2008 Woodie Awards
Will Thongs go the Way of the Corset?
History, health, controversy,decline and alternatives to 'Butt Floss'
Mara Carpenter
Issue date: 3/4/04 Section: Features
You can only stretch a slingshot so far
We've all seen them: notoriously scanty, slingshot-shaped underwear. We've cursed them, calling them obscene, praised their naughty nature, and nicknamed them things like "crack straps." America's intimacy with the thong has been a long and controversial one.
After singing praises for the thong in his "Thong Song," Sisqo won Billboard's Male Artist of the year award. Since then, it seems like Americans--young, old, male, female, slim, obese, straight, or gay--have been flocking to buy them. But is America's "buttiful" obsession in the decline?
According to the "New York Daily News Daily Dish & Gossip" (www.nydailynews.com) November 20, 2003 issue, the sale of thongs is tapering off: there is no growth in sales. The sales of hipster or boy-shorts-style underwear increased 47% from 2002. In addition, the Hanes underwear retail giant claims that its best selling panty is the high-cut brief. The bikini reigns second with the thong taking third place.
Some un-brief history
An article that traces the history of fashion from about.com states that the thong first appeared at the 1939 World's Fair. The then New York mayor, Fiorello LaGuardia, saw a practical application for the scanty piece of cloth: He was disgusted that strippers were allowed to expose pubic hair, so he demanded that they cover up with thongs.
In its earliest inception, the thong has been considered highly controversial. According to detourmag.com, people believed perverts in sanitariums who drew pictures of thongs with crayon invented the article of clothing.
In a March issue of "Instyle," Gina Cooper says, "Thinking back to ancient art and cultures, having the shape of most of the buttocks being revealed probably originated with men's athleticism." Indeed, many bodybuilders today still wear thongs to display toned glutes.
A thong is a thong is a thong--right?
Wrong. There are at least a dozen thong styles. Here are some of the more popular varieties according to the pages.prodigy.net "History of the Thong."
We've all seen them: notoriously scanty, slingshot-shaped underwear. We've cursed them, calling them obscene, praised their naughty nature, and nicknamed them things like "crack straps." America's intimacy with the thong has been a long and controversial one.
After singing praises for the thong in his "Thong Song," Sisqo won Billboard's Male Artist of the year award. Since then, it seems like Americans--young, old, male, female, slim, obese, straight, or gay--have been flocking to buy them. But is America's "buttiful" obsession in the decline?
According to the "New York Daily News Daily Dish & Gossip" (www.nydailynews.com) November 20, 2003 issue, the sale of thongs is tapering off: there is no growth in sales. The sales of hipster or boy-shorts-style underwear increased 47% from 2002. In addition, the Hanes underwear retail giant claims that its best selling panty is the high-cut brief. The bikini reigns second with the thong taking third place.
Some un-brief history
An article that traces the history of fashion from about.com states that the thong first appeared at the 1939 World's Fair. The then New York mayor, Fiorello LaGuardia, saw a practical application for the scanty piece of cloth: He was disgusted that strippers were allowed to expose pubic hair, so he demanded that they cover up with thongs.
In its earliest inception, the thong has been considered highly controversial. According to detourmag.com, people believed perverts in sanitariums who drew pictures of thongs with crayon invented the article of clothing.
In a March issue of "Instyle," Gina Cooper says, "Thinking back to ancient art and cultures, having the shape of most of the buttocks being revealed probably originated with men's athleticism." Indeed, many bodybuilders today still wear thongs to display toned glutes.
A thong is a thong is a thong--right?
Wrong. There are at least a dozen thong styles. Here are some of the more popular varieties according to the pages.prodigy.net "History of the Thong."