Thongs aren’t what they used to be

June 14, 2015 by admin
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AP
According to figures from a US research company NPD Group, sales of thongs are down seven percent, while sales of more generous bottom coverings have gone up by 17 percent in the past year.

London – You might not remember Sisqó, but his 1999 hit Thong Song should ring a few bells.

“Girl I know you wanna show da na da na/ That thong th-thong thong thong” went the enlightened ditty, while the music video showed a great quantity of tanned and pert bottoms enjoying spring break in Miami, each displaying a thong.

In the UK the sales of thongs, or G-strings, rose through the Nineties to meet the demand for hipster jeans, cut too low to accommodate big knickers and with too tight a fit for the visible panty line of a bikini brief.

Well, Sisqó, if you’re listening, the sun is setting on your thong-thronged beaches, as confirmed by our official national arbiter of undergarments, MS, which sells 60 million pairs of knickers every year. “Today less than one in 10 of the knickers we sell is a thong,” confirms a spokesman.

“This shape is decreasing in popularity as women are falling in love with shapes like the Brazilian [NB: no hair removal is involved with the wearing of this knicker] as a no-VPL alternative, or choosing styles like the leg-lengthening high leg, or fuller shapes such as the midi.”

The trend for thongs seems to have bottomed-out in the US, too. With handbags, cars and property firmly out of their price range, Millennials and the Generation Y crowd (over 35? This isn’t you.) are putting their pennies where their pants are, pursuing a trend for big knickers over barely there G-strings.

According to figures from a US research company NPD Group, sales of thongs are down seven percent, while sales of more generous bottom coverings have gone up by 17 percent in the past year.

That 17 percent includes a number of types of knickers, such as the high-waisted, broad-bottomed granny pants, popularised by Bridget Jones; boy shorts, a skater-style full-bum option; and high-waisted briefs which are cut higher on the hip and behind than a granny pant, but stretch up over your tum.

“Thongs have had their moment,” confirmed Bernadette Kissane to The New York Times, which has reported on the phenomenon of wearing granny panties as a feminist act: young women are choosing plain, big, even baggy pants to make a political statement against the overtly suggestive itsy-bitsy teenie-weenie undies.

What’s more, thanks to Chloe Sevigny and her high-waisted Mom jeans, there’s plenty of space for granny knickers.

MS is clear that in the UK at least the growing appeal of bigger pants is not accompanied by a move towards plainer materials. “In terms of style, there is no place for Bridget Jones boring knickers in our ranges!” says head of design Soozie Jenkinson. “Our customers are loving anything lacy at the moment including bigger knicker shapes.”

Agent Provocateur sell high-end and very saucy underwear to customers with deep pockets, and it is seeing similar trends.

“There has been a surge in the sale of ‘bigger knickers’ over the past six months for us,” says creative director Sarah Shotton. “Although thongs are still popular. Larger-style briefs have been selling out across our stores.”

While women’s taste in pants is diversifying, The Independent’s fashion editor Alexander Fury has noticed some impressive rises in men’s underwear over the past few decades, notably when Tom Ford first sent a Gucci thong and then a sheer brief down his men’s catwalks in 1997 and 2001 respectively.

Then there’s the work of labels including DSquared and Versace in developing a larger market for men’s underwear . (Fury interviewed Donatella Versace last year after she had shown a collection of lace lingerie for men.)

No longer a gay thing, outré men’s pants are for exceedingly preened heterosexuals too. After all, Cristiano Ronaldo has his own line, CR7.

Much of our desire for bigger knickers suggests a tongue-in-cheek reference to today’s fashionably bigger bottom. Over on Instagram, the craze for belfies – selfies of bottoms – intersects with the showing off of big knicker-wearing behinds. So much for showing a little more modesty and a little less social media-exposed sexiness.

The Independent

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Kim Kardashian almost takes a tumble in high heels in Beverly Hills

June 14, 2015 by admin
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Dailymail.com Reporter

Published:
15:46 EST, 12 June 2015

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Updated:
06:21 EST, 13 June 2015

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Kim Kardashian put her changing shape on show during a shopping trip in Beverly Hills on Friday.

The reality star, who is pregnant with her second child, wore a tight grey mini-dress for the solo shopping outing at Celine on Rodeo Drive.

She finished off the look with dark oversized shades and simple but elegant brown heels that may have caused her to stumble a bit along the way.

Scroll down for video…

Shopping spree: Kim Kardashian, 34, was spotting indulging in a bit of retail therapy in Beverly Hills on Friday

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The outfit appeared to be an American Apparel Ponte Tank Dress that retails at just $58, much less than the items on display in the boutique stores of Beverly Hills, where Kim was shopping.

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Just this month, Kim admitted that it requires her to wear two pairs of Spanx, when stepping out in her very tight-fitting wardrobe.

She told Sally Holmes, Senior News Editor at Elle: ‘[S]ometimes I wear two pairs [of Spanx] under something or stockings – it holds you in.’

Careful! She strut her stuff in simple but elegant brown heels that caused her to stumble a bit along the way

Treading carefully: The reality star appeared to be watching her step as she continued on her way

Shopping for someone special? The former stylist spent a large amount of her time on the phone while picking out items to buy

Then referring to her pregnancy (with many believing she’s about three months along) the star said: ‘I was getting bigger and bigger and I was like “No, I’m not pregnant yet, I need to be skinny.”‘

Kim went on to discuss the price of beauty: ‘And, I mean, sometimes I’ll wear something and I’ll get inside and be like “Oh my God, I want to take these shoes off,” like “That was not normal, I can’t wear these, I need to just leave and take them off.”‘

Earlier in the day the star shared a picture of her daughter North on Instagram wearing her dad Kanye West’s thick gold chain.

Finding room to manoeuvre: Kim made a quick adjustment to her dress as she left her vehicle

Stylish shopper: Kim was on her way to Celine on Rodeo Drive …but appeared to be wearing high street fashion in an American Apparel dress

Bumping along nicely: Pregnant Kim showed off her incredible figure as she marched into a boutique store

Changing shape: The star put her budding bump on show in a tight grey dress

This week, Kanye opened up about his daughter, admitting that he hates it when people describe 23-month-old North’s moniker as ‘weird’ and thinks the world is ‘ugly’ because there is so much criticism of those that don’t conform.

He said: ‘Ya’ll be calling my daughter’s name weird, like, her name should be like some name that you’ve heard before and all that. I don’t like to say that it’s weird when it’s innovative and fresh.

‘Like I hate that, like, creatives are beat down so much and are put in a position where they can’t even speak out loud, that’s the reason why the world be ugly, because there’s millions of beautiful colours in the world but the world is only controlled by one colour.’

Grey day: The reality star chose a very tight-fitting ensemble as she stepped out on a cloudy day in LA

Grand entrance! The raven-haired beauty disembarked from her vehicle, wearing a similar colour as the car

Need a different size? Kim appeared to be choosing an outfit for someone else as she talked on her phone

Though the 37-year-old rapper says he can’t defend himself against all criticism, he insists he is ‘brave’ enough to take the ‘hit’ on behalf of all creatives but thinks he is attacked unfairly as he gives so much to the world.

Speaking to Hot 97fm, he said: ‘I’m in my own zone. I can’t walk around trying to defend myself, chime in on everything.

‘I fight for the people who see those colours, who understand it, and I take the hit constantly. I have the bravery to take the hit, people to call me names, call wife names, call my daughter …

Stunna shades: Kim did not remove her sunglasses despite heading indoors

I’ll take it! The wife of rapper Kanye West checked out a winter coat while accompanied by a gal pal

Back to work! Rather than putting her feet up it seems determined to carry on with what she loves doing… including going on shopping sprees

Shop til you drop! The E! princess browsed through a selection of high-end garments

‘We take the hit, but when it’s said and done if you look at the past 10 years, have I contributed more or took away more from the world? From music, from stage design, or just from wearing dope a*s coats at the airport?’

And though he is a regular feature in the media for more than just his music, Kanye insists he actually leads a very ‘boring’ life.

He said: ‘I’m completely boring, actually. I don’t want to kill the blogs and media stakeout and stuff, but I’m so boring. All I do is go to the studio everyday.’

Confessions Of A Shopaholic: The reality star made a call shortly before she started looking for clothes

On a mission: Kim marched towards the store from her vehicle and appeared to have something specific for the trip

Expecting: Kim’s shape is gradually changing as her second pregnancy progresses

The Bound 2 hitmaker is ready to take a break from the spotlight to focus on his family and ‘recharge’ before he makes new music.

He said: ‘I gotta focus on the kids, I gotta take them to tap class and all types of gym class.

‘I really wanna go away, like I been doing a lot of features, right now I just want to take some time to focus on my album, my next collection and North’s birthday.

‘Just focus on my family and then be able to recharge and reenergise and bring something of value.’