When it comes to dating, they say age is just a number and that the love shared between two people matters more about the connection they share, rather than the age gap that separates them.Or at least, that’s the theory.If you’re someone who’s constantly in the public eye then any age difference between you and your partner is constantly scrutinised. The latest victim of jealous commenters social media trolls is 56 year old Brad Pitt and his newest partner – following his divorce from Angelina Jolie – 27-year-old German model Nicole Poturalski.If anything, the big news here is that no, Brad and his former lady Jennifer Aniston are not a thing, after it was heavily speculated the two had rekindled their flame over the American summer.We like Brad. The US actor has put out some great films and is consistently a source of style inspiration for modern men everywhere, for both clothes and his haircuts. We want him to be happy, and if he’s found love with a lady who happens to be younger than him by some margin, so what?

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Brad Pitt has a new lady! Swipe up on Stories to see what he and the 27-year-old German model have in common!

A post shared by PerezHilton.com (@perezhilton) on Aug 26, 2020 at 6:15pm PDT

It seems, however, that some people just don’t like it. Taking some comments from a post on notorious celebrity gossip blogger Perez Hilton’s Instagram proves that the internet will never be happy for men who date younger women.“Another old man with a young woman. What can they have in common? Please”, says one disgruntled user.Others suggest he’s taken some pointers from fellow Once Upon A Time In Hollywood actor Leonardo DiCaprio, a man famous for dating younger women, by saying “he did one movie with Leo and look what happened.”One user goes as far as saying Nicole will need to look to Brad’s earlier years if their relationship is to succeed:

“Lmao when they have sex, they probably have to have old school movies of him in the background when he was young so she can climax.”

Some, however, jump to his defence, “Fortunately, Brad didn’t ask our opinion before dating her.”Regardless, there continues to be prejudice against older men who date younger women, perhaps more so since the #MeToo movement came to the fore. But other famous faces such as Hugh Hefner and even Gianluca Vacchi, who is soon to become a father with his fiance, also 27 years his junior, give weight to the idea that it is perfectly acceptable for two people to come together, no matter the number of years they’ve been on the planet.

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A post shared by Nico (@nico.potur) on Aug 24, 2020 at 3:17am PDT

It’s been proven, for example, that younger man can successfully date older women, and while a relationship such as this could be the butt of ‘mum’ jokes, it’s certainly less frowned upon.Whether or not Brad and Nicole’s relationship lasts remains to be seen. Brad already has an army of kids, so we imagine he’s probably not too desperate to father any more and, for now, at least, he’s simply looking for a companion.

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The post Brad Pitt’s New Girlfriend: The Internet Doesn’t Approve appeared first on DMARGE Australia.

Fun fact: Arnold Schwarzenegger is almost singlehandedly responsible for bringing the Hummer into being. The story goes that while the legendary action movie star was filming the classic comedy film Kindergarten Cop in the early 90s, he saw a military convoy of M998 HMMWV trucks (High Mobility Multipurpose Wheeled Vehicle, aka the Humvee). Taken by their buff aesthetic, he lobbied their manufacturer, AM General, to produce a civilian version. They did, calling it the Hummer – Schwarzenegger bought the first two ever made.These early Hummers, retroactively called the H1, were still basically military vehicles – they were never designed for civilian use. Some concessions were made for civilian consumers such as conventional glossy car paint instead of military drab and a cushier suspension, but there was no getting away from the fact that it was still a fish out of water. No styling whatsoever, not particularly comfortable, incredibly thirsty, but with off-road capabilities and a look unlike any other car on the market, the Hummer was an unexpected sales success.Subsequent Hummer-brand models such as the H2 and H3 were much more like conventional SUVs than the rugged H1. Without the military credibility and spartan driving experience of their H1 and Humvee forefathers, the later civilian Hummers were nothing but oversized, overpriced emblems of American excess. They still sold, mind you, but they’re not cool. H1s have cred.But this Hummer on sale in Mackay, Queensland has more cred than even Schwarzenegger’s H1s, as unlike his cars, this Hummer is literally a military vehicle. Indeed, it’s not even really a Hummer – it’s a bona fide Humvee. And it might just be the toughest, roughest car in Australia.

“This is a genuine 1986 ex-US Air Force military Humvee, not a civilian H1 Hummer,” the owner relates.“The original importer brought 7 into Australia in 2001, kept this one for himself and modified it to the stage you see it as now after a full body-off restoration.”“For a military vehicle this machine is in perfect condition and it’s hard to believe that it was once in a war zone. It has stainless steel roll bars, racing bucket seats and seatbelts, flare kit, Ziel spotlights, American racing mags with 15/39.5-16.5LT Interco Super Swamper tyres, custom-built dash and console with CD [player] and radio [plus] a spare set of civilian rims and tyres… only 1533.4 on the clock after restoration and conversion to RHD. It comes with a roadworthy certificate and is fully registered and insured on the road.”“This is a very rare and unique machine capable of traveling over the worst terrain you can throw at it. The possibilities for a machine such as this are endless… it is a showstopper and head-turner wherever you go.”

This Humvee has many features that the average 4×4 lacks due to its military origins. Its oddities include a top-mounted radiator for its huge 6.2 diesel V8 engine; inbound brakes, portal gears and an armoured undercarriage; a central tire inflation system and run-flat tires; 41cm of ground clearance, and absolutely no fuel economy. On top of that, it’s got mesh doors, no roof and a bright yellow paint job. You’ll never be able to blend into the crowd whilst driving it – but that’s the point, right?It’s a very different beast to this Hummer H1 Alpha on sale in NSW. While that vehicle is similarly outrageous both in terms of size and style, this yellow baby is the yin to its yang. The H1 is the ultimate bugout vehicle; a luxurious yet capable personal transport. Conversely, this Humvee is a party on wheels – an utterly ridiculous retro Tonka truck of a car that defies logical explanation. It’s the perfect antidote to po-faced Toorak tractors and Jeep Wrangler wannabes.This mil-spec monster is currently listed on eBay with a buyout price of $78,000, if you’re the kind of punter that finds the Lamborghini Urus too subtle for your tastes.

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The post Military Humvee On Sale In Australia appeared first on DMARGE Australia.

While we’ve been busy with The Bat Kiss, public dialogue around climate change and sustainability have taken a huge toll in 2020. It’s easy to forget that Australia suffered through some of the worst bushfires in history just months ago, a direct result of global warming and land clearing among other factors.The reality is that most businesses have a huge impact on the environment – agriculture, mining, construction, manufacturing… Indeed, luxury brands, especially watch manufacturers, have some of the largest environmental footprints and most questionable ethical practices due to the rare nature of the goods they trade in and create.Mondaine, a Swiss timekeeping brand most famous for their clocks and watches utilising the iconic Swiss Federal Railway station clock design, attempted to demonstrate the watch industry’s capacity to become more sustainable with the release of their ‘eco-friendly’ Essence collection of Swiss railway watches earlier this year.The minimalist timepieces, which make heavy use of sustainable materials, have made waves for their forward-thinking – but have also attracted cynicism and critique from watch insiders, as this Instagram from pithy independent watchmaker No Bullshit Watchmaking reveals.“The watchmaking industry… [doesn’t] give a shit about the environment,” No Bullshit Watchmaking reveals.“Fairly late to the scene, several companies have tried to do their part in reducing their footprints and becoming more eco-friendly.⁣”⁣

“Mondaine’s Essence collection… tries to prove that sustainability and good design can go hand-in-hand. … [using] naturally derived materials and solar energy during assembly. They use a Rhonda 513 quartz movement. The plastic case that contains the movement is organic and made out of ricin oil… the textile and sustainable rubber straps come with a natural cork lining and reusable packaging crafted from recycled PET bottles.⁣”

“Apparently this is considered an eco-friendly watch? As you can see, the standards are quite low.”Ouch.While Mondaine’s timepiece is certainly a step in the right direction in terms of its construction, as a quartz watch it’s still battery-powered – and batteries are terrible for the environment. It’s quite the critical flaw and has made many feel as if the Essence collection is more style than substance (although it’s easy to be cynical).On the other side of the coin, another Instagram commenter also made some salient points:“The reality is that the watch industry as it currently stands doesn’t have much leeway towards ‘eco-friendly’ business. Precious metals and natural gemstones are terrible for the environment – and the carbon footprint for a single watch is really high… if you want a true eco-friendly watch, then the only option I can think of is a sundial made of compost.”While it’s right to be critical of corporations attempting to greenwash, we can’t help but feel that there’s a certain level of ‘tall poppy syndrome’ or defeatism here. Sure, the Mondaine Essence might not be perfect, but at least Mondaine is making an effort. Isn’t iterative progress important? It’s more than many other, much larger brands are making.Some big players in the industry who’ve been stepping up in terms of sustainability include Chopard, who as of July 2018 have transitioned to using only 100% ethical gold in all their watches and jewellery (as well as for the Palme d’Or, as pictured above), and IWC Schaffhausen, which has pursued aggressive environmental and social targets, including lowering greenhouse gas emissions by 10 percent, using eco-friendly packaging, and reaching gender parity for training.All of this reflects a growing desire among consumers – including luxury consumers – for brands to be more accountable, sustainable, ethical, and to have more social consciousness. People vote with their wallets: in a highly competitive market (which has only become more competitive in 2020), brands that innovate and stay relevant to consumers will emerge victorious, even small players like Mondaine.Hopefully we’ll see even more luxury brands keep the ball rolling and some more substantive changes in the industry arise.

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The post Eco Watches Are A Window Into The Future appeared first on DMARGE Australia.

Throwing money at the stock market is always a fraught endeavour. As one of the smartest (and most cutting) finance tweets of 2020 puts it, if you’re punting on the stock market right now, you’re either an idiot or a genius.Though this is perhaps an exaggeration, the gist is clear: if you don’t know what you’re doing, you could get yourself into hot water trading this year.That said, with many companies’ stocks now trading for pennies on the dollar, the temptation to fling a few shekels around (despite this being one of the common mistakes rookie investors are warned against), is understandably tempting.The travel industry is on its knees, with many airlines – most notably Virgin Australia – doing it particularly tough. With experts predicting a return to normal levels of globetrotting by 2024, could Virgin Australia be a dark horse 2020 investment?Online discussion forums show this is a question on many young professionals’ minds. One recent thread on Reddit‘s  /r/ausstocks, for instance, posed the question: “Is it worth investing in Virgin Australia?”“Currently, the share prices are very cheap [at] 0.055,” the author of the thread wrote in April.“Would it be worth investing a little amount of money to see if it could climb up? My reasoning for this is because it could climb up because of the bailout… any tips whether this is wrong or dumb as I am quite new. Thanks!”Of course, the situation has evolved since then. But the uncertainty around Virgin Australia’s future is far from over, with even Qantas, which has survived the devastation of the pandemic without having to go into voluntary administration, preparing for a dearth of international flights until July 2021.One commenter beneath the thread offered the following thoughts: “As of August last year, Virgin has had 7 years of losses.”“It is currently facing the worst aviation meltdown ever. It competes with a national icon that has loads more cash, a massive frequent flyer program, more routes and is profitable.”

“If you need to ask about taking a position in such a stock, you should not be taking a position in that stock. Definitely not a beginner’s stock.”

For good measure, the same user added: “There is no guarantee they will survive, or even turn a profit in future if they do. Their major shareholders are all foreign entities, mostly airlines who are all suffering the same disastrous trading conditions. They have propped up VAH and I’m not sure they want to, or have the capacity to do so under current conditions.”Another commented wrote: “The number for the share price should not be used as a value for a stock. Look at the market cap and actually understand the value and compare it to the annual reports and your research.”Besides showing the original poster’s ignorance of investing, the comments show the various plates up in the air for anyone thinking of putting money into Virgin Australia.To take the conversation beyond anonymous internet commenters, DMARGE spoke to Luke Laretive, CEO of Seneca Financial Solutions.Laretive echoed much the same warning: “Virgin – flat out punt on a bunch of moving parts, probably easier ways to make money I’d argue.”While stock pick website The Motley Fool says “there is a possibility that analysts could revise their outlook for Virgin Australia to stable if the company executes on its operations strategy and improves its debt-to-EBITDA ratio,” the general consensus is “not [to] buy shares in Virgin Australia at the moment.”“Instead,” The Motley Fool argues, “weakness in Virgin Australia’s share price could impact other companies in the sector [and] as a result, investors could see potential buying opportunities in other airliners such as Qantas Airways Limited (ASX: QAN) and Sydney Airport Holdings Pty Ltd (ASX: SYD).”

“However, given the volatility we have seen recently, the most prudent strategy would be to keep stocks in the travel industry on a watchlist and wait for price action to improve.”

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The post Should You Buy Virgin Australia Shares? appeared first on DMARGE Australia.

One of the most interesting elements of big sporting events is the impromptu catwalk shows the world’s biggest athletes inadvertently supply pre-game. These ultra-successful sportspeople love to flex on their fans and rivals, and try and outdo each other with wild (and sometimes worrisome) fashion choices.Whether it’s LeBron contrasting his seersucker ‘pyjamas’ with Nike x Sacai sneakers or Rafael Nadal pairing an all-pink ensemble with a $750,000 Richard Mille, sometimes the fiercest contest isn’t what’s happening on the field but rather what’s in someone’s wardrobe.Neymar Jr. is one of the most well-dressed footballers in recent memory. The young Brazilian forward never misses a chance to show off his sartorial flair – such as this outfit he was spotted in before the UEFA Champion’s League final, where the Paris Saint-Germain player somewhat incongruously paired a full suit and tie with some women’s sneakers.

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A post shared by UpscaleHype (@upscalehype) on Aug 24, 2020 at 10:47am PDT

These Off-White x Nike Air Jordan 4 ‘Sail’ sneakers, a limited-edition collaboration with Louis Vuitton creative director and streetwear pioneer Virgil Abloh, have been some of the most hyped women’s sneakers in recent memories. Anything with an Abloh co-sign is in hot demand, but the combination of his trademark deconstructed aesthetic and the natural leather colour scheme on these creps have made them a standout among Virgil’s sneaker collabs.Many sneakerheads were dismayed, then, when it was announced that perhaps the best Off-White x Nike collab ever was only available in women’s sizes – but it was a deliberate choice from Abloh, who was clearly making a statement about making sneaker culture more inclusive of female identities. Many sneakers aren’t made in women’s sizes – now the shoe’s on the other foot for the predominately male sneaker community (pun definitely intended).RELATED: A 2020 Guide To Luxury SneakersBut Neymar’s demonstrated that if a shoe is cool enough, like these AJ4s, men will forget about gender boundaries – which we think was Abloh’s intention from the get-go. It also proves, despite the short man syndrome jokes, there are advantages to having small feet – a US 8, in Neymar’s case. On top of that, it shows if men stop worrying so much about gendered fashion they can open themselves up to a whole new world of style opportunities.It’s not the first time Neymar’s delineated gender boundaries. He turned heads last year at a fragrance launch by wearing a full-length dress, paired with an ostentatious satin blazer and huge crucifix chain. Even more surprising – he made it look good.Clearly Neymar just doesn’t give a sh*t and dresses however he wants, which we back 100%.

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The post Neymar Jr. Wears Women’s Sneakers Like A Boss appeared first on DMARGE Australia.

It’s been a challenging year. 2020, more than any other of the earth’s jaunts around the sun, has been the one where we’ve all needed a holiday. Ironically, this is the year most of us have been under lock and key, cooped up at home thanks to a pandemic.As we slowly shake off the medical malaise, and certain nations tentatively open their borders, certain zones are deemed safer – and more lucrative – than others to open up to.To that end, tourists from New York, New Jersey, New Hampshire, Vermont, Maine and Connecticut (but no other US city) will be permitted to enter Costa Rica from September, tourism minister Gustavo Segura recently announced.They must also present their driver’s licence as proof of residence “to minimize the likelihood that someone from a non-authorized state be allowed to enter.”Travellers from the permitted states will not have to quarantine upon arrival. But as Lonely Planet reports, “under enhanced border controls… a negative PCR COVID-19 test will be mandatory in the 48 hours before the trip.”“When visitors arrive, they will need to complete an online health form and purchase travel insurance that covers accommodation in case of quarantine and medical expenses,” Lonely Planet adds.

 

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A post shared by Travel Costa Rica (@travelcostarica2019) on Aug 26, 2020 at 7:11am PDT

Costa Rica began throwing its windows wider on August the 1st, with a staggered reopening seeing travellers from countries like Canada, New Zealand, Japan, the UK, and countries within the EU permitted to enter.The US, which comprised almost half of Costa Rica’s international visitors last year, was left off the list.That will soon change, with four flights a week from New York City airports expected to be gracing Costa Rica’s shores from September.“In these moments, [New York] is one of the states with best control of the pandemic,” Segura confirmed.Colorado, Massachusetts, and Pennsylvania are rumoured to be next on the ‘allowed’ list.The U.S embassy in Costa Rica still has a level four travel alert out for the Central American nation, with the website reading: “Do not travel to Costa Rica due to COVID-19. Exercise increased caution in Costa Rica due to crime.”At the time of writing, the Centres for Disease Control and Prevention suggests that if Costa Ricans are allowed to leave the country by their own government (a right some citizens, Australians, for instance, are currently being denied), they would be allowed entry into the US, with Costa Rica not being included in the following list.“With specific exceptions, foreign nationals who have been in any of the following countries during the past 14 days may not enter the United States.”

• China
• Iran
• European Schengen area
• United Kingdom
• Republic of Ireland
• Brazil

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The post US Travellers Offered Golden Costa Rica Opportunity appeared first on DMARGE Australia.

Social media is a strange beast. From Kim Kardashian’s resplendent glutes to Chris Hemsworth’s abs, we’re all low key intrigued by documenting the human figure.Not to mention selfies.Some parts of the world, however, have remained adrift from the clutches of The Rectangular Screen.Or so we thought. With smartphones spreading around the developing world faster than computers (Pew research suggests more than 5 billion people have mobile devices right now, over half of them smartphones) it appears many old school rituals are now intermingling with new.

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Family member lighting a cigarette to Ne Pottanan (Died 1978) during the Manene ritual in Nort Toraja, Indonesia, Tuesday, August 25th . “Manene” is a traditional ritual held every three years where family members gather to clean the graves and change the clothes of their deceased relatives to honour their spirits. The ritual is held before the planting season arrives https://trendswide.com/the-families-who-dig-up-their-dead-relatives/ #manene #ritual #culture #tradition #traditional #toraja #sulsel #southsulawesi #documentaryphotography #photojournalism #pewartafotoindonesia #indonesia #nikonindonesia #nikonz6 #1000kata #everydayasia #people_infinity #people #dailylife #peopleinframe #budayaindonesia #everydayeverywhere

A post shared by Hariandi Hafid (@hariandihafid) on Aug 25, 2020 at 6:19pm PDT

Enter: Hariandi Hafid, a Freelance Photojournalist based in Indonesia whose recent shots document what a centuries-old ritual in Indonesia’s South Sulawesi now looks like.The Ma’nene festival, which translates as ‘The Ceremony of Cleaning Corpses,’ has been held for (at least) hundreds of years by The Toraja Tribe, and involves digging up dead loved ones, dressing them up and lighting cigarettes for them.

Photographer Hariandi Hafid’s shots show this year, the ritual, for some, included posing for family snaps and selfies.The ritual is performed every three or four years, during harvest season (July, August and September), depending on the family’s wishes.

The post Smartphones Modernise Centuries-Old Indonesian Ritual appeared first on DMARGE Australia.

Conor McGregor is a man of action. The rowdy former MMA champ might have retired from being “the face of the fight game” but he isn’t showing any signs of slowing down: his latest exploit has seen him pair up with Princess Charlene of Monaco for a charity ocean voyage.Raising awareness around water safety for The Princess Charlene of Monaco Foundation, the celebrity pair will cycle on water bikes from Corsica to Monaco (a 180km journey) across the Mediterranean Sea on the 12th and 13th of September.McGregor’s been clocking up many hours on the water bike in preparation of this event, but yesterday he ditched the water bike for a conventional one, spotted cycling shirtless in the rain on the streets of Monaco.

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A post shared by Fan Page (@themcgregorface) on Aug 25, 2020 at 4:01am PDT

Clearly enjoying himself, McGregor’s all laughs as he pedals along in just shorts, slides and sunnies. Biking in the rain is one of life’s simplest and most underrated pleasures – we back McGregor’s laid-back waterside workout highly.It’s not the first time McGregor’s demonstrated his love of cycling: he also shared some pics of him cycling Tour de France style with a vehicular escort during what’s turned out to be quite a lengthy Monégasque sabbatical.Cycling is one of the best and most accessible forms of aerobic exercise one can do. Not only does cycling work all of the major muscle groups, but it’s a low-impact workout that causes less strain and injuries than most other forms of exercise. It’s great for building stamina, cardiovascular fitness, posture and joint mobility.

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A post shared by Conor McGregor Official (@thenotoriousmma) on Aug 25, 2020 at 12:38pm PDT

Plus, it’s fun as hell – particularly if you’re doing it in the company of royalty, and for a good cause.We admire McGregor giving back, although any charity work that allows you to take to the water during a splendid Mediterranean summer seems like a pretty decent lark.Indeed, 2020 has exposed Conor McGregor as quite the charitable man. Beyond his water biking antics, McGregor and his fiancé Dee Devlin have also donated millions of dollars in aid and PPE to European hospitals during the COVID-19 crisis.Is this a softer side of McGregor we’re starting to see?

Watch some of Conor McGregor’s most brutal workouts

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The post Conor McGregor’s Cardio Workout Could Be Your Ticket To Lungs Of Steel appeared first on DMARGE Australia.

From Camus to Chanel, the French are known for their devil-may-care attitude. Accompanied by defiance, it’s a heady mix the rest of the world is all too eager to attribute to everyone who lives between Biarritz and Brittany.

Normally we’d tell you your cheese-chomping, wine-slurping, cigarette-smoking, diet-sneering stereotypes are vastly overblown. However, one French Twitter user’s response to a draconian new beach ‘rule’ banning topless sunbathing just proved there may be some truth to the tropes.

Police recently sparked outrage after asking a group of women to cover up while sunbaking on a beach in the south of France.

“Two gendarmes approached the group of three women as they sat topless in Sainte-Marie-la-Mer, asking them to put their tops on after a tourist reportedly complained,” news.com.au reports.

“A tradition at beaches in France for the last four decades, locals were furious the women were told to get dressed. Topless sunbaking first gained popularity in France during the 1960s with women demanding the same right to tan their upper bodies as men.”

That’s not the story though. What’s now making waves is the French solidarity in response to this faux pas.

Y’en a marre ! On bronze comme on veut et en l’occurrence , rien n’interdit le topless ! La maréchaussée ferait mieux de s’occuper des trucs sérieux . RAS LE BOL ! A Sainte-Marie-la-mer, des gendarmes demandent à des femmes de se rhabiller https://t.co/XZOeAoji5Y

— francoise degois (@francoisedegois) August 24, 2020

One woman wrote:

“Tired of it! We tan as we want and in this case, nothing prevents the topless! The constabulary better take care of the serious stuff. FED UP!”

Posted to Twitter by Paris-based writer and essayist Francoise Degois, the tirade captured popular sentiment. At the time of writing her post has attracted 166 comments, 662 retweets and 1.6k likes.

Degois was not alone in chiding the police for their role in enforcing a non existent rule (there is no law against topless sunbathing or swimming on beaches in France).

One user took the situation to the absurd extreme, posting a video of what life would be like if such a rule was truly enacted…

Pendant ce temps, à Sainte Marie La Mer… pic.twitter.com/yoWGaRkSVF

— Max-David Grinbaud (@mdgrinbaud) August 25, 2020

The gendarmes appear to have got the message, with a police spokesperson apologising for the officers’ actions (they were apparently just trying to calm the situation and appease the tourists), and clarifying that yes: sunbathing topless on beaches is still permitted in France.

“Topless sunbathing is allowed on the beach at Sainte-Marie-la-Mer. It was clumsiness by two gendarmes who had the best intentions.”

France’s Interior Minister Gérald Darmanin also weighed in, defending the “precious” right of women to sunbathe topless on beaches, saying “it was wrong that the women were warned about their clothing.”

“Freedom is something precious. And it is normal that officials can admit their mistakes.”

The moral of the story? Don’t prioritise tourists over local culture (especially when the vast majority of tourists who visit France are drawn by that very French way of life).

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The post Woman's Defiant Response To 'Draconian' New Beach Rule May Be The Most French Thing Ever appeared first on DMARGE Australia.