Four words get used interchangeably in this category and they mean four different garments. Buying the wrong one is the most common way people end up with something they never wear again, so it's worth thirty seconds to get the vocabulary straight.
What each one actually is
Thong. A pouch at the front, a narrow strip at the back, and a waistband that goes all the way round. The back strip is usually 1-2 cm wide. This is the most-worn and most forgiving of the four, and it's where almost everyone starts.
G-string. Same idea, less of it. The back is a string rather than a strip, and the side panels are reduced to cord. It sits higher on the hip and shows more of everything. A micro thong is the same thing taken further, with the front pouch cut down to minimum coverage.
Jockstrap. A pouch at the front, a waistband, and two straps that go round the thighs and meet at the back. The rear is open. The difference that matters is structural: a jockstrap is held up by the leg straps, not by fabric across the seat, so the weight sits differently and it stays put during movement in a way a g-string doesn't.
Ouvert. French for open. A brief or panty cut normally except for an opening at the front or the crotch. The cut is otherwise conventional, so it fits like a brief.
There is also the boxer, which in this category usually means a cut-out or mesh short. More fabric, more coverage, and a smaller step for anyone who isn't ready for a thong yet.
Why women's cuts fail here
If you've already tried a women's thong and it didn't work, it wasn't the size.
Women's briefs and thongs are drafted with a flat front. There's no pouch, no added fabric depth, nothing to accommodate anything. On a male body the front panel goes taut, which pulls the whole garment forward. The waistband tips down at the front and rides up at the back, and the leg elastic starts cutting in at the top of the thigh. Sizing up gives you a loose waistband and the same taut front, because the extra fabric goes round the hips rather than into the part that needs it.
The other difference is rise. Women's thongs are cut for a longer torso relative to hip, so on many men the waistband sits lower than intended and the back strip sits wrong.
The pouch is what decides whether you forget you're wearing it or think about it all day.
Choosing a front
Of everything on this page, the front is what determines whether the thing ends up in your rotation or in a drawer.
Contoured pouch. Seamed to create depth, so it supports and holds its shape. The safest first purchase, and the one that works under clothes.
Flat front with stretch. No seaming, the fabric just gives. Cleaner line, less support. Fine in lace or soft mesh, less good in satin, which doesn't stretch much.
Open or ouvert front. Made to be seen rather than worn under things. No fit logic beyond the waistband.
Chain and string fronts. Jewelry that happens to be underwear. They adjust, so sizing is barely a factor, and they're for the bedroom or a very specific dance floor rather than a day out.
Sizing
Two numbers matter here, and chest isn't one of them.
- Waist - around the narrowest part of your torso, just above the navel, tape flat and not tight.
- Hips - around the fullest part of your hips and glutes, feet together.
Take the size whose range covers your hip measurement, then check the waist. If the two land in different sizes, go by hips. A waistband has elastic and will cope; a leg opening that's too small has nowhere to go and will cut.
| Size | Waist | Hips |
|---|---|---|
| XS | 66-70 cm (26-27") | 86-90 cm (34-35") |
| S | 71-76 cm (28-30") | 91-96 cm (36-38") |
| M | 77-82 cm (30-32") | 97-102 cm (39-40") |
| L | 83-89 cm (33-35") | 103-108 cm (41-42") |
| XL | 90-98 cm (36-38") | 109-114 cm (43-45") |
| 2XL | 99-104 cm (39-41") | 115-120 cm (45-47") |
| 3XL | 105-110 cm (42-44") | 121-126 cm (48-50") |
| 4XL | 111-118 cm (44-46") | 127-134 cm (50-53") |
| 5XL | 119-126 cm (47-50") | 135-142 cm (53-56") |
Between sizes, take the larger one. Full details are on our size guide.
Jockstraps size slightly differently in practice. The leg straps carry the load, so thigh circumference matters more than it does with a thong. If you have heavy thighs relative to your waist, size up rather than trying to stretch the straps.
Wearing one for the first time
A few things nobody tells you, all of which are normal.
You'll be aware of it for about an hour. The back strip registers as new information and then stops. If it still registers after a day, the size is wrong, not the garment.
Adjust the front before you get dressed, not after. Everything should sit in the pouch, pointing up rather than down. This takes one motion and it's the difference between comfortable and not.
Under clothes, the thong wins. No visible line under anything fitted, which is more than most briefs manage. A jockstrap works under trousers but you'll feel the leg straps under anything tight.
Chafing is a fabric problem. Lace against skin all day in heat will rub at the leg openings. Mesh and satin don't. If you're wearing one for a long day, choose fabric accordingly.
Sizing up does not fix discomfort from the wrong style. If the back strip bothers you specifically, you want a cut-out boxer or an ouvert brief, not a bigger thong.
Fabrics, and how they behave
Mesh is the most forgiving. It stretches in both directions, breathes, dries fast, and survives a long night. It's also the most transparent, which may be the point or may not.
Lace looks best and behaves worst. It has give, it drapes well, and it will rub at the edges over a full day. Best for shorter wear.
Satin has the least stretch of the three, so it's the least tolerant of a size error. It's also the one that feels most like a treat, which is presumably why people buy it anyway. Measure twice.
Faux leather doesn't stretch at all and doesn't breathe. Sized correctly it's fine for an evening. Sized optimistically it's a mistake you'll notice within twenty minutes.
Where to start, by price
If you want one thing to find out whether you like this at all, a plain mesh thong is the answer. It's cheap and comfortable, and it tells you what you need to know.
- Sheer black mesh thong, classic low-rise cut - $32. The default starting point.
- Black mesh and lace thong with a scalloped waistband - $32, same idea with lace at the top.
- Ultra micro thong, fishnet g-string - $32, minimum coverage, for the bedroom rather than under clothes.
- Leopard mesh ouvert thong with peekaboo front - $32.
- Black ouvert panty - $34, the brief-cut version, also in red and pink.
- Blue satin thong with peach lace - $41.
- Black vegan leather jockstrap - $41 on its own, $81 with the matching leather bralette.
- Black vegan leather jockstrap with harness bra - $41 for the jockstrap alone, $66 with the harness bra.
- Zebra mesh cut-out boxer shorts - $49, more coverage if a thong feels like too big a jump.
- Ocean green pearl chain thong - $86, chains and crystal pearls, adjusts to fit.
The full range is in thongs and jockstraps, with more in fishnet and sheer and body jewelry.
Care
Hand wash in cold water, lay flat to dry. Machine washing is what kills elastic and lace, not wearing them. Waistband elastic is the first thing to go on any thong, and hot water is what takes it.
Don't wring mesh. Press the water out between your palms instead.
The short version
Thong for everyday and under clothes. G-string for less coverage. Jockstrap if you want the back open and the weight on the leg straps. Ouvert if you want a conventional brief with an opening. Size by hips rather than waist, take the larger size if you're between, and start with mesh before lace or satin.
For the wider picture, our complete guide to femboy lingerie covers the rest of the categories, and the men's harness guide covers anything with straps.