Not a Pussy Riot protest: the Face-Kini is big in China

At the NPR two-way blog, an explainer of sorts about a sun protection accessory popular in China. Given the recent attention to balaklavas around the Pussy Riot story, one might glance at these images and think they're related. They're not. It's all about different cultural attitudes to tanning.

• [Chuck]

  What — you mean we can’t have a more subdued Pussy Riot?  Or a quiet Pussy Riot?  (Not to be mistaken for a merger of two bands.)

• [jj]

  Wet fabric, shifting to cover my breathing holes, while in the ocean? I swear I’ve woken up screaming to that nightmare.

  • [Boundegar]

     O hell, it’s about one cm from being waterboarded!

• [Quiche de Resistance]

  It’s always sunny in Qingdao?

• [noah django]

  http://media.npr.org/assets/img/2012/08/20/china_facekini_custom-da1f6231e7685f92234a85bf1c1ea812fb286b88-s3.jpg?
  http://www.thenewsussexhotel.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/mexican-wrestling-91.jpg
  http://media.npr.org/assets/img/2012/08/20/china_facekini2_custom-ac7e78d855d0a8d9d98abe1d88176d1a99534e02-s3.jpg?
  http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_FY2687dO59c/SldelKC9WBI/AAAAAAAAATk/2qlHSaFozFU/s400/Lucha1.jpg

• [John Thomas]

  Balaclava rather than balaklava of course, and I think they look great for incognito bathing.

  • [EH]

    Agreed. I recommend the pistachio version.

• [kiptw]

  In China last summer, a large number of people out in the 100° sunshine were carrying umbrellas for some personal shade. I adopted the practice immediately. When in Rome, you might as well get more comfortable.

• [Culturedropout]

  So explain again how you can “enjoy the water and sand” while dressed like the love child of a Mexican wrestler and the Invisible Man?

  • [SomeGuyNamedMark]

     What is Chinese for “luchadores”?