Brits go crazy for thongs ahead of another 32C sizzler heatwave

The notorious thong is back in a big way ahead of more scorching temperatures next week and women think it’s only fair after all the years of budgie-smuggler obscenities from men

British women are embracing a cheeky new craze for thongs ahead of another scorching heatwave.

Sun-lovers are buzzing ahead of another 32C sizzler next week. And they can’t wait to have another chance to don the skimpy swimwear which has finally gone mainstream.

Hit reality telly series Love Island is thought to be fuelling the boom. The trend has also been boosted by celebrity fans including model Heidi Klum, actor Sofía Vergara and singer Nicole Scherzinger. Now thong bikinis are being manufactured in a more inclusive range of sizes and marketed more diversely.

Boffin Shaun Cole, associate professor in fashion at the University of Southampton, said: “People are saying, ‘It’s my body and I can show it off in ways that I choose to, and if that involves wearing clothing that is sometimes deemed socially unacceptable then I’m going to do that.’

“I think we’ve moved into another age of body consciousness – a much more expressive moment.

“There’s an acceptance of that style without people really realising where it originated.

“The popularity of shows such as Love Island, where people are there to show off their bodies as a way of attracting a partner, again ties to that pornification of style.”

High-street favourites including H&M, Calzedonia and Zara all have them in the collection.

Bologna uni professor Roberta Sassatelli added: “The thong has never gone away completely, but for people who are in their teens and 20s, they haven’t really been ‘in fashion’.”

It comes as Britain is bracing itself for a heatwave next week with temperatures predicted to reach a sizzling 32C.

Weather maps suggest Tuesday will see the peak of the heat and the South East is set to be the hotspot.

This comes on the heels of the Met Office’s announcement that the UK could be in for one of its hottest summers ever.

The mean temperature in the UK from June 1 to August 17 currently stands at a balmy 16.2C, which is 1.6C above the long-term average.

The UK has already experienced four heatwaves this summer, with the mercury peaking at a scorching 35.8C in Faversham, Kent, the highest temperature recorded so far in 2025.

England enjoyed its warmest June ever, while Wales and the UK overall experienced their third and second warmest Junes respectively.

July kept up the pace, with a UK mean temperature of 16.8C, 1.5C above average, making it the fifth warmest July on record.

For the latest breaking news and stories from across the globe from the Daily Star, sign up for our newsletters.