Going topless in Texas? Read the fine print first

Hippie Hollow Hippie Hollow Photo: LoneStarMike Wikimedia Commons Photo: LoneStarMike Wikimedia Commons Image 1 of / 26 Caption Close Going topless in Texas? Read the fine print first 1 / 26 Back to Gallery

SAN ANTONIO — Technically, it's OK to go topless in Texas.

Well, not really.

With summer in full swing, it's natural to want to shed your layers, especially when temperatures hover near 100.

Go Topless, an international topless advocacy group, says Texas is one of 36 states where "top freedom is in effect," or where no laws directly prohibit public toplessness.

However, women leaving their tops at home could cause a problem.

"Even if a top free law is firmly in effect, the police can still arrest you under the pretense of 'disorderly conduct'," the website reads, urging people not to be intimidated because the city can be sued for wrongful arrest, "if your only crime was to go topless."

Austin is the only city in Texas to pass the "topless test," according to gotopless.com, where topless women can walk through the town without being arrested.

Probably shouldn't try that in the Alamo City, though.

In San Antonio women who go topless in public can be arrested under one of three penal codes, public lewdness, indecent exposure or disorderly conduct if it appears the public could be offended by the display, a representative from the San Antonio Police Department said.

None of the codes specifically mention going shirtless, only public intercourse or the displaying of genitalia is mentioned.

Hippie Hollow, a part of Lake Travis in Austin, is the state's only nude beach.

McFaddin beach in Galveston is an "unofficial nude beach," where going topless is allowed, since it's secluded and the local police will only enforce conduct laws if a complaint is made.

Full nudity, however, is illegal, according to a blog post from Two Girls, One Texas.

It has also been rumored that many north South Padre Beaches are nudist friendly, according to websites like spionline.com.

bpatterson@express-news.net