In many places, a thong bikini doesn’t raise an eyebrow—think Brazilian beaches or the Love Island fire pit, where visible cheeks are practically the norm. But my first sighting this year wasn’t on a sunny Australian surf or a Caribbean shore. It was at an open-water swimming spot on a rainy day in Scotland.
I shouldn’t have been surprised. Tiny swimwear is big news this summer. It’s no longer just for sunny destinations—it’s popping up everywhere from public pools to leisure centers, and apparently, even Scottish lochs.
The trend has clearly trickled down from runways and influencers to everyday vacationers and shoppers. A quick search for “thong bikini” on Asos brings up 187 options, from high-leg cuts to side-tie styles and tangas (a style between a thong and a regular brief). High-street brands like H&M, Calzedonia, and Zara all carry thong bikini bottoms in their collections. And as with any trend, celebrities have led the way—gymnast Simone Biles, model Heidi Klum, actor Sofía Vergara, and singer Nicole Scherzinger, among others. Rapper Lizzo has long been a fan.
“I won’t lie, it was nerve-racking at first,” says 29-year-old Victoria, who wore a thong bikini for the first time on a solo trip to Naples. Like many new converts, part of the appeal was avoiding the obvious tan lines that come with more coverage. “I saw thong bikinis everywhere and wished I could wear one. Then I thought, it’s just a bum. Men wear those tiny trunks where you see everything—why can’t I wear this? Plus, it was really comfortable.”
Though the itsy-bitsy bikini revolution has taken off this summer, it’s been building for a while. In 2023, the New York Times noted that “more women are adopting the ‘less is more’ philosophy” for beachwear, and fashion site Who What Wear called thong bikinis the “controversial swimwear trend you’ll see on every beach.” This year, New Zealand’s The Spinoff even asked, “Why is every bikini bottom a thong now?”
“I think we’ve entered a new era of body consciousness—a much more expressive moment,” says Shaun Cole, associate professor of fashion at the University of Southampton. “People are saying, ‘It’s my body, and I can show it off how I choose. If that means wearing something sometimes seen as socially unacceptable, I’ll do it.’”
Gen Z, in particular, seems less interested in sticking to clothes considered “flattering”—a term that’s fallen out of favor. Thong bikinis, once mostly worn by those with a specific body type, are now available in a wider range of sizes and marketed more inclusively.
“Women of all shapes and sizes are embracing bolder cuts with real confidence, reflecting a broader cultural shift toward body positivity and self-expression,” says Aliya Wilkinson, founder of luxury swimwear label Ãsalé. Her brand doesn’t currently offer thong styles, but she plans to introduce them soon.
“In the West, fashion has long focused on enhancing the butt—making it look bigger and drawing attention to that part of the female body,” says Roberta Sassatelli, professor of sociology at the University of Bologna and co-author of Body and Gender. “This might be because the butt is seen as sensual but not tied to reproduction. Because it’s linked purely to pleasure, it feels more liberated.”
This trend is also reflected in the popularity of cosmetic procedures like Brazilian butt lifts, despite their risks, and a growing fitness obsession with sculpting the perfect behind.In 2018, sports writer Anna Kessel observed that a firm, or “juicy,” bottom had replaced the flat stomach as the new fitness ideal in mainstream women’s health magazines, with more and more gym classes focusing solely on the glutes. Seven years later, are gym-goers now eager to show off the results?
Beachwear in the 1920s was far less revealing. Photograph: GraphicaArtis/Getty Images
“I think the popularity of thong bikinis comes from a few trends: the focus on building glutes through exercise, a growing exhibitionism where the butt is one of the last body parts to become more publicly visible, and greater cultural acceptance of diverse body types,” says Natalia Mehlman Petrzela, a historian and author of Fit Nation. “The low-rise jeans trend of the early 2000s, for example, aligned with the era’s obsession with flat abs workouts.”
Cole suggests another reason people are choosing to wear less: “It might be tied to what’s been called the ‘pornification’ of culture and style,” he says, referencing an idea from fashion historian Pamela Church Gibson. “This style mimics elements from pornography—where performers often wear minimal outfits like tiny bikinis or thongs—and has been adopted without many realizing its origins. Shows like Love Island, where contestants flaunt their bodies to attract partners, also reflect this trend.”
After years of declining viewership, Love Island is seeing a resurgence this summer, with more people tuning into both the UK and US versions. The New York Times linked the US show’s popularity to its appeal as an escape during “times of societal and economic hardship.”
Celebrity sightings are common… Brazilian model Isabeli Fontana in Cannes, 2022. Photograph: Pepe Mendez/GC Images
As dress and design historian Amber Butchart noted while curating Splash!, an exhibition on swimwear and style at London’s Design Museum: “Swimwear’s close connection to the body means it mirrors changing attitudes toward modesty, morality, and public display. In the 18th century, bathing machines shielded swimmers from onlookers. But throughout the 20th century, daring designs challenged earlier notions of decency and often sparked controversy. For the past hundred years, what we wear swimming has been used to regulate bodies.”
Although thong bikinis are now mostly worn by women, that wasn’t always true. The style is thought to trace back to ancient loincloths worn by men. Modern thongs are said to have emerged in 1939, when New York Mayor Fiorello La Guardia required showgirls to cover up rather than perform nude at the World’s Fair. For swimwear specifically, Austrian-American designer Rudi Gernreich—known for the monokini, or “topless bikini”—is often credited with creating the thong bikini in 1974, after Los Angeles banned public nudity, including nude sunbathing.
More recently, thong bikinis have faced bans. In January, a council in Greater Sydney, Australia, prohibited thong and even skimpier G-string bikinis at public pools. Several women have also been arrested for wearing thongs in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, where they are banned. In the UK, Greenwich Leisure Ltd, which operates 240 leisure centers under the brand Better, requires “full-coverage bikinis,” and a spokesperson has indicated that this rule does exclude thongs.”Wouldn’t be acceptable.” But even when thong styles are allowed, many people still feel uneasy about wearing them. Rebecca, 33, says, “I do own one, but I’ve only worn it once—when my partner and I had a private villa in Portugal.” Even in that private setting, she felt a bit too exposed. “I don’t understand why someone would wear one on a family vacation, for instance. Thong bikinis feel very sexualized, so to me, it seems inappropriate. I’d much rather have high-waisted bottoms that cover more.”
According to Sassatelli, the resurgence of thong bikinis isn’t all that surprising. “The thong has never completely disappeared,” she explains. “But for those in their teens and twenties, it hasn’t really been ‘in fashion.’ Once the fashion industry forgets about something, it can be brought back—and that gives it a sense of novelty.”
Frequently Asked Questions
Of course Here is a list of helpful FAQs about the return of the thong bikini
General Beginner Questions
Q What exactly is a thong bikini
A Its a twopiece swimsuit where the bottom piece has a thin strip of fabric in the back that sits between the buttocks leaving the majority of the cheeks exposed
Q I thought thong bikinis were just for the beach in Brazil or music videos Are they really going mainstream
A Yes While theyve always had a niche presence they are now being sold by major retailers featured in mainstream fashion magazines and worn more openly on public beaches and by pools worldwide
Q Why are they suddenly so popular again
A The comeback is driven by a few key trends a cultural shift towards body positivity and confidence the influence of social media and a fashion move away from more coverage towards minimalist 90s and Y2Kinspired styles
Style Practicality Questions
Q What are the benefits of wearing a thong bikini
A The main benefits are avoiding tan lines feeling a sense of freedom and confidence and the stylish minimalist look Many also find them more comfortable for sunbathing as theres less fabric to bunch up
Q Im interested but nervous How can I ease into this style
A You can start with a cheeky bottom which shows some cheek but not all Also try wearing a thong bikini in a private setting like your backyard or a secluded beach first to build confidence
Q Are there different styles of thong bikinis
A Absolutely Styles range from classic string ties and Brazilian cuts to more structured designs with hardware like rings or buckles The tops can also vary from bandeaus to triangle tops allowing you to mix and match
Q What kind of body type looks best in a thong
A The best body type is a confident one The trend is all about wearing what makes you feel good Thongs are designed to highlight and celebrate your natural shape regardless of size
Concerns Advanced Questions
Q Is it appropriate to wear a thong bikini at a public pool or family beach
A This depends heavily on the specific locations rules and local
