Once considered a niche or risqué choice for the boldest beachgoers and exotic locales, thong-style bikinis have become a dominant force in mainstream swimwear — and reality television is playing a key role in the shift.
Programs like Love Island, known for their sun-soaked villas and highly curated fashion, have helped normalise and popularise the barely-there bikini trend among a younger, style-conscious audience.
As social media amplifies these looks beyond the screen, retailers and designers are responding to the growing demand, signalling a broader change in cultural attitudes toward body confidence and beachwear.
The once-daring silhouette is now a go-to summer staple. Whether it’s on your Instagram feed, the local pool, or high-street shop displays, there’s no denying: less coverage is more in 2025.
Today a search for a ‘thong bikini’ results in 187 different options on online fashion retailer ASOS, offering everything from high-leg to side-tie options.
Over the past few years, A-list celebrities such as Hailey Bieber, Kim Kardashian and her sisters Kourtney and Khloe, along with Emily Ratajkowski, Lady Gaga and Nicole Scherzinger, have promoted the trend in their own sizzles shots.
Infleuncer Hailey, 28, sent her fans wild over her perky bottom in bikini photos when she posted a selection in barely-there yellow swimwear recently
Trend setter Kim Kardashian has long been a pioneer of the G-string look, previously littering her Instagram page with pictures of her in the scanty item
Infleuncer Hailey, 28, sent her fans wild over her perky bottom in bikini photos when she posted a selection in barely-there yellow swimwear recently.
The model was in the skimpy two piece as she enjoyed a holiday on the Spanish island of Mallorca, and left little to the imagination in her beachwear choice.
Hailey was face forward as she posed away on a boat as she promoted her lip gloss line for her billion dollar brand Rhode.
Her pals Kylie Jenner and Carolyn Murphy hit the like button while fans commented: ‘Stunning gorgeous perfect woman,’ ‘Nice booty,’ and ‘Just insane, what an amazing woman.’ Another added: ‘No way this lady has a baby anytime recently?’
Another remarked: ‘Feels illegal to be this cute’, which was followed by ‘is this illegal?’
Trend setter Kim Kardashian has long been a pioneer of the G-string look, previously littering her Instagram page with pictures of her in the scanty item.
A memorable set of photos show Kim in the tiny thong cartwheeling across a beach while on holiday, while also sporting a fitted tank.
The 44-year-old star showcased her backside in a tiny black bikini thong with a T-shirt she tied behind her so that it clung to her figure.
Other stars who have embraced the teeny tiny bikini include Emily Ratajkowski, who has previously described herself as an exhibitionist
Kim’s sister Kourtney Kardashian has become a queen of thong bikinis, most notably for confirming her early romance with Travis Barker while wearing one
As Kourtney wrapped herself around Travis in the passionate display, captioning the photograph as ‘just like heaven’, in a post which reached £5million likes
Kourtney again flaunted the trend the following years in a series of photos wear she showed off her peachy bottom in another skimpy piece
It takes a lot of body confidence to rock a thong bikini, but plenty of other celebrities have also sported the trend with a booty-baring backside.
Kim’s sister Kourtney Kardashian has become a queen of thong bikinis, most notably for confirming her early romance with Travis Barker while wearing one.
As Kourtney wrapped herself around Travis in the passionate display, captioning the photograph as ‘just like heaven’, in a post which reached £5million likes.
The memorable announcement told the world that they were wildly in love after first confirming their romance months prior.
Kourtney again flaunted the trend the following years in a series of photos wear she showed off her peachy bottom in another skimpy piece.
Other stars who have embraced the teeny tiny bikini include Emily Ratajkowski, who has previously described herself as an exhibitionist.
She said: ‘I’ve always been drawn to overexposure.
Emily wrote in her 2021 collection of essays, My Body: ‘Making myself big gives me a sense of security. Be the loudest in the room, the most opinionated, the one in the most revealing dress. Do the most.’
Lady Gaga has also advocated for the racy trend by posing in a sizzling two-piece
Nicole Scherzinger has also flaunted her bootilicious behind in an example of the swimwear
Frankie Bridge is another star who has posted pictures in a G-string
However, it seems not everyone is a fan of the clothing item judging by a thread on the trend recently published on Reddit, with comments saying:
‘I hate thongs because they’re uncomfortable. The high-waisted high-leg bikini bottoms just look awful on almost everyone.
‘Bring back 2000s bikini bottoms with coverage on the butt and a low waist. So comfortable! And they look much better on someone like me who has a belly’;
‘For real though! I didn’t think it was too much to ask to cover my a***! And the high waist doesn’t look as good on someone short like me’.
‘I don’t know. I can justify a high-cut panty. IF you have the a** for it! But not a thong or even “cheeky” bottoms (it’s just a thing in disguise)’; ‘I’ve seen that trend for 8 years and it weirds me out seeing girls/women’s butt cheeks lol.’
‘Please someone suggest brands that have bikinis that cover your a** cheeks because I swear I have been searching for nice stylish cute ones that are also modest for years. Options are thong or granny pants and no inbetween’.
‘Being big also means becoming a target,’ she continued.
‘But by inviting people’s gaze and attention and therefore their attacks, I have a sense of more power, less vulnerability, since I’m the one putting myself out there.’
