From the controversial ‘stripper’s panty’ status that it earned in the early 20th century, the thong has had a long, eventful and an incredibly exciting journey. We present to you the life story of this skimpy undergarment.

On the first Friday of July in the year 1946, Louis Réard, a French automobile engineer-turned-clothes designer, unveiled the first bikini at Piscine Molitor, a popular swimming pool in Île-de-France. He designed the bikini’s back exactly like that of a thong. The rear of the panty was just a strip of fabric running between the butt cheeks.

This model did not quite impress the Italians, Spaniards or even the Americans, who only warmed up to the thong after seeing the captivating actress Brigitte Bardot sporting the seductive undergarment. The popularity of the thong steadily rose in the following decades. Rumours of Ms. Lewinsky showing her thongs off to Bill Clinton at the White House, Sisqo’s sensual Thong Song, and Nicki Minaj’s provocative twerks in the Anaconda have all played their parts to a T in placing the thong on the pop culture map. Oscar award winner Halle Berry, J. Lo, Beyoncé Knowles and Kim Kardhashian have all worn the thong and shot to fame. And with the ‘low-rise jeans’ movement, young women began to wear thongs. Flaunting the slim waistband of the thong with low jeans was and continues to be a trend.

With the entire world thronging for thongs, we wanted to bring you a ton of them in fabulous prints. Buying one can be perplexing given all the different features – the rise, coverage, fabric and types. Fret not! We are here to help you uncover truths and discover the perfect thong!

SUBSTANTIATING THE THONG, DEBUNKING MYTHS

The thong is a panty tailored with narrow hip straps (the waistband) and a small piece of fabric dividing the butt cheeks. Mostly worn on the beach, this panty style has another distinctive advantage over the hipster; it eliminates the embarrassment from unappealing panty lines showing through your clothing. Some women shy away from thongs for the fear of discomfort. If you are one of them, we urge you to try a thong and we assure you, it is a panty style you will take a liking to and enjoy.

HOW HIGH DOES A THONG ASCEND?

With changing demands and trends, the thong has undergone some mind-blowing modifications. You can now find low, mid and high waist thongs to suit your taste. The shaping thong is a commendable customization – it is tailored with a super-wide, elastic waistband rides all the way up till the breasts. It nicely smoothens the contours of your tummy, hips, back and waist all the while retaining the appeal of the thong.

EXPOSURE OVER COVERAGE

While some are still trying to destigmatize the minimal coverage of thongs, a few brands have taken the sex-appeal of this sensual underwear to a whole new level. Enter the crotchless or open-gusset thong!

If you’re up to it, you could make an entire outfit for the night. Simply wear a matching bra and thong, maybe even include a garter belt and stockings and you’re set for a serious game of seduction.

DEMYSTIFYING THE SPECIES

Thongs, G-string, tangas – What is the difference? Which one must you buy? Here are different ‘styles’ or ‘types’ or ‘formats’ of a thong. This should put to the rest the confusion and ease your shopping experience.

G-STRING: A piece of fabric in the front held in place by a couple of strings on the sides and one in the rear. This one is for the bold hearts.

MICRO THONG: A G-string with hip straps that are thicker than string. The string at the back is replaced by a slightly wide fabric, maybe about an inch. It is certainly more comfortable than the G-string and sits well on your butt.

T-BACK: This thong looks like a wide T from the back. It has wider straps and a somewhat wide back allowing for more coverage than the itsy-bitsy G-string. It is one of the more comfortable thong styles with the waistband literally hugging your hips!

TANGA: Tangas are the most coveted thongs. They have the construct of a regular panty, excepting the rear which is designed to expose your derrière. In essence, the tanga has you covered everywhere, except your bum. These are perfect for everyday wear.

We know you can rock ’em thongs! Go buy one already!

The post THE RISE AND RISE OF THE THONG appeared first on Shyaway Blog - Lingerie Fashion, Trends and Buying Guide 2018.