This is a typical scene from a Japanese swimming pool in the early 1990s. Take a look at the swimmer on the right wearing blue briefs — the sides are no longer panels but thin strings.
Back then, this look was accepted because he was a genuine athlete. There was an unspoken rule: the stronger the swimmer, the smaller the briefs. It was a visual symbol of ability and confidence.
Of course, this aesthetic doesn’t necessarily match today’s values, nor those of other countries. What’s your take on it?