---
node: garment_thongs
type: garment
slug: thongs
title: "Thongs"
lead: "Thongs are the rubber sandals held on by a strap between the toes — what much of the world calls flip-flops — and in Australia the near-universal summer footwear. Cheap, light, and everywhere, they are a relaxed emblem of the beach and the backyard."
published: 2026-08-10
updated: 2026-08-10
image_file: thongs.jpg
image_source: "https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Jandals,_pair_(AM_1995.64-11).jpg"
image_author: "Dunlop"
image_license: "CC BY 4.0"
---

## Overview

A thong is a flat sole of rubber or foam with a Y-shaped strap that passes between the big and second toes and back to each side of the foot. Slipped on in a second and worn on bare feet, it needs no fastening and no care.

## How it is worn

They are worn to the beach, the shops, the barbecue, and around the house through the warm months, slapping underfoot as the wearer walks. Plain rubber for a few dollars or branded and cushioned for more, they are the default footwear of the Australian summer.

## History

Rubber toe-strap sandals spread worldwide in the mid-twentieth century, and in Australia the name thong and the habit of near-constant summer wear took particularly deep hold. They remain a national everyday item and a light-hearted symbol of the country's outdoor life.