G-Strings

G-Strings

A G-string is a narrow piece of fabric, leather, or other material that covers the pelvic area, passes between the buttocks, and is attached to a band around the hips.  A G-string can be worn by women or men.  However, if Apparel Search was voting, we would prefer that this garment be worn only by women.  Nothing against men that wear G-strings, but our opinion is that they typically look better on women.

The G-string style consists of an elastic string (also a narrow piece of cloth, leather, or plastic) that connects the front/pouch and the waistband at back, worn as swimwear or underwear mostly by women.

The g-string can be worn as a bathing suit or as underwear.  In regard to swimwear, they may serve as a bikini bottom, but may be worn alone as a monokini.   As underwear, a G-string may be worn in preference to panties to avoid creation of a visible panty lines.

The two terms G-string and thong are sometimes used interchangeably; however they technically refer to different pieces of clothing.  The thong is a garment generally worn as either underwear or as a swimsuit in some countries. It may also be worn for traditional ceremonies or competitions, such as sumo wrestling.  Viewed from the front, the thong typically resembles a bikini bottom, but at the back the material is reduced to a minimum.  The thong typically has more fabric on the backside in comparison to a g-string.  A g-string is a type of thong.

The G-string first appeared in costumes worn by showgirls in Earl Carroll's productions during the 1920s, a period known as the Jazz Age or the Roaring Twenties. Linguist Robert Hendrickson believes that the 'G' stands for 'groin'.  The Oxford English Dictionary reports that the G-string was originally a narrow strip of fabric worn by Indian women. During the Depression, a "G-string" was known as "the gadget", a double-entendre that referred to a handyman's "contrivance", an all-purpose word for the thing that might "fix" things.  During the 1930s, the "Chicago G-string" gained prominence when worn by performers like Margie Hart. The Chicago area was the home of some of the largest manufacturers of G-strings and it also became the center of the burlesque shows in the United States.

G-strings leave little to the imagination, but they are clothing none the less.

If you think g-string underwear is sexy, you may want to check out the tube tops as well.

Suggested underwear retailers:

Victoria's Secret

Learn about boyshorts, panties, and other types of lingerie.

You may want to also visit the underwear glossary to learn about additional styles.

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Construction, Materials and Fit

The garment's parts are few, so each one carries the whole fit. The front is a narrow piece of fabric, leather or other material sized to cover the pelvic area. The waistband, a band around the hips, sets where the garment sits and how securely it stays in place through movement. The connecting element at the back is an elastic string — also made as a narrow piece of cloth, leather or plastic — joining the front and the waistband. Because there is so little material, sizing and elastic quality matter more than in fuller garments: a band that is too tight or a string without enough recovery will not stay comfortable or in position.

As underwear, the style is commonly chosen to avoid visible panty lines under close-fitting clothing, since there is minimal fabric at the back and sides to show through an outer garment. As swimwear, the same construction may serve as a bikini bottom or be worn alone as a monokini. Care follows the material: elastic components degrade with heat, so gentle washing and air drying preserve the fit of the band and string longer than machine drying. Selection, as with any close-fitting garment, is a matter of construction, fabric and personal comfort.