By Maggie Koerth and Meghan Erwin Jayplay senior staff writers
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/High on Crack
Think your friends are crazy for wearing thongs? Think again. That bit of butt floss doesn't have to be as uncomfortable as it looks.
photo by Eric Braem
The pants are perfect. They fit your waist and your hips. They make you look great. That is, until you turn around and people start singing "I see London, I see France..." Not even your whitest panties can hide.
You need a thong.
Don't worry, it's not as bad as you think. Thongs might look like a 12-hour wedgie, but looks can be deceiving. Sarah Workman, sales associate at Kieu's, 738 Massachusetts St., wears nothing but thongs. She says you just get used to them after a few days. "You forget about them and you don't have to worry about pulling underwear out of your butt," she says.
If that doesn't convince you, this should: Not all thongs are equal. If you've had bad experiences with one kind, you still might find bliss with another.
A new panty that combines the comfort and coverage of a boy short and the invisible panty line of a thong has arrived. The thong boy, available at Soap Momma, 735 Massachusetts St., is one of the store's best sellers.
Erin Courtney, sales associate at Soap Momma, says the thong boy is
more flattering on some women than regular thongs and g-strings because your entire butt doesn't show and there is still no panty line. Brooke Pyle, another sales associate at Soap Momma, used to avoid thongs. Now she swears by the thong boy.
Thong boys are made out of lace, so they're sexy too. They cost between $20 to $28 at Soap Momma.
G-strings, despite their intimidation factor, can also be more comfortable than the traditional thong. The difference between a thong and a g-string is the size of the actual thong area. In other words, the width of what is in between your cheeks.
Workman says wearing a gstring is pretty much like wearing nothing at all. You can't feel a thing, and what you can't feel can't make you squirm. Athong has a bit more coverage but takes more time to get used to.
Fabric also makes a difference, but that's more of a personal preference. At Soap Momma, Pyle recommends soft, smooth mesh thongs. Workman, however, says that silk or satin are best. At Weavers' Department Store, 901 Massachusetts St., lingerie clerks steer customers toward cotton. Because you can't try thongs on, Workman suggests rubbing the fabric on the skin of your arm to see which you like best.
Comfort is key to wearing a thong, but image is important too. A couple years ago it was all the rage to show off your thong above the line of your jeans. Just so you know, that trend is deader than Jimmy Hoffa.
"I always thought it was trashy," Workman says. "It was just a little fad people went through. If I see it now, it's by accident."
Avoid fashion accidents with a low-rise or micro-mini thong. It'll set you back $7.99 at Kieu's or $16 at Soap Momma, but it's worth it. Save the debut for someone special, not the entire bar, restaurant, or even worse, your classmates behind you in Budig Hall.
— Maggie Koerth and Meghan Erwin can be reached at mkoerthkansan.com
thong-iquette
do's
>>Do wear with tight pants, jeans, skirts, etc. that have the ability to show any form of panty line.
>>Do wear with light-colored pants such as khaki, cream, any pastels and white. But remember:
Wear a flesh-colored thong with thin, white pants.
>>Do wear one under a sexy dress. If you're dressing up for a night out, go all out. You'll feel sexy underneath your dress too.
don'ts
>>Don't buy a thong that's too small for you. That's the surest way to have an uncomfortable day. You can't try thongs on, but look at sizing charts and figure your size before you buy.
>>Do not wear a thong if it has the potential to stick out of your pants. You are better off having panty lines.
>>Don't wear thongs when working out. You are only creating the possibility of a thong sweat line, which is not attractive. Wear regular underwear. You shouldn't be at the gym worrying about panty lines. Be comfortable while getting your butt in shape.
8.20.06 Joyping
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