Key Takeaways
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The conversation-starting whale tail is making a comeback after its original Y2K reign, with celebrities like Charli XCX and Tyla as well as brands including Schiaparelli and Versace offering fresh takes.
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Whale tails have gotten a high-fashion new life this time around (think: red carpet gowns galore), but you also can still style them with low-rise denim or slip skirts as early aughts nostalgia rages on.
It’s 2025, but we may as well be living in the early aughts. Nostalgic fashion trends like peplum and low-rise jeans are back, and now, the exposed thong—otherwise known as a “whale tail”—is making a major resurgence. During their literal time in the sun, whale tails were one of the most daring 2000s fashion trends, and some considered it more of a wardrobe malfunction than intentional dressing. The pioneers of whale tail styling were clearly ahead of their time (we’re looking at you, Manny Santos), because floss-thin straps that hit higher on your hips than your actual pants are not only back in style, but have gotten the high-fashion treatment this time around.
As with every retro style that reenters the fashion stratosphere, this 2000s It girl-approved look has been updated for modern wardrobes with minimalist stylings and—for the more daring—touches of hardware. Below, we explain everything you need to know about the once-risqué whale tail trend, plus how we’re styling it this season.
The History of Whale Tails
Whale tails may have reached their initial peak in the early aughts, but the exposed thong style is actually rooted in early ’80s beach culture. Women wearing teensy bikinis à la Rudi Gernreich, the designer who pioneered a range of avant-garde, cheeky creations, made their way poolside all over the globe, bringing a once-taboo look into the mainstream. With the rise of more revealing two-pieces came styling experimentation with cover-ups and resort wear, albeit reserved for beachside moments.
Strings of swim bottoms would often stray over the waistlines of sarongs, but underwear didn’t become a visual outfit staple until the ’90s, thanks to Calvin Klein. The logo-embellished waistbands of the label’s briefs and hipsters were popular among models and celebs alike, including Mark Wahlberg (how could we ever forget his legendary runway moment for Calvin Klein’s 1993 show?) and Kate Moss. Around this time, low-rise jeans also began to permeate everyone’s closets, paving the way for more exposed layering.
By the end of the decade and into the new millennia, thick brief bands transformed into slender G-strings, and early aughts trendsetters weren’t afraid to show them off. From street-style paparazzi snaps of Paris Hilton to red carpet looks from Halle Berry, slim strands of floss-sized panties became an essential pairing for hipbone-grazing pants and skirts for most of the decade.
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In the early 2010s, the American Apparel-approved high rise jeans became the norm, and whale tails were temporarily tucked away. They stayed hidden until 2019, when Hailey Bieber donned a Barbie-pink Alexander Wang number with a visible thong to match, bringing the style back into the cultural conversation with open arms.
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The Whale Tail Trend in 2025
Just like during its Y2K heyday, the whale tail trend is a popular styling choice among fashion’s biggest trendsetters. Tyla had a sliver of thong intentionally placed when she attended Jacquemus’ fall 2025 menswear showing in January, and Jennifer Aniston gave the whale tail an athleisure touch during her latest campaign with Pvolve. Of course, there’s also the modern-day Brat Pack members like Charli XCX, Julia Fox, and Dua Lipa, all of whom have sported the look multiple times this year alone.
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The whale tail has also made its resurgence on the runway throughout the 2020s, most recently during Schiaparelli’s fall 2025 haute couture show. Amidst the ongoing resurgence of early aughts trends, the controversial styling choice’s highbrow era is evidence of fashion’s tendency to constantly reinvent itself.
@dualipa / Instagram
How to Style
The most classic way to execute the exposed thong trend is with an ultra-slender, barely there G-string. (Bonus points if it’s bedazzled or has accent hardware right where the waistband meets the rear strap.) That being said, feel free to experiment with thicker widths like lacy thongs and ruffled hemlines, so long as they peek out from your bottoms.
@charli_xcx / Instagram
In terms of styling, the whale tail is an accent piece for your lower-rise pants and skirts. Your hip-hugging jeans are made to be paired with one, as are the silky, midriff-baring maxi skirts from the early aughts that have reentered our wardrobes. Believe it or not, but this style can be black tie-friendly, too: crack-baring backless gowns are also gaining traction in the fashion-sphere, especially on red carpets (cc: Zoë Kravitz and Julia Fox). While it might sound controversial, the subtle wink of a whale tail is a surprisingly chic way to elevate the look further.
Standout Whale Tail Styling Essentials to Shop
Gird your loins and hoist up your undies straps, because whale tail styling is back in full force. Below, check out a few essentials for nailing this retro look in the modern world, from bejeweled G-strings that intend to be seen to low-rise jeans that leave little to the imagination.
