This isn’t quite naturism, but perhaps can be regarded as having some sense of kinship with naturism in that society expects and often demands a dress code. Anything that exists beyond that is ‘weird’.

After 9/11 several New Yorkers, in an attempt to put a smile back on the face of the Big Apple, travelled on the subway without pants (i.e American trousers…underwear was in place). And thus was an institution born, to the point where 60 cities around the globe participate in ‘No Pants Day’, riding their subway systems without trousers/pants.

It took place last Sunday, and thousands participated in London alone. Thousands upon thousands more in places like New York, Berlin, Paris and so on.

Of course it’s daft. Of course it’s silly and frivolous. Of course -like naturism- it’s challenging established dress codes. And like naturism, it’s fun. Of course, there’s po-faced commentators like those writing in The Independent who writes

It seems that thousands of people in 60 cities around the world had literally nothing better to do with their lives on Sunday than to sit around on public transport in their undies

I’ve naturally assumed that there must be some sort of charitable objective – perhaps to raise funds for good causes or awareness of people who simply don’t have access to the kind of “pants” they’d really like.

Yet as it turns out, it really is all just in the name of “silliness”; an opportunity for show-offs to remind others how hilariously whacky they are.

What a bloody awful world it would be without silliness and frivolity. What a bloody awful world it would be with the same dreary dress code. What a bloody awful world it would be surrounded only by grey men in grey suits, a world without kilts, African head-wraps, mini skirts, maxi skirts, transvestites, soldiers in uniform and, yes, naturists.

Here’s to all that participated! You make the world a brighter place!

Ella