thumb|A black and white photo of a woman in a G-string
A G-string is a garment consisting of a narrow piece of material that barely covers the genitals, a string-like piece that passes between the buttocks, and a very thin waistband around the hips. There are designs for both women and men. Men's G-strings are similar to women's, but have a front pouch that covers the genitals. G-strings are typically worn as underwear or swimwear or as part of the costume of an exotic dancer. lace, leather, or satin. They may serve as a bikini bottom or they may be worn alone as monokinis or topless swimsuits. G-strings are also worn by go-go dancers.
As underwear, G-strings may be worn in preference to panties to avoid the creation of a visible panty line, or in order to enhance sex appeal.
The two terms G-string and thong are sometimes used interchangeably; however, technically they refer to different pieces of clothing. G-strings have a thinner back strip than thongs, and usually a thinner waistband.
Etymology
thumb|A woman wearing a pink G-string.
The term G-string is first attested in 1878. It originally denoted the loincloths worn by certain Native Americans, and did not come to be used for a type of female undergarment until the 1920s. The significance of the G is unclear. It has been suggested that it represents a euphemistic abbreviation of groin, or else that it is short for girdle; the term girdle-string is attested as early as 1846.
History
The G-string first appeared in costumes worn by showgirls in the United States in Earl Carroll's productions during the 1920s, a period known as the Jazz Age or the Roaring Twenties. Before the Great Depression most performers made their own G-strings or bought them from traveling salesmen, but from the 1930s they were usually purchased from commercial manufacturers of burlesque costumes. During the 1930s, the "Chicago G-string" gained prominence when worn by performers like Margie Hart. The Chicago area was the home of some of the largest manufacturers of G-strings and it also became the center of the burlesque shows in the United States. and closed strip clubs in the city for the first time in its history. The Mayor also banned showgirls from performing fully nude at the 1939 New York World's Fair. To give the illusion that they were completely naked, showgirls sometimes wore G-strings that were flesh-coloured or made of wool or fur to resemble pubic hair. Her striptease performances often included the wearing of a G-string; in a memoir written by her son Erik Lee Preminger she is described as gluing on a black lace G-string with spirit gum in preparation for a performance. Men's G-strings had developed from garments worn by physical culture and bodybuilding models, and in 1994 a men's G-string was the best selling design of HOM, a luxury men's underwear brand owned by Triumph International. The wearing of G-strings in strip clubs is required in some jurisdictions under laws that prohibit public nudity. Some regulations cover the design of G-string allowed. These regulations have in many cases been determined by liquor boards and can differ significantly over a short distance.