Recently, I published a report declaring that the visible thong was back. Or maybe it was more like an ode. After all, who doesn’t love a good thong moment? A slight flash of a strap has that freaky Freudian effect that riles up the imagination. Or as Svetlana Bevza, one of several designers who showed the look for Spring 2018, says, “There s nothing sexier.”
She has a point. A slightly visible thong strap is the ultimate wink in the underwear world; it doesn’t hit you over the head like a loud logo on the elastic waistband of a pair of boxers. But I’m not talking about the hot-pink pairs fishtailing up the lower backs of Paris Hilton and her hiked-up-string-thing-loving cronies circa 2004. What’s really chic is a peek of a plain black thong, like the OG version at Tom Ford’s Spring 1998 Gucci show. But does the look translate into real life? I decided to give it a test drive at the Vogue office—a more liberal corporate environment than most, but still. (It is a bit more free than usual at the moment considering all of our higher-ups are in Paris for the week. Boss, if you’re reading this, which I am sure you are, sorry . . . I did it for the story.)
The first thong I tried out was an extreme incarnation from Linder Spring 2018 with near-vertical straps attached to a waist belt. The look certainly has that good ol’ noughties nasty-chic effect, but as I tried to wriggle into the sample-size piece, I began to worry I might fracture a rib. It’s more of a nightlife accessory. Instead, I opted for a no-frills black thong, a piece that I found stuffed in the back of my dresser. (I most likely purchased it for $3.99 at TJ Maxx years ago.) I wore it in the same sassy-secretary style of the ’98 Gucci show, sporting it with a pair of pinstriped trousers and a short black sleeveless tank.
When I came to work, the comments, as I expected, varied. “I looooooove this,” said Market Assistant Greg Mitola, before quickly adding, “but I’m kind of a Jersey girl.” Womp. Emerging Platforms and Fashion News Editor Steff Yotka gave me the old up-and-down. “No. Just no.” I asked her a follow up question: “Well, what if I go out out or something?” Same answer.
Some colleagues were more forgiving and even cheered me on. “You need to wear more low-slung pants!” said Market Editor Alexandra Gurvitch. “The strap needs to be dressed-up a bit to really work.” Senior Market Editor Kirby Marzec agreed and cited men’s underwear. “Exposed boxers had a major comeback this year, so why not save a little style space for the exposed thong?” she later emailed, elaborating on Gurvitch’s point: “To avoid looking like you’ve had a wardrobe malfunction, I’d recommend wearing a thong that has some sort of embellished or exaggerated strap that’s worth showing off.”
After my experiment, I won’t be showing off a tricked-out thong strap anytime soon, but don’t be surprised if the look makes a cameo in the celebrity sphere. (First comes the exposed nipple, then comes the exposed thong strap!) After all, low-slung everything is happening on the runway: An archival dress that was revamped at Guy Laroche had a scooping back that skimmed the top of the butt, while The Row, Eckhaus Latta, and up-and-coming label Barragàn all debuted trousers hanging on by a thread (or hip bone). A thong is bound to wriggle above the waistband at some point, so the flossy thing might as well be elevated.
Here, see the best thongs to buy now.