Thong, G-string, jockstrap. The three words get used as if they mean roughly the same thing, and they do not. They are three different garments that cover different amounts, support in different ways, and suit completely different situations.
If you have been curious about men's lingerie but were not sure what you were actually looking at, this is the plain-language version. No euphemism, no assumptions about why you are asking.
We have spent more than 25 years in intimate apparel manufacturing, so most of what follows is construction, not opinion.
The short answer
A thong has a contoured pouch at the front and a narrow strip of fabric running up between the cheeks at the back. It covers the front fully and the back barely.
A G-string is a thong reduced further. The pouch is smaller, and the back is a thin string rather than a strip. It is the least fabric of the three.
A jockstrap has a pouch at the front and two elastic leg straps that run from the waistband around the outside of each cheek. The seat is completely open. There is no fabric at all across the back.
The simplest way to hold the difference in your head: a thong and a G-string both have something running between the cheeks. A jockstrap has nothing there at all, because the straps go around the outside instead.
The thong, in detail
The men's thong is the most wearable of the three, and it is the one most men start with.
The front is a contoured pouch, shaped rather than flat, so it supports and holds without compressing. The back tapers to a narrow band. Because there is almost no fabric across the seat, there is nothing to bunch, nothing to ride up, and nothing to print through the back of a pair of trousers.
That last point is the practical case for a thong, and it is the reason plenty of men who have no interest in lingerie as a category still wear one. Under lightweight wool, under linen, under anything close-cut, a thong is the only underwear that leaves no line whatsoever.
Our Forme Men's Thong is cut in soft microfiber for exactly this use. It sits close without gripping, holds its shape through a full day, and the narrow back stays where you put it. It comes in black, gray, blue and red at $62.
If you want the same silhouette with more of a statement, the Lune Lace Thong is the same cut in sheer stretch floral lace, and the Mirage Men's Thong is cut in an iridescent leopard that shifts between teal, lilac and rose as you move.
Wear a thong when: you want zero visible line under close-fitting trousers, you want something that disappears under clothing, or you want the feeling of wearing less without going all the way to a G-string.
The G-string, in detail
A G-string is the minimum. A contour pouch at the front, a thread of a waistband, and a string at the back. That is the whole garment.
The trade-off is honest: you get the least coverage and the least fabric against your skin, and in exchange you get less support than a thong and considerably less than a jockstrap. It is not a garment built for a long day on your feet. It is built for a specific kind of evening.
The one thing that separates a G-string you will actually wear from one you will not is whether the pouch is properly contoured. A flat panel with a string attached digs and shifts. A shaped pouch holds. Our Fil Men's G-String is built around that shaped front in high-stretch fabric, which is why it stays put rather than needing constant adjustment. Black, gray, blue and red, $62.
Wear a G-string when: minimal is the entire point, and comfort over eight hours is not the priority.
The jockstrap, in detail
The jockstrap is the one with actual athletic history. It was designed in the 1870s for bicycle riders working cobblestone streets, and the basic architecture has not changed much since: a supportive pouch at the front, a waistband, and two elastic straps that pass under and around each cheek to hold it all in place.
What that architecture gets you is support and airflow at the same time. The pouch lifts and holds. The open back means nothing traps heat across the seat. For anyone who has spent a summer day in cotton boxer briefs, the difference is immediate.
It is also, visually, the most striking of the three, which is why it has moved well beyond the gym.
Our Ligne Men's Jockstrap is the plain version: smooth matte fabric, no hardware, no print, a contour pouch and a classic open-frame back. Black, gray, blue and red, $64. The Éclat Men's Jockstrap is the same construction in a liquid-metallic fabric with a high shine, in black and red at $62.
We have a longer piece on how to wear a jockstrap, including how it should fit and whether it works under trousers.
Wear a jockstrap when: you want real support, you want airflow, or you want the most visually distinctive of the three.
The three adjacent styles worth knowing
Three more cuts sit around the edges of this conversation and get confused with the main three.
The lace brief. A brief covers the seat completely, so it is not a thong by any definition. What makes it a lingerie piece rather than ordinary underwear is the fabric. Our Veil Lace Brief is cut in sheer floral lace with a sculpted front pouch and a flat waistband. It covers at the back and reveals through the lace itself, which is a different proposition from covering less. Black, gray, blue and red, $66.
The sculpted short. Closer to a boxer brief, cut close through the hip and thigh. The L'Essentiel Men's Sculpted Short is seamless with a low-rise waist, in a smooth, lightly glossy fabric. It is the option for men who want leg coverage and no bulk at the same time, and it layers cleanly under tailoring. Black and red, $68.
The jock brief. A hybrid. The Men's Strapped Mesh Jock Brief pairs a structured front pouch with architectural strapping across the hip and sheer mesh thigh bands, over an open jockstrap back. It reads as a designed piece rather than underwear. Black, $72. Worth noting plainly: the seat is not covered.
How to choose, by situation
Under a suit or close-cut trousers: thong first, sculpted short second. Both solve the visible line problem. The sculpted short is the better pick if you want coverage through the thigh.
For a long day on your feet: jockstrap or sculpted short. Both support properly. A G-string will not.
For heat: jockstrap. The open back is the whole advantage.
To be seen: lace or metallic. The Veil Lace Brief, the Lune Lace Thong, the Éclat Men's Jockstrap, or the Mirage Men's Jockstrap in iridescent leopard.
If it is your first piece: a thong in black. It is the most wearable cut in the least conspicuous colour, and if it turns out not to be for you, you have not spent much finding out.
Fabric is where the difference actually shows
All three of these cuts live or die on fabric, more than any other category of underwear, because there is so little of it. A thong made from fabric that has no recovery will stretch out and stop staying put after a handful of wears. Lace that is stiff rather than soft will be intolerable within an hour.
Across the men's range we use high-stretch microfiber, soft stretch lace, and stretch metallic, all chosen for recovery rather than initial feel. The pouches are contoured rather than cut flat, and the waistbands sit flat against the skin rather than rolling. That is the difference between a piece you keep reaching for and one that stays in the drawer after two wears. There is more on how these decisions get made in our piece on how Luné d'Or is built.
A note on sizing
Everything in the men's collection is sized S/M and L/XL. Two sizes, not eight, because the fabrics are high-stretch and the cuts are designed to move. It removes most of the guesswork that makes buying this category online frustrating.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between a men's thong and a G-string?
A thong has a narrow strip of fabric at the back and a fuller contoured pouch. A G-string reduces both: a smaller pouch and a thin string instead of a strip. A G-string uses less fabric and gives less support.
Is a jockstrap the same as a thong?
No. A thong has fabric running between the cheeks. A jockstrap has none. Its two elastic straps run around the outside of each cheek instead, leaving the seat completely open.
Which men's underwear style shows no line under trousers?
A thong, because there is almost no fabric across the seat to print through. A seamless sculpted short is the next best option if you want coverage through the thigh.
Can you wear a jockstrap under regular clothes?
Yes. It supports well and breathes well. The one thing to know is that the leg straps can occasionally show as a faint line under very thin or very close-cut trousers, so it is a better choice under denim, heavier fabric, or anything with structure.
Are men's thongs comfortable?
A well-constructed one is, and the deciding factor is the pouch. A contoured pouch supports and stays put. A flat panel does not, which is where most of the discomfort people report actually comes from.
What size should I order?
The men's collection is sized S/M and L/XL. The fabrics are high-stretch, so most men land comfortably in one or the other without needing to measure.
Where to start
If you want one piece to understand the category, make it a black thong. If you want the piece with the most function behind it, make it a jockstrap. If you want the one that looks like nothing else in your drawer, make it lace.
Browse the full Luné d'Or men's collection. Designed in Los Angeles, shipped from LA, with complimentary standard shipping on US orders and 30-day returns.
Keep reading: How to wear a jockstrap and What to wear under dress trousers.