After nearly two decades in the cold, the visible thong has made a comeback. More recently, celebrities such as Hailey Bieber and Kim Kardashian have been spotted in the somewhat controversial trend, which promises to continue into 2023.
The visible thong is a trend that first appeared in fashion in the late 90s, more specifically during Jean Paul Gaultier’s spring/summer 1997 show. A few years later, in the early 2000s, the trend began to be seen on celebrities such as Britney Spears , Paris Hilton, and Christina Aguilera.
Still trendy in 2023
A couple of years ago, the visible thong – also known as the whale tale – made a comeback. In 2019, Hailey Bieber appeared at the MET Gala in a pink Alexander Wang dress with matching thong that was clearly visible thanks to the low back of the dress. Only a month later, Bella Hadid showed off a similar look at one of Versace’s fashion shows in Milan during Men’s Fashion Week.
Despite (or perhaps because of) its somewhat controversial label, it seems that the whale tale is here to stay, at least for some time to come. A number of celebrities have recently been seen in this style recently – check out some of them below!
Hailey Bieber chose a black ensemble for the New Year celebration, complete with whale tale.

Even Dua Lipa jumped on the trend the night of honor.

Kim Kardashian combined a black dress with a red thong in October.

Megan Thee Stallion in a white ensemble this summer.

Source: Refinery29