G-string

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A black and white photo of a woman in a G-string Fine-art-buttocks.jpg
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. [1] 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. [2] G-strings are typically worn as underwear or swimwear or as part of the costume of an exotic dancer. [1]

Contents

G-strings are usually made of fabric, [3] lace, [4] leather, or satin. They may serve as a bikini bottoms 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, [5] 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. [3] These connectors are often made of string rather than a strip of fabric. [6]

Etymology

Man wearing a G-string front view Vascular (7453726488).jpg
Man wearing a G-string front view

The etymology of the term G-string is uncertain, with the Merriam-Webster dictionary describing it as "unknown". [3]

William Safire in his Ode on a G-String quoted the usage of the word "G-string" for loincloth in New York Times . Safire also mentions the opinion of linguist Robert Hendrickson that G (or gee) stands for groin, which was a taboo word at the time. [7] Rachel Shteir refers to Hendrickson's opinion in her book "Striptease" and adds that during the Great Depression, a "G-string" was known as "the gadget", a double-entendre that referred to a handyman's "contrivance", an all-purpose word for the thing that might "fix" things. [8]

Cecil Adams, author of the blog The Straight Dope, has proposed an origin from "girdle-string", which is attested as early as 1846. [9]

History

Brunette with g-string crop.jpg
Woman wearing a black g string
Male wearing g-string.jpg
Male wearing black g-string

The G-string first appeared in costumes worn by showgirls in the United States in Earl Carroll's productions during the 1920s, [10] a period known as the Jazz Age or the Roaring Twenties. [8] Before the 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. [11] 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. [8] Early performers of color to wear a G-string on stage included the Latina stripper Chiquita Garcia in 1934, and "Princess Whitewing", a Native American stripper near the end of the decade. [12]

The term G-string started to appear in Variety magazine during the 1930s. In New York City, G-strings were worn by female dancers at risqué Broadway theatre shows during the Jazz Age. During the 1930s and 1940s, the New York striptease shows in which G-strings were worn were described as "strong". In shows referred to as "weak" or "sweet" the stripper wore "net panties" instead. "Strong" shows usually took place only when the police were not present, and they became rarer after 1936 when Fiorello H. La Guardia, the Mayor of New York City, organized a series of police raids on burlesque shows [13] 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. [14] Showgirls sometimes wore flesh-coloured G-strings to give the illusion that they were completely naked. [15]

The American burlesque entertainer Gypsy Rose Lee is popularly associated with the G-string. [16] 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. [4]

By the late 1980s G-strings had become widely available in the Western world, and they became increasingly popular during the 1990s. [17] Men's G-strings had developed from garments worn by physical culture and bodybuilding models, [18] 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. [2] Other underwear brands, such as Sloggi and Jockey International, also introduced men's G-strings. [19] In Africa the G-string has become a fashionable item of clothing for young women, and they are often visible above the back of low-rise jeans as a whale tail. [17] As lingerie they are sometimes worn with a babydoll. [20]

In modern strip clubs the strippers often wear G-strings and the customers often give them tips by placing banknotes in their G-strings. [21] The wearing of G-strings in strip clubs is required in some jurisdictions under laws that prohibit public nudity. [22] 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. [3] The constitutional legality of such regulations has been upheld in two cases by the US Supreme Court, when it had to rule on whether First Amendment rights were being infringed. [14]

Disposable G-strings are sometimes worn for modesty when spray tan is being applied at a beauty salon. [23]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Striptease</span> Erotic dance

A striptease is an erotic or exotic dance in which the performer gradually undresses, either partly or completely, in a seductive and sexually suggestive manner. The person who performs a striptease is commonly known as a "stripper" or an "exotic" or "burlesque" dancer.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Gypsy Rose Lee</span> American burlesque performer, actress and author (1911–1970)

Gypsy Rose Lee was an American burlesque entertainer, stripper, actress, author, playwright and vedette famous for her striptease act. Her 1957 memoir was adapted into the 1959 stage musical Gypsy.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Stripper</span> Striptease performer

A stripper or exotic dancer is a person whose occupation involves performing striptease in a public adult entertainment venue such as a strip club. At times, a stripper may be hired to perform at private events.

<i>The G-String Murders</i> 1941 novel by Gypsy Rose Lee

The G-String Murders is a 1941 detective novel written by American burlesque performer Gypsy Rose Lee. There have been claims made that the novel was written by mystery writer Craig Rice, but others have suggested that there is sufficient documented evidence in the form of manuscripts and correspondence to prove Lee wrote at least a large portion, if not the whole, of the novel under the tutelage of editor/friend George Davis with some essential guidance from her good friend Rice. The novel has been published under the titles Lady of Burlesque and The Strip-Tease Murders. Set in a burlesque theater, Lee casts herself as the detective who solves a set of homicides in which strippers in her troupe are found strangled with their own G-strings.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lili St. Cyr</span> American model and burlesque performer (1918–1999)

Marie Frances Van Schaack, known professionally as Lili St. Cyr, was a prominent American burlesque dancer and stripper.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Panties</span> Underwear worn by women

Panties or knickers are a form of underwear worn by women. Panties can be form-fitting or loose. Typical components include an elastic waistband, a crotch panel to cover the genitalia, and a pair of leg openings that, like the waistband, are often made of elastomer. Various materials are used, but are usually chosen to be breathable.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Strip club</span> Sexual entertainment venue

A strip club is a venue where strippers provide adult entertainment, predominantly in the form of striptease or other erotic dances. Strip clubs typically adopt a nightclub or bar style, and can also adopt a theatre or cabaret-style. American-style strip clubs began to appear outside North America after World War II, arriving in Asia in the late 1980s and Europe in 1978, where they competed against the local English and French styles of striptease and erotic performances.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Showgirl</span> Female performer in a theatrical revue

A showgirl is a female performer in a theatrical revue who wears an exotic and revealing costume and in some shows may appear topless. Showgirls are usually dancers, sometimes performing as chorus girls, burlesque dancers or fan dancers, and many are classically trained with skills in ballet. The term showgirl is also sometimes used by strippers and some strip clubs use it as part of their business name.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pasties</span> Adhesive patches worn to cover the nipples and areolae

Pasties are patches that cover a person's nipples and areolae, typically self-adhesive or affixed with adhesive. They originated as part of burlesque shows, allowing dancers to perform fully topless without exposing the nipples in order to provide a commercial form of bare-breasted entertainment. Pasties are also, at times, used while sunbathing, worn by strippers and showgirls, or as a form of protest during women's rights events such as Go Topless Day. In some cases this is to avoid potential prosecution under indecency laws.

Erik Lee Preminger is an American writer, actor, and producer.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Neo-burlesque</span> Performing arts genre

Neo-burlesque, or new burlesque, is the revival and updating of the traditional American burlesque performance. Though based on the traditional burlesque art, the new form encompasses a wider range of performance styles; neo-burlesque can include anything ranging from classic striptease to modern dance to theatrical mini-dramas to comedic mayhem.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Millie DeLeon</span>

Millie DeLeon was the stage name of American burlesque dancer Millie Lawrence, described as "the first real queen of American Burlesque."

Margaret Hart Ferraro, better known as Margie Hart, was a New York City stripteaser, in American burlesque theatre.

<i>Lady of Burlesque</i> 1943 film by William A. Wellman

Lady of Burlesque is a 1943 American musical comedy-mystery film, produced by RKO Pictures and directed by William A. Wellman and starring Barbara Stanwyck and Michael O'Shea. It is a faithful, if sanitized, adaptation of the 1941 novel The G-String Murders written by strip tease queen Gypsy Rose Lee.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Thong</span> Garment worn as underwear or as part of a swimsuit

The thong is a garment generally used as either underwear or in some countries, as a swimsuit. It may also be worn for traditional ceremonies or competitions.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Satan's Angel</span> American exotic dancer

Angel Cecelia Helene Walker was an American exotic dancer specializing in stripping and burlesque under her stage name Satan's Angel.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">American burlesque</span> Genre of variety show

American burlesque is a genre of variety show derived from elements of Victorian burlesque, music hall, and minstrel shows. Burlesque became popular in the United States in the late 1860s and slowly evolved to feature ribald comedy and female nudity. By the late 1920s, the striptease element overshadowed the comedy and subjected burlesque to extensive local legislation. Burlesque gradually lost its popularity, beginning in the 1940s. A number of producers sought to capitalize on nostalgia for the entertainment by recreating burlesque on the stage and in Hollywood films from the 1930s to the 1960s. There has been a resurgence of interest in this format since the 1990s.

Mary Elizabeth Dawson, née Elizabeth Buzby and better known as Mademoiselle Fifi, was a dancer whose onstage performance at Winter Garden Theatre on the night of April 20, 1925 was memorialized in The Night They Raided Minsky's.

Georgia Sothern (1913–1981), born Hazel Anderson, was a burlesque dancer and vaudeville performer. She was known for her striptease performances. She gave an interview to The Harvard Crimson during a trip to the Old Howard Athenaeum in Boston during 1939. She toured New York Philadelphia, Boston, Buffalo, and Miami. She was a red-head. One of her performances was captured in a Film Theatarettes short film. She wrote her memoir titled Georgia: A Life in Burlesque. She had a series of marriages.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mutual Burlesque Association</span>

The Mutual Burlesque Association, also called the Mutual Wheel or the MBA, was an American burlesque circuit active from 1922 until 1931. Controlled by Isidore Herk, it quickly replaced its parent company and competitor, the Columbia Amusement Company, as the preeminent burlesque circuit during the Roaring Twenties. Comedians Bud Abbott, Lou Costello, Harry Steppe, Joe Penner, Billy Gilbert, Rags Ragland, and Billy Hagan, as well as stripteasers Ann Corio, Hinda Wausau, Gypsy Rose Lee, and Carrie Finnell, performed in Mutual shows. Mae West appeared in Mutual shows from 1922 to 1925. Mutual collapsed during the Great Depression.

References

  1. 1 2 "G-string meaning and definition". Mirriam-Webster. Retrieved 13 February 2023.
  2. 1 2 Cole, Shaun (2018). The Story of Men’s Underwear. Parkstone International. p. 242. ISBN   9781785256837.
  3. 1 2 3 4 "7 Things You Never Knew About G-Strings". Inside Hook. 7 March 2022.
  4. 1 2 Preminger, Erik Lee (2004). "Chapter 1". My G-String Mother: At Home and Backstage with Gypsy Rose Lee. Frog Books. pp. 14–18. ISBN   9781583940969.
  5. ↑ Adhav, Lauren; Bennett, Alexis (28 April 2020). "8 Ways to Disguise Panty Lines Without Going Commando". Cosmopolitan.
  6. ↑ Martin, Jill; Lehu, Pierre A. (2009). Fashion For Dummies. John Wiley & Sons. p. 390. ISBN   9780470595664.
  7. ↑ Safire, William (August 4, 1991). "On Language; Ode on a G-String". The New York Times . Archived from the original on 2017-03-31. Retrieved 2017-02-16.
  8. 1 2 3 Shteir, Rachel (1 November 2004). Striptease:The Untold History of the Girlie Show. Oxford University Press. p. 202. ISBN   978-0-19-512750-8 . Retrieved 10 March 2013.
  9. ↑ Adams, Cecil (2010-09-02). "What does the G in G-string stand for?". The Straight Dope . Archived from the original on 2015-02-25. Retrieved 2014-12-21. Littell's Living Age, Vol. IX, 1846: 'Their arms were a small hatchet, stuck in their girdle-string.' While that hardly proves G-string is an abbreviation of girdlestring, the fact that the latter word existed and means the same as G-string supports my conjecture that the shorter term derived from the longer.
  10. ↑ B. Foley, Undressed for Success: Beauty Contestants and Exotic Dancers as Merchants of Morality, page 143, Springer, 2016, ISBN   9781137040893
  11. ↑ Shteir (2004), p. 201.
  12. ↑ Shteir (2004), p. 205.
  13. ↑ Shteir, Rachel (2012). "Afterword – Gypsy Rose Lee: "Striptease Intellectual"". The G-String Murders. By Lee, Gypsy Rose. The Feminist Press at CUNY. ISBN   9781558617612.
  14. 1 2 Guarnieri, Mya (16 July 2023). "Who Gets to Wear G-Strings Now?". The New York Times.
  15. ↑ Gioia-Acres, Lisa (2013). Showgirls of Las Vegas. Arcadia Publishing. p. 84. ISBN   9780738596532.
  16. ↑ Carolyn Quinn (2013). Mama Rose's Turn: The True Story of America's Most Notorious Stage Mother. University Press of Mississippi. p. 239. ISBN   9781617038532.
  17. 1 2 Opiyo, Valerie (2017). "The 'G-String' as a Space for Sexual and Political Imagination". In Bennett, Jane; Sylvia, Tamale (eds.). Research on Gender and Sexualities in Africa. Codesria. pp. 80–81. ISBN   9782869787124.
  18. ↑ Cole (2018), p. 115.
  19. ↑ Cole (2018), p. 109.
  20. ↑ Martin & Lehu (2009), p. 360.
  21. ↑ Scott, David A. (2003). Behind the G-String: An Exploration of the Stripper's Image, Her Person and Her Meaning. McFarland Incorporated. p. 9. ISBN   9780786418497.
  22. ↑ McKeever, Robert J. (1995). Raw Judicial Power?: The Supreme Court and American Society. Manchester University Press. p. 234. ISBN   9780719048739.
  23. ↑ Nordmann, Lorraine; Day, Andrea (2017). Professional Beauty Therapy. Australia and New Zealand Edition. Cengage AU. p. 657. ISBN   9780170386272.
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