When it comes to clothing advice for women, there are endless “rules.” They range from sizeists who say, “Avoid horizontal stripes if you have a wide frame,” to ageists who say, “Don’t wear crop tops if you’re over 50.” Now Australia is also having an impact. Greater Sydney’s city council has banned thong and G-string bikinis from public pools, sparking anger among pool users and sparking a wider debate about the policing of women’s bodies.
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In a now-deleted Facebook post clarifying swimming attire rules, Blue Mountains Leisure Center said skimpy swimwear was “inappropriate” on its premises. Ta. The guidelines were published after inquiries were made about posters at the center warning pool users not to wear “revealing swimsuits or thongs.”
If Australia’s councils are twisting knickers over swimwear guidelines, they’re bucking a broader trend. Skin is on trend, bikinis have surpassed traditional one-piece swimsuits, and women over 45 are leading the trend. Meanwhile, the tonkini has become the default uniform on the reality show Love Island, appearing on the likes of Gen Z model Bella Hadid, singer and size inclusivity advocate Lizzo, and “middle-aged” Jennifer Lopez. regularly endorsed by celebrities.
This isn’t the first time a woman’s bottoms have caused controversy. Heather Radke, author of Butts: A Backstory, says bottoms have a “complicated space within salacious conversation.” The author, who has traced the cultural history of the derriere, says that people “have a lot of mixed feelings about the butt in general. It’s a place associated with sex and defecation, and it’s long been a place of race and gender.” It has been tied to classification and problems.” hierarchy”.
The main difference between a G-string and a thong is the amount of coverage. The skimpy G-string provides the least amount of coverage as it has a small triangle of fabric in the front and a thin string running between the buttocks. The back of the thong, on the other hand, has a narrower piece of fabric, giving the Brazilian an inch or two more coverage.
The Brazilian is a popular item from British swimwear brand Away That Day. Our ‘Fiji’ bikini bottoms in UK sizes 6 to 18 are a continuing bestseller. Ingemae Kotze, the brand’s founder, describes it as “a fun shape that doesn’t make you feel naked.” She attributes her interest in the trend to a desire to avoid tan lines and increased confidence in her body.
Fast fashion company Pretty Little Thing has a dedicated “thong bikini” category on its site, offering more than 50 options. The design is described as “a minimalist style for maximum impact.” Second, high street retailers, which generally cater to an older demographic, are selling thong bikini bottoms for £14.
Visible panty lines with thongs are making a comeback as Gen Z continues to obsess over Y2K fashion. Photo: Chris Rout/Alamy
This barely short trend mirrors the underwear trend. Sales of thongs are on the rise at Marks & Spencer, with the retailer focusing on “clean, cheeky low-rise knicker shapes” for 2025.
Twenty-eight years after Tom Ford made headlines by sending G-string briefs down the Gucci catwalk, you can now pick up a five-pack of similar styles at Asda. Visible panty lines (VPL) with thongs are making a comeback as Gen Z’s obsession with Y2K fashion continues.
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Sydneysiders are not the first to object to this style. In 2023, a woman was arrested wearing a thong bikini in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, where the style is banned. In France, full-body burkinis are banned in public pools, and men are required to wear Speedo-style briefs. In the UK, thongs are banned at Alton Towers, but social company GLL, which operates 240 leisure centers under the Better brand, has guidelines stipulating ‘full coverage’ bikinis. GLL did not specifically mention thongs, but a spokesperson said the wording “appears to imply that thongs are not acceptable.”
Many believe that increased body confidence is driving thong sales, but Radke isn’t convinced. “While it’s true that there are more types of butts that are considered ‘acceptable’ or ‘beautiful’ than there were in the mid-’90s, for example, most people today feel free from beauty standards. I’m sure you’re not in a position to do so.
“For me, what we have to fight against is the underlying, often unconscious, ranking of our bodies that makes some of us inherently better than others because of that body. It’s a trend that suggests it’s worth it.
