The Exposed Thong Is Back—But What Happens When You Wear It in Public?

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.