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A G-string or thong is a narrow piece of cloth
or even leather that passes between the legs, usually between the
buttocks, and is attached to a band around the hips, worn as a bikini
bottom or as underwear by both men and women. The two terms, g-string
and thong are often used interchangeably however, the primary difference
between the two garments is that a g-string has less material around
the waist band and between the buttocks hence, a "string" like appearance.
The G-string or
thong is probably the earliest form of clothing known to man; having
originated in the warmer climates of sub-Saharan Africa where clothing
was first worn nearly 75,000 years ago. Many tribal peoples, such
as some of the Khoisan people of southern Africa, wore thongs for
many centuries. Much like the 2000-plus-year-old Japanese fundoshi,
these early garments were made with the male genitalia in mind.
Although developed for the male anatomy by primitive peoples, in the
modern West thongs are more often worn by females. They first gained
mainstream popularity as swimwear in South America, particularly in
Brazil in the 1970s. In Brazil, where the buttocks ("bunda" in Portuguese)
are especially admired and emphasized; it was originally a style of
swimsuit whose rear area became so narrow that it would disappear
between the wearer's buttocks.
The origin of the term "G-string" is obscure. The term is first attested
in writings by Americans in the late 1800's regarding the loincloth
of Philippine natives. The origin of the word "thong" is from the
Old English thwong, a flexible leather cord.
Commercialisation and attitudes Attitudes
to wearing G-strings vary, as usual with revealing clothing. By the
late 1980s, the design had made its way into most of the Western world,
and G-string underwear became more and more popular through the 1990s.
As of 2003, thong underwear is one of the fastest-selling styles among
women and currently gaining popularity among men.[citation needed]
One advantage attributed to the wearing of thong underwear is that
no visible panty line can be seen even under a thin, light-colored
or skin-tight garment, which makes for a more attractive appearance.
Although the popularity of wearing thong underwear in America has
taken off only in the last decade, in Eastern and Northern Europe
it has been common for many more years, and is considered commonplace
today.
A variant of the thong concept is the jock sock, a pouch containing
the penis and scrotum supported by a waistband, but lacking any strap
under the crotch to the rear. It depends on the underpart of the pouch
hooking behind the scrotum. It may or may not lend any support to
the genitals.
Today, there are a number of intermediate styles between full rear
coverage and a string rear. They include the rio, tanga, thong, string
thong and microkini. A style that has a narrow band of fabric in the
rear that just covers the cleft in the buttocks is often called a
"Brazilian" rear, because it is often seen at Brazilian Samba carnivals.
In recent years the hip hop and R&B music industry has also helped
to promote the G-string, mostly under its American nomenclature of
'thong' by composing songs about it and featuring artists clad in
them. Artists include Britney Spears, Christina Aguilera and Lil'
Kim. One example of music that popularized this undergarment is the
"Thong Song" by Sisq?, which was released in 2000. G-strings have
become icons of pop culture, often with pop female artists wearing
clothing that is revealing enough that their wearing of a thong is
obvious, and thus the younger generation of American females following
suit has increased the popularity of wearing thong underwear.
Male use of G-string underwear, in the West traditionally limited
to the athlete's jockstrap and the dance belt, is currently increasing
due to the popularization by male strippers and/or exotic dancers,
e.g. Chippendales dancers. G-strings are very popular with male wrestlers
like Hulk Hogan because they don't produce visible brief lines under
their wrestling suits. Male use of G-strings as beachwear is not as
popular in the U.S. as it is in other countries such as France.
As is the case with many icons of pop culture, G-string underwear
is not without its own controversies. In 2002 American clothing retailer
Abercrombie & Fitch, known for their racy catalogues, launched a line
of G-string underwear marketed specifically at girls aged 13 to 16
years. Several consumer advocacy groups objected to marketing of the
G-string, claiming they are too sexually suggestive.
In April 2002, G-string underwear was at the centre of a media uproar
after a vice-principal (a woman) at Rancho Bernardo High School in
southern California forced female students to lift their skirts before
entering a school dance, in a so-called crackdown on G-string underwear.
In May 2003, the head teacher of a British primary school voiced her
concern after learning that girl pupils as young as 10 were wearing
thong underwear to school. This incident led to a media debate about
the appropriateness of G-string underwear and the sexualization of
children.
Article Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/G-string |
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