I Guess Thong Bikinis Are Becoming a Mainstream Trend

A-list celebrities. Bloggers. Victoria’s Secret Angels. Fashion designers. I’m fairly certain almost every category of Insta-famous fashion person wore a thong bikini this summer. 

There are a few factors that I believe converged to give us the 2018 version of the thong bikini. However, the general ’80s influence happening now is largely culpable. The high-cut bikini trend, which was huge three decades ago, goes hand in hand with a thong back. Legs cut so darn high lend themselves naturally to a skimpy coverage behind. Other ’80s swim fads, such as wearing chain belts and socks and trainers with your bikini, are back too. Basically, we’re aspiring to be Sofia Vergara circa a long time ago on Miami Beach.

I should clarify we’re not only talking about bikinis here. Oh, yes, there’s the thong one-piece. We thought one-pieces were safe territory for full-coverage, but the thong trend does not turn the other cheek (sorry) with regards to any form of swimwear. In fact, there’s quite a range of ways to get the look, from a classic thong to a Brazilian tanga to the cheeky bottoms that’ve been stretched to their limits into an impressive wedgie. We generally seem to have drawn the line before straight G-strings, which I feel pretty good about. But don’t take my word for it; keep scrolling to see how the thong has taken over, and shop the barely there bikinis favored by Instagram’s elite.

Next up, shop our edit of the best swimsuits on the high street.