The Exposed Thong Trend is Coming With Us Into 2023

There are some trends that many of us would likely love to see remain in 2022. Low-waisted jeans perhaps, leg warmers maybe, or any of the pieces connected to the continued takeover of Y2K style. It’s possible that some of these won’t find their way into the new year trend reports, but one aughts classic seems like it might be here to stay: the exposed thong.

If you’re not too happy about that one, we suggest you take up your complaints with Hailey Bieber or Dua Lipa, who both wore the trend during their respective New Years celebrations. Bieber rang in the new year in Aspen, Colorado with the Jenner sisters. After enjoying some time on the slopes, the group headed out to toast midnight, Bieber traded in her winter coat for a black Mugler mini dress from the brand’s spring 2022 collection. It was one of those pieces that you could describe as more cutouts than actual dress, with a large gap on the bodice and smaller pieces removed from the bust and waist. The back was similarly sparse, with just a few straps making up the garment and, yes, an exposed thong illusion. She’s no stranger to the trend either. She once wore an exposed thong dress to the Met Gala (that kind that might make Kim Craig proud).

But while Bieber’s thong was built into the dress, Lipa seemed to have added the effect on her own. The pop star wore a sheer Swarovski crystal-covered halter dress from Ludovic de Saint Sernin’s spring 2023 Mirage collection. She paired the dress with Swarovski crystal earrings and fuchsia croc stiletto boots from Paris Texas. Lipa then took advantage of the low-cut back of the dress and added a white thong from LA-based Pretties, leaving it very much exposed.

Of course, the thong look is nothing new. It was big in the late ‘90s and early ‘00s and has already had a resurgence in recent years.Back in 2019, the model wore an Alexander Wang dress complete with a sexy whale tail to the Met Gala. Later that year, Alexa Demie wore a snake print AKNA dress with a bejewled thong to the premiere of the first season of Euphoria, and Kim Kardashian has been loyal to the look since at least 2018 when she showed off a Tom Ford-era Gucci thong so iconic, it actually belongs in a museum.

Even if you aren’t brave enough to fully expose you’re actually undies a la Lipa, you may feel comfortable taking Bieber’s built in approach. Or, perhaps, you just choose to sit this one out. Whale tails truly are not for everyone.

Whale Tails for 2023:

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