Do men who wear thongs report higher or lower self-esteem compared to those who don't?
Executive summary
There is no direct, peer‑reviewed evidence in the supplied sources comparing self‑esteem of men who wear thongs with men who do not; available sources discuss thong popularity, fashion trends, and claims that wearing thongs can boost confidence but do so mainly for women or as cultural commentary (not for men) [1] [2] [3] [4]. Studies in the set link self‑esteem to body image and social media feedback more broadly, but none measure underwear choice by men as a predictor of self‑esteem [5] [6].
1. The question isn’t answered by current reporting: no direct data exists
A targeted comparison — survey or study reporting whether men who wear thongs have higher or lower self‑esteem than men who don’t — is not found in the provided material; the academic and journalistic pieces here either study self‑esteem in different contexts (social media, body image) or describe thong trends and cultural meanings, not male wearer self‑esteem [5] [6] [4] [3].
2. What the sources do say about thongs and confidence (mostly about women)
Multiple lifestyle and retail sources assert that thongs can boost confidence or sex appeal, framing the garment as empowering or confidence‑enhancing—these are claims by brands, blogs and fashion writers rather than empirical research [1] [2] [7]. Fashion analysis and commentary emphasize how underwear choices affect how wearers feel, but the claim is anecdotal and often gendered toward women [7] [4].
3. Broader research connects self‑esteem to body image — a plausible link, not proof
Longitudinal psychology research in the provided set shows self‑esteem and body image are reciprocally related among college students, indicating that how one feels about one’s body predicts later self‑esteem and vice versa [5]. That relationship suggests underwear choices that change body‑image feelings could plausibly affect self‑esteem, but the study does not examine underwear type or male thong wearing specifically [5].
4. Social context matters: identity, community and media amplify effects
Podcast and trend reporting show thongs function as self‑expression and community markers — events and social media visibility help normalize and frame thong wearing as empowering for participants [3] [4]. Separately, literature about social media’s effect on self‑esteem underscores how platform feedback shapes self‑perception; clothing choices displayed or validated in online contexts could influence self‑esteem indirectly [6] [8].
5. Sources’ limitations and hidden agendas to note
Fashion blogs, brand blogs, and retailer content openly promote thongs as confidence boosters; their commercial interest biases claims [1] [2] [9]. Trend pieces aim to sell narratives of empowerment tied to purchases [4] [10]. Academic sources in the set tackle related psychological mechanisms but not the underwear variable; treating commercial claims as evidence would be a category error [5] [6].
6. How a rigorous answer would be produced (and why it’s missing here)
A credible answer requires empirical data: a representative survey or experiment measuring men’s thong usage and validated self‑esteem scales, ideally controlling for body image, sexual orientation, social acceptance and social media exposure. None of the supplied items provide that design or data; available sources do not mention such a study [5] [6].
7. Bottom line for readers and researchers
Current reporting and commentary suggest underwear can affect how people feel about themselves, and self‑esteem is closely tied to body image and social feedback—so a plausible relationship exists—but there is no direct evidence in these sources comparing self‑esteem in men who wear thongs versus those who do not [5] [1] [2] [3]. To settle the question decisively, researchers should measure male thong wearing and self‑esteem explicitly rather than infer from general confidence claims in marketing and fashion coverage [4] [7].