Watch: What's decent for you? Sliema seeks to address skimpy streetwear

The sight of young people wearing skimpy clothing in Sliema – including sightings of women in thongs in supermarkets – has prompted the local council to debate how best to tell the public to cover up as temperatures rise.

What began as a seasonal concern about beachwear spilling into the streets has evolved into a broader discussion about public decency, fashion, and where to draw the line.

Sliema council members spent much of their latest meeting grappling with the wording of signs encouraging people to dress more modestly in public spaces.

But how does one exactly define “decent clothing”?

Mayor John Pillow said that signs had been ordered and would be installed at beaches and along the promenade in the coming days.

The sign was meant to say “Please wear decent clothing”. However, the wording hadn’t covered exactly what the councillors were looking for.

“What is decent for you?” the mayor asked more than once during the discussion, as councillors tried to pin down what kind of attire should be discouraged.

Councillor Ryan Borg suggested a yellow sticker at beach exits with the message: “You are leaving the swimming area, please make sure that you are dressed decently.”

Kevin Wain argued the focus should be squarely on swimwear. He proposed signs reading “Swimwear is not allowed in this area” or “Please do not wear swimwear,” to be placed away from the beach.

Others around the table looked at the wider picture. John Dougall asked whether a see-through shirt should count as decent. Vivian Galea Pace questioned if men walking around shirtless or with shirts unbuttoned would be considered acceptable.

Deputy mayor Anton Debono asked whether certain evening dresses were decent. Council secretary Pierre Portelli reminded the room that ultimately, the definition of “decent” is a subjective one.

“To me, as soon as you leave the beach you see ‘Beach attire ends here or you face a fine’,” suggested Wallace Baldacchino, prompting the mayor to ask, “What should the fine be?” Baldacchino replied: “We can figure that out later.”

The discussion then turned to how best to symbolise decency. Portelli suggested using an icon of a T-shirt. “If there is a photo of T-shirt, it means you wear a T-shirt,” he said.

This prompted a light-hearted exchange, with Baldacchino jokingly questioning what that meant for women.

Galea Pace expressed frustration, citing an incident where a woman walked into a supermarket wearing a thong. She said most complaints from residents centred around women wearing thongs in public, especially in shops.

Emmanuel Borg pointed out that even a T-shirt could be considered indecent if the design was offensive.

“The idea is not to in any way censor or offend anyone who wears a T-shirt. I don’t think we are at that level,” Portelli said.

Other councillors proposed giving businesses stickers that read “No swimwear in public” to use at their discretion.

Still, the matter may end up unresolved. Portelli noted that the council might not be able to change the signs’ wording after all, depending on what the supplier allows.

The topic gained momentum last summer when resident David Pace O’Shea launched a campaign urging people not to wear swimwear around town. He posted signs around Sliema reading: “No swimwear on our streets.”

According to Malta’s Criminal Code, a person breaches public order if “in the harbours, on the seashore or in any other public place, exposes himself naked or is indecently dressed.”

A total of 29 people have been fined this year for walking around in swimwear or otherwise being “indecently dressed” in public, according to Home Affairs Minister Byron Camilleri. But while confirming the enforcement, Camilleri emphasised that the police should not be turned into “morality police”.