{"id":913706,"date":"2025-12-07T18:20:10","date_gmt":"2025-12-07T15:20:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/?p=913706"},"modified":"2025-12-07T18:20:10","modified_gmt":"2025-12-07T15:20:10","slug":"is-it-time-to-wear-a-whale-tail-again-all-about-the-risque-y2k-trends-comeback","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/?p=913706","title":{"rendered":"Is It Time to Wear a Whale Tail Again? All About the Risqu\u00e9 Y2K Trend’s Comeback"},"content":{"rendered":"
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If you click on links we provide, we may receive compensation.\n<\/p>\n

Is It Time to Wear a Whale Tail Again? All About the Risqu\u00e9 Y2K Trend’s Comeback<\/h1>\n
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By<\/span><\/p>\n
Jennifer Hussein<\/p>\n
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\"Byrdie\"Byrdie<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
\nJennifer Hussein\n<\/div>\n
\nJennifer Hussein is a beauty, fashion, and lifestyle writer and current copywriter for Milk Makeup.\u00a0She has contributed articles to publications such as\u00a0Allure, The New York Times, Cosmopolitan, Teen Vogue, and more.\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
\nByrdie’s Editorial Guidelines\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
Published on November 18, 2025 07:00AM<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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In This Article<\/span><\/p>\n
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View All<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
In This Article<\/span><\/div>\n
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    The History<\/span><\/div>\n<\/li>\n
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    Whale Tails in 2025<\/span><\/div>\n<\/li>\n
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    How to Style<\/span><\/div>\n<\/li>\n
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    Whale Tail Essentials to Shop<\/span><\/div>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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    \"Back\"Back<\/div>\n<\/div>
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    @schiaparelli \/ Instagram<\/p>\n

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    Key Takeaways<\/p>\n

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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.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n

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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.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

      It\u2019s 2025, but we may as well be living in the early aughts. Nostalgic fashion trends<\/u> like peplum and low-rise jeans are back, and now, the exposed thong\u2014otherwise known as a \u201cwhale tail\u201d\u2014is 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\u2019re 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.\n<\/p>\n

      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\u2014for the more daring\u2014touches of hardware. Below, we explain everything you need to know about the once-risqu\u00e9 whale tail trend<\/strong>, plus how we\u2019re styling it this season.\n<\/p>\n

      The History of Whale Tails <\/span><\/h2>\n

      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 \u00e0 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.\u00a0\n<\/p>\n

      Strings of swim bottoms would often stray over the waistlines of sarongs, but underwear didn\u2019t become a visual outfit staple until the ’90s, thanks to Calvin Klein. The logo-embellished waistbands of the label\u2019s 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\u2019s 1993 show?) and Kate Moss. Around this time, low-rise jeans also began to permeate everyone\u2019s closets, paving the way for more exposed layering.\u00a0\n<\/p>\n

      By the end of the decade and into the new millennia, thick brief bands transformed into slender G-strings, and early aughts trendsetters weren\u2019t 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.\u00a0\n<\/p>\n

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      \"Halle\"Halle<\/div>\n<\/div>
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      Getty Images<\/p>\n

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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.\n<\/p>\n

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      \"Hailey\"Hailey<\/div>\n<\/div>
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      Getty Images<\/p>\n

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      Related Stories<\/h2>\n
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      Bandage Dresses Are Back, and Suddenly It Feels Like 2007 Again<\/div>\n
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      \"Woman\"Woman<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
      I’m So Ready for the Babydoll Sweater Comeback<\/div>\n
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      \"A\"A<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

      The Whale Tail Trend in 2025 <\/span><\/h2>\n

      Just like during its Y2K heyday, the whale tail trend is a popular styling choice among fashion\u2019s biggest trendsetters. Tyla had a sliver of thong intentionally placed when she attended Jacquemus\u2019 fall 2025 menswear showing in January, and Jennifer Aniston<\/u> gave the whale tail an athleisure touch during her latest campaign with Pvolve. Of course, there\u2019s 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.\n<\/p>\n

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      \"Tyla\"Tyla<\/div>\n<\/div>
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      Getty Images<\/p>\n

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      The whale tail has also made its resurgence on the runway throughout the 2020s, most recently during Schiaparelli\u2019s 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.\n<\/p>\n

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      \"Dua\"Dua<\/div>\n<\/div>
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      @dualipa \/ Instagram<\/p>\n

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      How to Style <\/span><\/h2>\n

      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.\u00a0\n<\/p>\n

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      \"Charli\"Charli<\/div>\n<\/div>
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      @charli_xcx \/ Instagram<\/p>\n

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      In terms of styling, the whale tail is an accent piece for your lower-rise pants and skirts. Your hip-hugging jeans are made<\/em> 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: Zo\u00eb 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.\n<\/p>\n

      Standout Whale Tail Styling Essentials to Shop <\/span><\/h2>\n

      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.\n<\/p>\n

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      Fleur du Mal Crystal Bouquet Lace V-String<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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      View on Fleurdumal.com<\/span><\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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      View on Agentprovocateur.com<\/span><\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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      Intimissimi Silk and Lace G-String<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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      \"Intimissimi\"Intimissimi<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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      $20 at Amazon<\/span><\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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      Savage X Fenty Sheer X G-String<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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      \"Savage\"Savage<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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      $17<\/span><\/div>\n

      $12 at Nordstrom<\/span><\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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      Levi’s Low Loose Jeans<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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      \"Levi's\"Levi's<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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      $108<\/span><\/div>\n

      $81 at Amazon<\/span><\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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      Reformation Layla Silk Skirt<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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      \"Reformation\"Reformation<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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      View on Reformation<\/span><\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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      \"Norma\"Norma<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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      View on Fwrd.com<\/span><\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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      Good American Good Low Rise Baggy Jeans<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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      \"Good\"Good<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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      View on Goodamerican.com<\/span><\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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      Read more:<\/div>\n
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      • Style<\/span><\/li>\n
      • Fashion Trends<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n

        Source URL: https:\/\/www.byrdie.com\/whale-tail-fashion-trend-11850205<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

        If you click on links we provide, we may receive compensation. Is It Time to Wear a Whale Tail Again? All About the Risqu\u00e9 Y2K Trend’s Comeback By Jennifer Hussein Jennifer Hussein Jennifer Hussein is a beauty, fashion, and lifestyle writer and current copywriter for Milk Makeup.\u00a0She has contributed articles to publications such as\u00a0Allure, The […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":913714,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[83],"class_list":["post-913706","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-politics","tag-byrdie-com"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/913706","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=913706"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/913706\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/913714"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=913706"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=913706"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=913706"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}