Is This the End of the Thong as We Know It?

When we first heard the news that the rule of the thong is coming to an end, our office had lots of mixed feelings. “Hello, comfort” we gasped, but questions like “How will this work with yoga pants?” and “But I hate panty lines!” were part of the conversation too.

After surviving years of super-low-rise jeans and spandex dresses with the help of our minimalist friend the thong, introducing a new style into our underwear drawer feels a little bit naughty. But thanks to the current popularity of high-waist jeans and looser-fitting dresses, high-rise undies are poised for a comeback.

As fashion moves to embrace a more diverse range of styles and body types, it’s exciting to see diamond-encrusted g-strings and other ridiculous and uncomfortable designs fall away in favor of comfier cuts. Stars like Lena Dunham (who recently shared her love for Lonely Lingerie briefs on Instagram) are helping to change what it means to feel sexy — proving that there’s no need to sacrifice your own comfort to feel confident in the nude.

And celebrities aren’t the only ones leading the movement; industry insiders, like Negative Underwear co-founder Lauren Schwab, are on board too. “Underwear is something we wear every day and has the ability to impact how we feel about ourselves,” she said. “The last thing a woman wants is to be distracted by uncomfortable underwear. Well-fitting, comfortable underwear can give you confidence, help you feel good about yourself, and allow you to focus on more important things.”

And while Victoria’s Secret models have strutted down the runways in all sorts of undergarment contraptions, off the runway, real women are looking for something that was made for their bodies. “So much of underwear is made by men and for someone else’s voyeuristic pleasure,” Lauren said. “As a result, much of what exists in the market has impractical and uncomfortable embellishments. More women are entering the industry and focusing on what is important — underwear that is intended to be worn (not just seen!) comfortably, functionally, and without sacrificing style.”

And while some are predicting the fall of the thong altogether, we suspect that cozier iterations of the sleek style won’t be going anywhere just yet. The New York Times reports that sales of the minimalist style have declined seven percent in the last year, but it seems too early to say if it will fade away completely. So weigh in, are you ready to retire your thongs for good?