Why would a woman be comfortable wearing a bikini at the beach?

but cover up if she were seen in her bra and panties?

I know, right?
It's the same thing I mean! IF everyone saw you in bikini, well they imagine you in underwear!!!
:P

But it's a matter of privacy.
If you are in underwear...it would be a tad more personal...
however everyone (mostly ) at the beach has bikinis.

:)

I have always had trouble understanding the distinction, too. They are almost exactly the same shape and amount of coverage.

I asked my girlfriend about this once and she said it might have to do with the material - swimsuits are thicker and somehow feel more "covering".

Also, normal underwear often gets a bit more transparent when it gets wet. But lots of women hardly ever use their swimsuits for actually swimming.

I dunno, man.

Bikinis are usually a bit thinker so that nothing shows when they are wet. Bras and panties usually show through then they are wet.

In addition, on the beach everybody else is basically wearing the same thing that you are, so you don't stand out.

Good question but it's just different. If you see a woman in a bikini your just like..Nice body..nice bikini.. pretty girl.. but if you were to see her standing on the beach in panties and a bra well you'd be like OMG SHES BANGIN! AND SHES SITTIN THERE IN HER BRA AND PANTIES! I sometime wear a bra for a bikini top..just not my panties......esp. thongs LOL

its just a matter of setting. Everyone is in a bikini on the beach but usually not runnig around in bras and panties in the house.

Cuz swimwear has always been meant for outerwear, where as bras & panties are always considered undergarments.
Why don't guys wear their jockeys, boxers, jock straps, etc. at the beach! Same concept!

because there is acceptable. you can do this on the beach, but inside the city in some countries you can get charged with indecent exposure. its true.

Who says we're comfortable to begin with? ;o