So let’s talk about all the times we get naked and what the hell it means

As Tommy Pickles once said on a television show that shaped my world view more than anything I ever learned in school, "Nakey is good. Nakey is free. Nakey is nakey!"

Naked is good. Naked is free. Naked is fun. So why then do we have weird idiosyncrasies when it comes to nudity?

I'm not talking about prudishness. I'm talking the politics of nudity. I'm talking about how we're sometimes totally fine showing our bare breasts to a random person we're hooking up with but then feign modesty in front of our friends.

It's all about emotions

"Whenever there is less of an emotional attachment (and therefore emotional risk) it is easier to bare one's self," says Dr. Madeleine Castellanos, sex therapist and author of Wanting to Want: What Kills Your Sex Life and How to Keep It Alive. "There's less risk of rejection, less sensitivity to judgement, and a certain level of detachment remains when we are naked in front of strangers as opposed to friends."

Essentially, because the parameters of having sex with someone or changing in a locker room require a certain state of undress it's likely you're less inclined to be awkward about being naked. Whereas with friendships, nakedness isn't necessarily part of the parameters but if the boundaries expand and trust is built, nudity could become part of the norm instead of something awkward.

When asked, one woman told babe that she immediately covers up after sex with sheets or a shirt when going to the bathroom, even though she knows he's just seen it all. Dr. Castellanos says that the fear of being more closely scrutinized post-sex is what could make someone uncomfortable and, therefore, cause them to want to dress.

"When sex is in full swing, the frontal lobes, which are involved in judgement and impulse control, quiet down their activity," Dr. Castellanos says. "Once sex is over, however, it's much easier to switch back into analytical mode. There may also be the idea that the partner may now have more opportunity to be more critical of your naked body."

Confidence is key

Another woman told babe that even though they may have just been naked during sex "if we're going to fall asleep I need to put on underwear… if I'm not wearing underwear I feel naked." While it might not be entirely "rational" it's understandable — you're more aware of your nudity now than you were before and you're more anxious.

Our level of comfort with nudity "depends more on the anxiety of the individual (and all that goes into their ideas of modesty, propriety, and decorum)," Dr. Castellanos adds. It's influenced by a number of factors including our self-consciousness. The more self-conscious we are, the more likely we are to be anxious about bearing our birthday suits in front of others.

Which, honestly explains why we're more hesitant to get naked after eating six slices of pizza than we are after eating a salad. We feel "gross" and therefore, why would we want someone to see how gross we look?

Ultimately, we all have different ideas about nudity and therefore we'll all be comfortable with different things. So, keep doing you and just know you're not alone in wanting to hide your boobs after sex but there's also no shame in bearing it all.

@jenniferficarra