Wow that’s sexy! That’s what I said to my husband at the last swing party we went to about a week ago. I was referring to a lady who wore a silver outfit with a thong bikini and very sexy stiletto heels. She had a great derriere and she was flaunting it. “You go girl,” I said quietly.
Some fashion historians trace the thong’s first U.S. ‘public’ appearance to the 1939 World’s Fair, when then New York Mayor Fiorello LaGuardia, mandated that the city’s nude dancers cover themselves. Fashion designer Rudi Gernreich, has been credited with introducing the first thong bikini in 1974. In the early 1980’s, Frederick’s of Hollywood started selling the panties in its catalogs as did then lingerie newcomer, Victoria’s Secret.
Popularity
If you didn’t know already, not one piece of clothing since the creation of the bikini has been more popular than the “thong.” The thong is one of the sexiest pieces of clothing ever invented. The underwear industry can’t make thongs fast enough to keep up with the huge demand. Thongs aren’t just popular with women, and teenage girls, they are also popular among men. There are websites and magazines everywhere featuring thongs.
A few years ago a very popular song by singer Sisqo called the “Thong Song,” hit the radio waves. The catchy hit song, which catapulted the Dru Hill dropout up the musical charts, had people of all ages singing about the hottest piece of clothing in years- “the thong, th-thong, thong, thong.” Retailers say Sisqo singely influenced shoppers’ choice of undergarments.
We’ve come a long way from the days of teens scrambling for Beatles haircuts or Elvis’ blue suede shoes. Popular music, long an influence on fashion, is now affecting more intimate clothing decisions. Leading lingerie stores report an increase in thong sales since the single invaded radio and MTV. As the weather turns warmer and thoughts turn to tight pants and tan lines, consumers are apparently unable to turn the other cheek to Sisqo’s infectious beats. It’s been years since the song was on the charts, but the effects still linger.
Bringing It Mainstream
While the thong has been popular among exotic dancers and swingers for awhile, fashion historians say the thong — which has been wildly popular for decades in Brazil — was slow to catch on in the U.S. Thongs have been popular in South American countries like Brazil for years. Watching an old James Bond movie from 1962 will prove the point. Tourists would come to Brazil and wear thongs because they couldn’t wear them in the U.S. Swingers would wear their thongs at vacation getaways like Cancun, Jamaica and the French Riviera.
In 2002, The Wall Street Journal reported that “Thongs are the fastest growing segment of the $2 billion-a-year women’s panty business.” Companies such as Victoria’s Secret, Frederick’s of Hollywood, Lane Bryant and even discount stores, such as Target and Wal-Mart credited thongs for their jump in sales of undergarments.
Shopping For A Thong
When you shop for a thong, one thing you should know is that there are over a dozen types to choose from. The G-String Thong has the smallest coverage and no waist band just string. The Thong has small thin strip waist band, some coverage. The 2/3 or 1/3 Back Tanga has the most coverage of all, but less than traditional bikinis. The V-String offers more coverage then the G-String and has a “V” shape in the back. The T-Back has a “t” shape in the back and The Rio is the opposite of the T-Back, but raises up on the sides rather then going straight across.
If you haven’t worn a thong before it may take some getting use too. You may have to try several different styles until you find the one that works for best for you –before you will find the style that is most comfortable. Thongs are fairly inexpensive — it will only cost a few dollars to buy several pairs.
Not everyone like things between their butt cheeks, but for ladies who hate panties riding up their cheeks and who hate panty lines, they are perfect! Plus guys love to see their lady in a thong (and heels).
