Being naked with friends is the best.
Some reflections on my experiences with naked friends. And ideas for nude socialising you can try!
This is an expansion of a question I answered on the Q&A website Quora: “Have you ever been naked with friends? Is it normal for people to do?”
To which my original answer was:
Many times. I’ve often hosted specifically clothing-optional gatherings in the hope of encouraging my friends to be more naked, and learn the joys of nudity! It feels so refreshing when people are comfortable enough, and willing to let go of taboos, to let themselves be naked with others; it instantly creates a more open and relaxed atmosphere. It’s beautiful. It might not be “normal” in the sense of being common. But it should be normal, and could be normal if people let it be it. And it feels very normal (in the most exceptional way) when you are in that beautifully nude situation. So yeah, get your friends naked, it’s the best!
I thought it might be worth expanding on some of my social nudity experiences, in the hopes of inspiring others to let themselves be naked among friends too!
Clothing Optional Life Drawing
This is my favourite way to share nudity. On and off (depending on the willingness and interest of available friends!) for many years I’ve hosted clothing-optional life drawing groups. This lets me bring together two of my passions: nudity and art. My specific intent with this concept is to encourage friends to let themselves be naked in a social setting, by providing an inherently nudity-encouraging environment, which at the same time lets them enjoy some creative expression too!
The concept is simple, we all gather to draw each other, with each person taking turns to be the model. There’s no pressure for anyone to be any more undressed than they chose, but often the inspiration of a few getting naked encourages more hesitant participants to eventually join in too, especially when it comes to their turn to model.
Not everyone gets naked. Some stay fully dressed, some go partway. Some only get naked for the modelling bit. But everyone has a lovely relaxing time surrounded by at least some other naked people. And we all get to enjoy drawing each other, which is just great fun. It’s also a lot of fun for the art itself, with a variety of artistic talents often delivering some entertaining moments!
It’s such a lovely relaxing thing to do, and a nice encouraging way to help spread the love of nudity and art!
Nude Swimming
This one can come in a few different forms. I’ve been to several organised nudist swimming events at pools. I’ve been skinny dipping with friends in a private pool on holiday. I’ve swam in natural spots with friends too. They’ve all been fun in different ways.
I’d probably err towards the more formal nude swims as my preferred form. It means you have access to a nice pool, and the fun of being among many naked people.
If you’re looking to introduce friends to nudism, it’s a good naturally naked activity. I mean, wearing clothing to swim is properly insane; if there were one place in society where nudity could and should become the default surely it’s in swimming pools!
For a shier would-be-newbie-nudist it’s also quite a good way to be naked while still being able to sort of hide in the water. Although on the flip-side of that most nude swims are very male-dominated, and skew older in demographics (something that could and has filled essays on its own), so it mightn’t be the most comfortable situation for everyone. I’ve been to a nude swim with about a hundred people and my accompanying female friend was one of only three women there, which was a bit intense; although everyone behaved and she was fine with it.
More private swimming opportunities, in private pools or quiet natural spots, of course do away with being among a crowd of strangers. I like the comfort and intimacy of being just among friends, although there is something nice about being in a big group of naked people. It makes the nudity so much more normalised, as if that’s just how people should be!
Either way, swimming at an organised event, or just jumping into a river or the sea with friends, being nude in the water feels great, revolutionary compared to wearing a swimming suit first time you try!
The Naked Bike Ride and other nude events
I’ve been to the London version of the World Naked Bike Ride several times, and it’s a truly joyous event. If you’re not familiar, it’s a global protest that takes place annually in cities around the world, as a point of resistance against oil dependency. The nudity of the cyclists is meant to represent how vulnerable the planet is, and indeed cyclists are too on car-dominated roads, via the visual metaphor of our “vulnerable” bodies. The meaning of the bike ride is something that really resonates with me, although it does get a bit lost sometimes, as the event has also become just a massive naked party on wheels, where thousands of people get to enjoy hours of nudity among some of the most famous landmarks and locations in the world. It’s beautifully surreal, being among so many naked people in such well-known public places.
I’ve met up with friends each time I’ve been to the bike ride, and have always encouraged others to join me too, for what is such a fun event. It’s an intense but great way to get a taste for being naked, and the incredible sense of freedom you get from doing so on a bike in the middle of the city!
I’ve also attended a couple of other nude gatherings. One was at a spa, specifically to get together younger nudists. While it was nice to have that gathering, the setting isn’t one I found especially engaging. So from that I’ve very much come to the conclusion that nudist events are only as good as your interest in what the event actually is. Just being naked with naked people is as boring as just being clothed with clothed people you otherwise have nothing in common with, or doing something you have no interest in.
Which is all the more reason to hang out naked with your friends! You know you’ll have company you enjoy, and be doing things you find fun together. I’ve yet to host one, but a naked games night, or movie night would suit me just fine! Where as, I don’t know, naked football? Would bore me just as much as clothed football!!
And it’s not like you have to have a great big gathering for any of these things. If you’ve got friends you hang out with, why not hang out naked? I’ve had lovely days spending time with another nudist friend, or friend curious to try nudism, just enjoying hanging out, and coincidentally being naked.
It has an extra something, a level of comfort and openness you need to get to hanging out naked in a default clothed world, which means being naked with a friend (or many) just enhances the atmosphere of whatever else you happen to be doing.
So those are my preferred naked exploits with friends. What nude socialising do you enjoy? Or what would you like to try? Do share some fun naked ideas!