Barbara Kay: Near-naked indecency is the latest trend

In summer’s waning phase, I sought inspiration for a “ silly season ” column, and found it — I thought — in a story about C.L.A.S.S. Soiree Steakhouse, a Hollywood, Florida restaurant where, on the first Monday of the month, at a cost of $150 per woman and $250 per man (or $300 for a dining couple), diners may fully disrobe before chowing down. Chefs and servers remain clothed, but, as curvaceous restaurant host Tasheba Hart told Fox News, she herself goes “totally nude” (only donning a robe “if it gets a little chilly.”) Do they provide towels? Ewww.

I very much doubt that nude dining for both sexes will become a “thing,” but within 24 hours I happened upon an article suggesting that desire to push the envelope on public nakedness, or near-nakedness, is filtering down from earthly goddesses on Hollywood red carpets , to America’s middle class, and may well have staying power. Clothing brands are participating , too.

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The title of that recent Wall Street Journal article is “’Naked Dressing’ is Spreading and it’s Making Things Awkward.” That, and its subtitle “Barely-there outfits are moving from the runway to weddings and business conferences,” give readers the gist, but some of the examples are eye-widening.

At a cyber-security conference, a male attendee who is “not someone who rattles easily,” recalls being embarrassed seated near a woman “in a bralette and sheer black skirt.” He didn’t know where to look, he said. It turned out she was the keynote speaker.

Some brides are so worried about female guests stealing their limelight by wearing inappropriate garb that they issue detailed attire instructions on wedding invitations, bringing modest dresses for etiquette scofflaws to change into. In Sausalito, California, at a Hawaiian-themed wedding, most attendees wore Hawaiian shirts and hula skirts, but one guest wore a nude-colour thong bikini bottom and a bandeau top. (She was ordered to choose between a beach cover-up or leaving.)

Reactions solicited for the article varied, from endorsement by a participating proponent of the look as “feels empowering” and represents “a modern kind of feminism” to “a hard no” from a female Westchester attorney, who told WSJ, “I have two prepubescent boys. They would go insane if they saw their mom dressed that way.” I’m with that mom, of course.