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1:22AM Sunday 20 July, 2008 Sunshine Coast weather Mostly sunny min 9° - max 23°

Coolum cracks down

12:00a.m. 13th May 2008

| Mike Garry

Anyone who shows a bit of cheek at the Coolum Surf Club will now be shown the door – and no butts about it.

The surf club board has handed down a new edict that patrons must wear their pants at an acceptable level, not exposing their underwear or buttocks – or “back cleavage” as former Maroochy councillor Bruce Dunne described the look on Channel 7’s Sunrise yesterday morning.

Yes, the issue has gone national, with the club fielding media calls from far and wide.

But manager Peter Law said he had received about 30 text messages supporting the ban on low-slung jeans and high-riding undies for men and women.

Mr Law said the club had acted upon complaints from members.

“It’s not a nice look as far as we are concerned,” he said.

“It’s a family club and they shouldn’t have to come in and look at those sort of things.”

Mr Law said patrons whose bum cracks or underpants were visible would be asked to pull their pants up.

“If they don’t want to do that, then they leave the premises.”

Fearing it could be the thin edge of the wedgie, surf club patrons interviewed by the Daily yesterday were right “behind” the ban.

Dean Montgomery said that when he went to the surf club to enjoy a drink, the last thing he wanted to see was a bloke with “half his backside hanging out”.

“I think half these young blokes that go around wearing girls’ jeans and having them hanging around their backsides, there’s got to be something wrong with them,” he said.

Surf club regulars Keith Hammond and Steve Turk both described the look as “disgusting”.

“I don’t think it’s suitable for out in public, when it comes to the restaurant or the bar area,” Keith said.

“They’ve got dress codes that you’re not allowed to wear thongs after six o’clock so why should some kid come in and wear these types of jeans where you can see half of their backside.”

Maroochydore Surf Club operations manager Trish Johnstone said the cheeky fashion was not an issue at her club.

“We’ve never had any occasion to remove anybody from the club or refuse service to anybody dressed as such,” Ms Johnstone said.

“It’s probably different clientele that we have here to up there at Coolum.”

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Coolum cracks down

Keith Hammond, Dean Montgomery and Steve Turk enjoy a beer at the Coolum Surf Club. They are in favour of the club's stance on low-slung pants. Photo: Mike Garry

Recent Comments

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Posted by swainy67 from Kensington
on 13 May, 2008 at 5:11 a.m. ( Suggest removal )
Yeh this freedom of expression is getting a bit out of hand, those duds look bloody terrible and it's not even a trendy look, it's just a copy of the American gang pants look which is not Australian anyway.

Next time I venture back home to the coast from the States and see a pair of those I'll be tempted to Dak them. It looks silly and maybe suited to the slummy streets of some U.S city but not the coast, they make pant sizes for a reason.
Posted by bobbuick from Mountain Creek
on 13 May, 2008 at 6:49 a.m. ( Suggest removal )
Club executives make the rules for organisations for the betterment of all members and guest, so, if you do not like rules bugger-off to another place.
Posted by newsblog from Coolum
on 13 May, 2008 at 7:38 a.m. ( Suggest removal )
Got to agree with you Bobbuick... I think its perfectly fine for clubs ( and other organisations) to dictate the standard of dress....BUT it must be applied equally across the genders.

Have you ever been in a pub where they say "no thongs or singlets" yet you see women in thongs left right and centre getting away with it, but the blokes get asked to leave??
Same applies to Singlets . if they're banned, the ban should apply to all.
I was once asked to leave a pub because I was wearing thongs .. I drew attention of the bar manager to the four women in the bar wearing thongs ..... "ah," he said, "thats different, they're women!" ..So I then raised the words "sexist" and "discriminatory".. his response?? they're not thongs, they're sandals!!!!! .A rose by any other name .................
Posted by thefixer from mooloolaba
on 13 May, 2008 at 9:31 a.m. ( Suggest removal )
No Bum Cleavage Allowed ? Well there goes the Noosa Clientele!!! Peregian to follow.
Posted by SuziHB from Maroochydore
on 13 May, 2008 at 10:35 a.m. ( Suggest removal )
I have never understood the 'fashion' of showing your undies/boxers and having the tops of your jeans/shorts below hip level. In the late 60's it was all the rage to have your daks slung low in Melbourne.

My male cousins came to visit our family in a smallish country town in Central NSW and wore their Jeans like that and we were horrified. I believe that every club/pub/private enterprise has a right to dictate the Dress Rules but I do not believe there should be gender discrimination, all things should be equal. Some women wear their low cut jeans/pants so low it almost shows the pubic bone. Not a good look, in my opinion, in a club/pub setting.
Posted by worldtraveller from Brueni
on 13 May, 2008 at 11:09 a.m. ( Suggest removal )
Those who have cared to comment on a expat forum in Singapore, agrees with the ban. This new story has made it to Asia.

I remember sitting at a coast surf club several years ago and when attempting to look out to the surf, all we could see was a young female with her low cut jeans and her bright red g-string! It left little to the imagination. We kind of lost our appetite.

Well done, Coolum Surf Club for taking a stance!
Posted by Phil_Surfmore from Alex
on 13 May, 2008 at 12:13 p.m. ( Suggest removal )
Perhaps if this fashion looked even the slightest bit flattering on men there may be an argument for allowing it. Do girls find this 'look' attractive? I suppose its most of the reason its worn-to attract the fairer maidens. I am trying to find a functional reason, but you can be assured it ain't functional for snowboarding or surfing from my observations.

So...while we dismiss the sagging crutch brigade to another venue, will the Coolum Surf Club also tell those slightly larger women that their hipsters are unflattering too and ban them (even though their 'crack' is covered)
Go...newsblog... for pointing out the glaring double standards.
Next they'll stop the old codgers going because they have really hairy noses and ears!
Posted by vanga from caloundra
on 13 May, 2008 at 1:56 p.m. ( Suggest removal )
depends if its a post box or a bike rack
Posted by Oldman from Buderim
on 13 May, 2008 at 1:57 p.m. ( Suggest removal )
Strange I do not have a problem with it! May be we should place a ban on cleavage displayed of women as well. Wonder what the old guys would say if all women have to cover up? The more an issue is made of this, the less it would disappear. After all it is an image that teens like and associate themselves with.
Posted by Jewel from Maroochydore
on 13 May, 2008 at 2:19 p.m. ( Suggest removal )
I agree with you Oldman, I dont have a problem if others, particularly the young, want to dress in this way. I dont think it is a particularly good look but we were all young once and I can well remember the 'mini skirt' when that came in and how horrified our parents where. This also was not a particularly good look for every female that wore it!!!
Posted by Conan88 from Coolum
on 13 May, 2008 at 2:42 p.m. ( Suggest removal )
I call on all kids my age to wear their dacs as low as possible
Then we should storm coolum for a mass cracking

All crackers unite
Posted by Pescadero from Coolum
on 14 May, 2008 at 10:11 a.m. ( Suggest removal )
....Onya Conan 88 .... Thanks for reminding us that there is life in Oz after all!!

I have a suspicion that, dulled by beer and sexless pokies, these complaining Old Buggers have lost their sense of humour and zest for life.

A mass cracking at CSLSC? I'd pay to see that !!!!
Posted by Pescadero from Coolum
on 14 May, 2008 at 12:15 p.m. ( Suggest removal )
.... anyone who has been to a CSLSC surf carnival knows that aged men with dimpled, wrinkled and sometimes hairy bottoms give themselves dangerous megawedgies before engaging in a surf boat race. And this in front of our young nippers. Ooooooh the double standard!
Posted by Jewel from Maroochydore
on 14 May, 2008 at 4:18 p.m. ( Suggest removal )
Hahaha now thats a great point Pescadero and not a very pretty sight either!!

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