Thongs as underwear — a traditional thong on the left, a G-string on the right

Thong underwear and swimwear is a style characterized by a thin strip of material along the center of the garment's rear designed to sit between the wearer's buttocks cheeks connecting the front or pouch to the waistband behind the wearer.^[1] Thongs come in a variety of styles depending on the thickness, material, or type of this rear portion of fabric and are available for both men and women throughout the world. Thongs are similar to g-strings, the main difference being that thongs have more material between the legs and back whereas a g-string has less, usually an actual "string" of material. Retailer FreshPair defines thong as "An underwear style for both men and women with a thin fabric back that rests between the buttocks" whereas a g-string is "A panty with a very thin (string-like) band of fabric in the back."^[2] See Thong for other meanings. ...

History

Thongs are descended from the earliest form of clothing, the loincloth, which were generally a male's clothing item, the reverse of modern western culture where the thong has more acceptance among women. In modern clothing, thongs first became popular as a swimsuit style in Brazil. The origin of the word "thong" is from the Old English thwong, a flexible leather cord.^[3] A loincloth is a one-piece male garment, sometimes kept in place by a belt, which covers the genitals and, at least partially, the buttocks. ... A swimsuit, bathing suit or swimming costume is an item of clothing designed to be worn for swimming. ... Old English (also called Anglo-Saxon[1], Old English: ) is an early form of the English language that was spoken in parts of what is now England and southern Scotland between the mid-fifth century and the mid-twelfth century. ... For other uses, see Leather (disambiguation). ...

The first direct descendant of the loincloth, in the direction of thong, was the jockstrap, created by Chicago sporting goods company Sharp & Smith in 1874. The first historical reference to the thong in post-1900's is in 1939 New York City when Mayor Fiorello LaGuardia ordered nude dancers to dress more appropriately. Jacques Heim's and Loius Réard's original bikini from 1946 — that introduced the term "bikini" — had a culotte with a thong back. Fashion designer Rudi Gernreich was credited with introducing the modern thong back in 1974 which grew in popularity in South America, especially in Brazil.^[4] In the 1990's, the thong began to gain widespread acceptance and popularity in the United States of America (U.S.), amounting for sales of more than $2 billion per year in 2006.^[5] More recently, men's thong wear has begun to gain popularity for fit and supportiveness, especially for activities such as running, exercising, at the gym, or as daily wear. Thong underwear for males are similar to an athletic supporter, as they both provide support while using minimum fabric. Nevertheless, the typical athletic supporter is not a thong as the straps at the rear are not at the garment's center. A jockstrap, also known as a jock or athletic supporter, is a type of mens undergarment designed for use in sports or other activities, such as during the recovery from a vasectomy, although some men just like to wear them. ... For other uses, see Chicago (disambiguation). ... Year 1874 (MDCCCLXXIV) was a common year starting on Thursday (link with display the full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar (or a common year starting on Saturday of the 12-day slower Julian calendar). ... Year 1939 (MCMXXXIX) was a common year starting on Sunday (link will display the full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... New York, New York and NYC redirect here. ... A mayor (from the Latin māior, meaning larger, greater) is the modern title of the highest ranking municipal officer. ... Fiorello Henry LaGuardia (December 11, 1882–September 20, 1947) was the Mayor of New York from 1934 to 1945. ... This article is about the womens bathing suit. ... The word culottes is of French language origin, and is the diminutive form of the word cul, which means backside, from the Latin culus. ... Such styles may change quickly, and fashion in the more colloquial sense refers to the latest version of these styles. ... Rudi Gernreich (1922-1985) was a fashion designer and gay activist. ... Year 1974 (MCMLXXIV) was a common year starting on Tuesday (link will display full calendar) of the 1974 Gregorian calendar. ... South America South America is a continent crossed by the equator, with most of its area in the Southern Hemisphere. ... Motto: (traditional) In God We Trust (official, 1956–present) Anthem: The Star-Spangled Banner Capital Washington, D.C. Largest city New York City Official language(s) None at the federal level; English de facto Government Federal Republic  - President George W. Bush (R)  - Vice President Dick Cheney (R) Independence - Declared - Recognized... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... A jockstrap, also known as a jock or athletic supporter, is a type of mens undergarment designed for use in sports or other activities, such as during the recovery from a vasectomy, although some men just like to wear them. ...

Design and variety

Types of thongs include the traditional thong, the g-string, and v-string. There are many other styles available: Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... See Thong for other meanings. ... A G-string (alternatively gee-string or gee string) is a type of thong, a narrow piece of cloth, leather, or plastic that covers or holds the genitals, passes between the buttocks, and is attached to a band around the hips, worn as swimwear or underwear by both men and...

• Traditional thong: This style is generally the most common and involves a strip of fabric in varying widths on the rear of the garment connecting the front or pouch to the waistband.
• g-string: This style consists of a string of fabric - as opposed to a wider-than-thick strip - connecting the front/pouch and the waistband in the rear. Some consider the terms "thong" and "g-string" to be interchangeable, though they are not identical (a g-string is a type of thong, but a thong is not necessarily a g-string).
• v-string: Similar to the g-string, this style connects via a single string along the rear that separates into two strings just at or before the waistband or into a small triangle of fabric above the buttocks but below the waistband.
• Dance belt: This is a type of thong designed specifically to be used in the same manner as an athletic supporter for male dancers, especially in ballet. Its purpose is to protect and support the male during athletic/dance activities without being seen through outergarments such as tights or a leotard.

Swimwear is also available with thong styles for both men and women. Dancer wearing a dance belt A dance belt is a functional name for a thong jock, an undergarment which is often worn by male ballet dancers because various choreographic moves would otherwise produce unfortunate visual distractions, discomfort or even injury. ... For other uses, see Ballet (disambiguation). ... Three women wearing different styles of tights. ... A leotard is a skin-tight one-piece garment that covers the torso and body but leaves the legs free. ...

Thongs are available in a wide variety of materials, including fleece, silk, cotton, satin, nylon, and lycra/spandex and are also available in maternity styles. Thong underwear for males has been compared to an athletic supporter as they both provide support while using a minimum of fabric, though the typical athletic supporter is not a thong as the straps at the rear are not at the garment's center. Polar fleece, more often called just fleece, is a soft napped insulating synthetic wool fabric made from PET or other synthetic fibers. ... For other uses of this word, see Silk (disambiguation). ... For other uses, see Cotton (disambiguation). ... Satin used in bedding Structure of silk satin Look up Satin in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... For other uses of this word, see nylon (disambiguation). ... Example of spandex Spandex or elastane is a synthetic fiber known for its exceptional elasticity. ... A jockstrap, also known as a jock or athletic supporter, is a type of mens undergarment designed for use in sports or other activities, such as during the recovery from a vasectomy, although some men just like to wear them. ...

For obvious anatomical reasons, thongs for men are cut differently than thongs for women. Some still consider the male thong to be associated with gay men, but attitudes are changing as more and more young men embrace thong underwear.^{[citation needed]} Thong underwear for men is becoming widely available with most of the large retailers carrying a selection.

Tanga

A tanga is an undergarment and swimwear for both sexes which has no material around the sides other than the waist band. A string tanga is a type of tanga swimwear which has the waist band replaced with strings which are tied. The term originated from the Kimbundu term "ntanga", meaning loincloth. Often, the name tanga is used to refer to thongs or g-strings as well. Underwear redirects here. ... Womans bathing suit, 1920s, USA A swimsuit (also swimmers), bathing suit (also bathers) or swimming costume (sometimes shortened to cozzie) is an item of clothing designed to be worn for swimming. ... Kimbundu is one of the most spoken pre-colonial languages in central africa. ... A loincloth is a one-piece male garment, sometimes kept in place by a belt, which covers the genitals and, at least partially, the buttocks. ...

Thongs and society

Women's thong swimwear.

Attitudes to thongs are changing in most of the Western world toward more acceptance. Acceptance among men is especially on the rise; most stores now carry a selection of men's thongs, and more men are dismissing the stereotype that thongs are for gay men. They are becoming a regular item of underwear and thong swimsuits are seen more frequently on the beaches. The wearing of thong swimwear on the beach is fairly common in the Southern European countries and on the tropical beaches of South America and Florida. Some county and municipal governments in the United States have passed legislation generally or specifically relating to thongs, such as Huntington Beach, California, which in 2007 passed an anti-nudity ordinance that did not ban thongs.^[6][7] Councilman Don Hansen assured, "we remain thong-friendly in Huntington Beach." ^[8] Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... Huntington Beach is a seaside city in Orange County in southern California. ...

Recent surveys place the number of American women who wear thongs as their preferred underwear style at 28%. As of 2002, thongs were the fastest-selling type of underwear for women. While thongs are available for girls as young as third grade ^[9] it is common for parents to prevent young girls wearing them until they reach their teenage years.

Many reasons exist why women and girls may chose to wear thong underwear or swimwear:^[10] prevention of visible panty lines^[11], prevention of ride up so one needn't pull at their underwear in public, comfort, doesn't ride up past jeans, fashion consciousness including the feeling of more adult and more feminine, saving storage space during travels, minimization of tan lines.

A large number of men and women also wear thongs as the preferred apparel during private home workouts or exercise, finding the clothing to be sexually empowering and liberating while one desires to get into their best possible 'sex body' shape. The almost completely exposed buttocks of many styles of thong is a paramount feature of this routine, with a lot of exercises emphasizing the development of gluteal muscles. In this regard, thongs to an extent can be attributed to aiding individuals in increased personal health, fitness, self-esteem, and sexual assertiveness. Particularly for men, thongs allow the genitalia to remain in a secure position while working out or exercising in as close to a state of nudity as feasibly possible. Gluteus maximus The gluteal muscles are the three muscles that make up the human buttocks. ...

This is one item of clothing that cannot be worn in dance competitions under the rules of the IDSF (International DanceSport Federation). International DanceSport Federation (IDSF) (formerly ICAD) was founded in 1957. ...

Controversy

A "whale tail" - when a thong is visible above the waistline of the trousers or skirt.

Main article: Social impact of the thong

Several institutions have banned thongs, mainly schools and universities.^[12][13][14] In one particular case in 2002, a female high school vice principal in San Diego physically checked up to 100 female students' underwear^[15] as they entered the school for a dance, with or without student permission, causing an uproar among students and some parents and eliciting an investigation by the school into the vice principal's conduct.^[16] In her defence, the vice principal said the checks were for student safety and not specifically because of the wearing of thongs ("This was a safety issue, it was not a choice of underwear issue").^{[17][18][19][20][21][22]} Flag Seal Nickname: Americas Finest City Location Location of San Diego within San Diego County Coordinates , Government County San Diego Mayor City Attorney         City Council District One District Two District Three District Four District Five District Six District Seven District Eight Jerry Sanders (R) Michael Aguirre Scott Peters Kevin...

Of particular controversy is the retail by several outlets, including Abercrombie & Fitch, Argos and Etam, of thongs for children as young as nine. A spokesman for Abercrombie & Fitch stated that he could list "at least 100 reasons why a young girl would want thong underwear."^[23] This controversy spawned a great deal of free publicity for Abercrombie, including a chain letter that received wide circulation.^[24] Argos's production of padded bras and Etam's of sheer tops caused similar consternation.^[25][26] Media attention was drawn to the phenomenon when a British primary head teacher voiced concerns that pupils as young as 10 were wearing thong underwear to school.^[27] Abercrombie & Fitch (IPA: ) (NYSE: ANF) (A&F) is an American clothing company. ... Argos store. ... Etam UK was a British womens clothing retailer formed by the French Etam Developpement. ... A primary school in ÄŒeský Těšín, Czech Republic. ... A head teacher, headmaster or headmistress (all often referred to simply as the head) is the most senior teacher in a school in the United Kingdom and elsewhere. ... For other uses, see Student (disambiguation). ...

Men's thongs

In the USA and Europe, the wearing of thongs by men was once mainly limited to the dance belt, the posing pouch for bodybuilders and the realm of male strippers. As of now they are common underwear for men, with garments like the Jockey Next-to-Nothing Microfiber Thong and thongs by Calvin Klein becoming more popular. They are not only sexy and stylish but differentiate the younger men from the underwear of their forefathers. Recent surveys place the number of American men who wear thongs as their preferred underwear style at over 4% and the number of men who sometimes wear thongs at around 20%, more in the younger generations and less in the older. Men and boys chose to wear thong underwear or swimwear for many reasons. A primary advantage of thong underwear is that when wearing close cut jeans or pants you don't have visible lines from the underwear. Thongs can also be more supportive, more comfortable, provide increased freedom of movement, and minimize tan lines when sunbathing. Image File history File links Question_book-3. ... Dancer wearing a dance belt A dance belt is a functional name for a thong jock, an undergarment which is often worn by male ballet dancers because various choreographic moves would otherwise produce unfortunate visual distractions, discomfort or even injury. ... For the book or movie Striptease see Striptease (book) and Striptease (movie) A striptease is a performance, usually a dance, in which the performer gradually removes their clothing for the purposes of sexually arousing the audience, usually performed in nightclubs. ...

It is becoming more common for men to wear thong swimsuits on the public beaches. Men in thongs can be spotted on the more cosmopolitan beaches in the USA and Europe. The number of women wearing thongs to the beach still out numbers the men, by a good margin, but modern discussions of thong swimsuits will generally refer to both men and women.

See also

• Beachwear
• Bikini
• Bodysuit
• Fundoshi
• Speedo (suit style)
• Undergarment
• G-string

Image File history File links Commons-logo. ... Beachwear refers to clothing suitable for wearing on a beach or urban beach. ... This article is about the womens bathing suit. ... A bodysuit is a leotard-like undergarment, sometimes used to provide support and shaping, sometimes simply as a top that cannot become untucked from ones trousers or skirt. ... The fundoshi (褌) is a traditional Japanese male loincloth, made from a strip of cotton cloth, one shaku (traditional Japanese foot, 35 cm = 14 inches) wide and about 2. ... A blue speedo A speedo, which takes its name from the swimsuit brand Speedo, may refer to any briefs-style male swimsuit such as those used in competitive swimming, regardless of the actual manufacturer (see genericized trademark). ... Underwear redirects here. ... See Thong for other meanings. ...

References

2008 (MMVIII) is the current year, a leap year that started on Tuesday of the Anno Domini (or common era), in accordance to the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 93rd day of the year (94th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... 2008 (MMVIII) is the current year, a leap year that started on Tuesday of the Anno Domini (or common era), in accordance to the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 93rd day of the year (94th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ...

External links

• Instructions for knitting men's thong underwear
• WVEC "The bottom line about panties: wear what's comfortable" (includes embedded video)
• Rudi Gernreich exhibition in New York
• History of thong