they also don’t want to shock people with nudity (while killing and murder is just fine)…

…but someone like this would make a lot more sense under water, in my view of things. Look at swimmers who try to go fast. They don’t wear capes. They don’t have collars that slow them down.

Look at scuba divers. They wear suits that make them as smooth as possible, so as to reduce the resistance of water.

I know this. I’ve been one:

(Shot in a Mexican Cenote, that’s why the water is so clear.)

Unless the film changes its attitude about clothes under water (and I know that isn’t going to happen), I’m going to enjoy the rest of it but I’ll shake my head at any full-costume scene.

It makes no sense at all.

Have a good day, and stay as nude as you can!

Would being naked ever get boring?

“Always wearing the same thing is boring.”

This is what I heard a while ago. Given the amount of different kinds of clothing, one might almost think that’s a valid statement.

However… if we think back to ancient times, and I mean the times before you and I and even the oldest person in the world was born, most people didn’t have that much of a choice in attire (if they even needed that). Let’s have a look at that.

Prehistoric life and times

Prehistoric people apparently wore skins to keep themselves warm. I doubt they had many options, like a Versace bear skin, or a Levi’s loin cloth. They’d probably wear what they had until it fell apart and then got something new.

The image above should demonstrate that, but for me there’s wrong with it. If the temperature is such that their upper bodies are not covered, and the child is entirely naked, why would they even wear such a thing? I’m pretty much convinced that this originates more from the painter’s modest mind than from actual need during that time.

Killing a bear with a stone axe (like she holds) or a bow (like he holds) would be quite a chore. My guess is that prehistoric people would go around naked much more than modern ideas allow. Look at how the man’s leg movement would be restricted by his ‘skirt’, and now imagine him running after some game to hunt down. That’s not going to fill stomachs well, unless prehistoric people had a particular way to run. In that case I would love to see that. Please share your prehistoric videos!

Living life naked

With this in mind, I started writing this blog post, the start of which might have confused you. Clothes? Yes, that was how I wanted to get to this spot.

Anyone who has spent a significant amount of time in the nude, be it at home, on vacation or wherever, has experienced the freedom it brings.

Have you ever had the idea that wearing the same skin all the time is boring? After all, it’s the only one you have, and as far as I know there are no shops to get another one, in the right shade of red that’s fashionable this summer. For myself I have never had that idea.

Charco del Palo, nude in the street — Charco del Palo

On my vacations to naturist places, like Charco del Palo, I have spent a lot of time naked, and not once did that feel boring.

Many others there also walked around in the same lack of attire and everyone had a good time. I don’t think anyone ever gave the boring concept some thought. And even then, if your regular skin is boring, there’s always body painting!

sunday body paint — Body painting session in New York

Body awareness

This is something that just popped up in my mind at some point. Things have a habit of popping up and some of them are worth writing about.

Naturists are known to have less / no body shame. Some of them/us are still growing up to the point where it disappears, but it is clear to many that bodies are what they are. All different, all special, all good.

Naturists are, as far as I know, very much aware of their bodies. That has nothing to do with shame but the mere fact that we know our body. We know when it’s comfortable, when it’s not so great.

People who wear clothes all of the time have lost that awareness (or perhaps they never had it in the first place, since they were ‘wrapped up’ before their mind developed enough to notice.)

It’s autumn now. Or fall. Name it as you want. Naturists in the northern hemisphere are wearing more clothes. I don’t know about you, but I am very much aware of that fact. I feel those layers of fabric. Of course, I know my body needs those things, otherwise I’ll be cold and that’s not nice.

Still, despite knowing all that, it sometimes is as if my body revolts against that stuff. As if I am not made for those wrappings. Heck, at times I feel like a mummy, especially when I have to bend or squat down to pick something up. There’s that direct awareness that something is cutting off my ability to move and also my blood-flow. Those are the clothes.

I’m certain many of you have similar feelings.

I, for one, am looking forward to the next warm days of spring and the next summer. Oh, sure, having 40C days this summer wasn’t extremely funny at work (that’s 104F) but without clothes I find those days much easier to handle than the days of -10C to 5C (10F to 40F) wearing the garments.

I just need to find a place that allows for doing the work in the buff. 😀

The stubbornness of textile

Yes. I had ‘an experience’ again. With an unexperienced person.

On my Dutch author blog I wrote about naturism, because I released a Dutch crime story that also deals with naturism. An acquaintance writer/poet from near here let me know she’d read the article and though it was “very courageous” to tell the world I’m a naturist.

That is what happened in my head. An alarm bell. Courageous? What’s so courageous about telling the truth?

I asked her that same question and I got a very deflecting answer: “I really like wearing my clothes, and on the beach I always wear a bathing suit.“

This of course made me ask what benefit the bathing suit had since it doesn’t make you a better bather nor does it keep you warm or dry in the water. “So people don’t see my body.“

Aha. So you are ashamed of your body. There was not a clear response on that one, so the answer is ‘yes’…

Which is a shame, as we all know. There is nothing to be ashamed of, but the media are good at creating this impossible image, and keep changing it.

I asked her once more about her aversion to being naked, quoting her words that she liked wearing her clothes and asking if she had ever tried to be naked for a while. The NO!!! which followed that made it clear to me that she’s not yet ready to give this any thought.

The sad thing of course is that many people think this way, that warped way that’s been glued between their ears. They love their clothes. They won’t change. They will buy a bigger air conditioning unit when it gets hot, instead of doing the sensible thing.

So, to all the readers and followers of this naked-skin-oriented blog: be just as courageous and talk about your naturism. No need to overdo it, or to bring it up at any occasion, but if the opportunity is there and you feel confident, go for it.

We’re all people, all born naked, and we’re all naked beneath the textile layers that society forces upon us.

Let’s enjoy the sensible way of life as much and often as we can, and if any of you have a great way to bring up naturism in a friendly circle, do share it with us. Together we stand!

A naturist’s view on the future

How many of you think of the future in terms of naturism? I’ve discovered I’m doing that quite a lot lately. And why is that?

According to this article on the British Naturism website, their membership is on the rise since a long time, and they ‘blame’ (haha) the heatwave of this past year for that. That, I say, is a good sign for the future of naturism.

Heatwaves are going to be more common than they were, so there will be more opportunity, temperature-wise, to undress and be the way we like, naturists, nudists alike.

And although this sounds wonderful and great for ‘us’, there is of course the other side of the coin: heatwaves. Also drought. Ice caps melting. All those things aren’t that great for ‘us’ or ‘the others’ (the textile based life forms)

I realise that being naked as much of the time as possible isn’t going to save the world, but buying fewer clothes (which in turn makes that fewer have to be made) is a good start. It’s scary to consider, time and again, how much crap gets tossed into the environment by the clothing industry, one of the holy cows of society.

I sincerely hope that the world at large will come to its senses and stop messing things up for humanity. And no, “Save the planet” isn’t needed. The planet will survive us all, unless someone can’t keep his hands off a specific red button.

Not at all what we want. Hot is good as we can take off our clothes, but let’s agree there are limits to the kind of heat we all can take.

A naturist’s view on dressed activities.

Dressed?

Yes. Dressed. You know how that works. It’s putting on the dreaded clothing. We all have to once in a while, although occasionally there are people who avoid it in a brilliant way.

Health Hazards

If you are in any way dealing with health hazards, I can imagine it’s smart to have some protection on. For instance when dealing with chemicals or toxic fumes.

Also when there are things around like hot metals or when you’re working with things that can throw dangerous waste around (for instance when working with metal) it’s a smart thing to have some protection around.

I, for instance, have discovered that wearing an apron in the kitchen can be a very skin-saving happening. Of course that’s not always a necessity, but when cooking (and especially baking) things that involve hot oil or hot water, it’s smart to be safe.

Cooking in the nude. (Yes, it’s a link to a video!)

Examples of clothed jobs

What would you think of firefighters? Would anyone volunteer doing that in the nude? I would certainly don’t have the hots for that. (Okay, I agree, that was perhaps a bad one.)

Then there are people working in clean-rooms, where computer-chips are made. I’ve actually worked in one of those, and although it’s something you can do naked, it’s not going to happen. Clean-rooms need to be, indeed, clean, and walking around there without special clothes is going to contaminate the air with hair and skin flakes. Stuff that’s too small to see often, but on micro-chip scale those are huge problems.

Luckily not all jobs require clothing, although we’re facing the big, clothed world out there. I’m glad I can work from home once in a while and then I don’t have to put on things I don’t want.

What I would really like, and I’m probably not alone in this, is a job that doesn’t require clothes. Like working in a naturist resort, or even working in a naturist restaurant like there are in Bristol and Paris these days.

Of course I keep dreaming of a full-time job as a writer, having the freedom to work naked all the time.

What’s your favourite clothes-free job? Do you have one in mind? Do you actually work one? Tell me, I’d love to hear from you and get inspired!

A naturist’s view on sustainability

What is sustainability?

According to Wikipedia, sustainability is defined as “the process of maintaining change in a balanced fashion, in which the exploitation of resources, the direction of investments, the orientation of technological development and institutional change are all in harmony and enhance both current and future potential to meet human needs and aspirations.”

Naturism and sustainability

When we look back to the origins of naturism (nudism), the movement was all about a healthy lifestyle in harmony with nature. I am convinced there are still plenty of nude walking people who share that idea in some way or other. And that, for me, already points into the direction of sustainability. The harmony with nature part already shows that naturism’s basic philosophy underwrites a world that is a healthier and better place than many areas in our current world.

A while ago I posted a blog about the fashion industry and the amount of pollution that brings with it. The clearest point of that was that wearing clothes has a severe impact on the environment, so less clothes means less crap in the water and the air.

But it doesn’t end with clothes (for me)

Mankind has taken control of the planet in a way that’s totally irresponsible. Mankind thinks they are lord and master (or lady and Earth mistress) of this ball we still live on. A tiny flaw in this mindset is that ‘mankind’ is very wrong. Just because humans feel invulnerable doesn’t mean they win everything. When air is no longer breathable and water is no longer safe to drink, the all powerful human will be finished quickly.
Humans who think that way should spend a while in the nude, outside, in nature. I wonder if they still feel invulnerable then. Naturists and nudists know the fragility of man when faced the outdoors. When there is no fabric or plastic shielding that thin skin from the rough bark of a tree, things quickly look different.

Man’s place in nature

The author nude If we find our place in nature again, I am convinced things can still be set to right.

It won’t be fast because we’ve been doing our best to mess this planet up for decades already, but the nude mindset would be a great help in that.

A naturist’s view on the fashion industry

Fashion. Worse than you might know.

Let me tell you something. Second to oil, fashion and textiles is the most polluting industry in the world. Did you know that? I didn’t. I read about it here. I don’t know if you headed over to read the article. Here’s a summary of the facts:

It can take more than 20,000 litres of water to produce 1kg of cotton.
Up to 8,000 different chemicals are used to turn raw materials into clothes.
The clothing that doesn’t sell, falls apart or goes out of style usually ends up on landfills.

Clothes on landfill

Wow. Impressive, isn’t it? According to classiccotton.org 3/4 of all produced clothes end up on landfills. Now that is scary.

Naturism, a.k.a. common sense.

After these figures it’s even more evident that people who prefer nudity are on the smart side of the scale. I hope that all the clothes we don’t buy make a difference. Less water wasted, fewer chemicals all over the place, and less garbage and waste.

Of course there will always be garbage, but I almost fell out of my chair when I read how much junk is created by the manufacturing of clothes. But… did you see the number of chemicals used? Up to eight thousand! And that is used on stuff everyone happily puts on their skin. I’m convinced most of that stuff will be washed out with 20,000 litres (that is almost 5,200 gallons, for non-litre people) of water per kilo / 2 lbs. but still. All that stuff has to go somewhere. Do you trust the fashion industry enough to make sure that any remaining chemical is caught and discarded in a responsible manner? I wouldn’t put my money on that.

After digging into all this matter I am even more inclined not to wear clothes as much as I can. We hear about pollution and such every day, but the fashion industry is a market that goes on doing that without anyone batting an eye at it. If we talk about dirty secrets: new clothes have them!

The author nude