Tomima - Lingerie and Underwear Expert

On June 18, 2004, the Wall Street Journal posted an article on their front page about thongs "as soft as butter." And from that day forward, Hanky Panky jumped from a small boutique line of lingerie into the mainstream. They sell more than 3 million thongs a year.

Gale Epstein and Lida Orzeck are co-owners of the Hanky Panky brand out of New York City. Intially a lounge and sleepwear manufacturer, Gale, the designer became fascinated with some stretch lace trim samples she received from a supplier. She fashioned a waistband out of it, and attached a thong shape to it, and their now-famous Hanky Panky thong was born.

When you ask Gale and Lida about thongs, they have quite a bit to share. They feel they have been able to convert so many women into wearing thongs because they overcame the biggest obstacle — they designed a thong that was both sexy and comfortable.

So, here’s Gale and Lida’s advice when looking for a comfortable thong.

Step 1: Face your fears. Women must get beyond their mental block about how they’ll look in it. "If you judge the appropriateness of any garment you wear by backing into a mirror in a brightly lit room to examine every square inch of your posterior, you probably won’t have a stitch in your wardrobe" say the two. Instead they suggest treating yourself a little more kindly and getting beyond the judgment stage.

Step 2: Find the thongs made in the softest and most comfortable fabric. Gale chose streachable lace when designing their thongs because it is so forgiving, adjusts to your size, moves with you, and yet is beautiful. So, pick up the thong, make sure it is very lightweight and feels soft everywhere, including the trim. Then, stretch it. A thong should not have a binding edge of elastic.

Step 3: Find a gusset that fits. The gusset is the lining of a thong. It must be cotton. But most important, the gusset area shouldn’t be too short or too narrow. The gusset must be wide enough, soft enough and non-bulky enough to lay lat against your body when stretched. The sides of the gusset must also not roll in on the sides; otherwise you’re straddling an uncomfortable ridge of fabric.

Step 4: Buy one, wash it, and wear it. After your test drive, evaluate the comfort. If there was some part of the thong that gave you discomfort, figure out what it was. Then, use this thong as a guide for purchasing your next trial thong.

The Hanky Panky ladies feel that following these simple 4 steps will get you to your goal of finding a comfortable and sexy thong you’ll want to wear for every day.