Hair We Go Again: Kim K, SKIMS, and the Return of the Bush
- Precious
- 4 days ago
- 4 min read
Haven’t you heard? Kim Kardashian says the clean shave is out and the bush is back. Our Beauty and Style writer, Precious, weighs in on what this means for beauty trends today.
There’s marketing genius, and then there’s whatever this is. The SKIMS “Faux Hair Micro String Thong” just hit the internet, and social media has been doing backflips trying to decide whether it’s performance art, satire, or a fever dream. Kim Kardashian’s billion-dollar shapewear empire has never been shy about pushing boundaries, but this release has everyone asking: is this a statement, a stunt or a sly mix of both?
Let’s start with the concept. The Faux Hair Micro String Thong is exactly what it sounds like, a barely-there piece of lingerie covered in ultra-fine synthetic “hair” that mimics natural body hair. Available in the famously inclusive size range (XXS to 4X/5X) and shades from “Honey Blonde” to “Deep Espresso,” the thong is being marketed as “an unapologetic celebration of the human body in all its real, textured glory.” According to SKIMS’ campaign notes, the collection aims to “normalize what’s natural, even when it’s been culturally shamed.”
In other words: Kim just made a hairy thong to make a point about body hair.
And, weirdly enough, it’s kind of working.
The Beauty of The Bush
Body hair has long been one of society’s most policed beauty frontiers. From razor commercials that show already-shaven legs to celebrities like Kim herself promoting laser hair removal devices, women have been taught that “smooth” equals “feminine.” SKIMS’ new drop flips that script entirely and dares to make it sexy.
This isn’t the first time Kim has played with discomfort. From her skin-tight, neutral-toned shapewear to her viral “wet look” Met Gala dress, she’s built a career around exaggerating femininity until it becomes a commentary on itself.
What’s striking about the piece isn’t just the shock factor but the humor and by merging humor and hyper-femininity, following women’s “bush” comfortability seen across all social media platforms, SKIMS manages to put out something right on cue. It’s a move straight out of the Kardashian playbook: have an ear in what people are talking about, then let the conversation drive sales. And naturally, once you peel back the humor, the thong taps straight into the ongoing cultural tug-of-war around what women’s bodies are “allowed” to look like.
Body Positivity Meets Capitalism
SKIMS’ commitment to inclusivity has always been a cornerstone of its brand identity, from its diverse shade ranges to its extended sizing. With this launch, Kim appears to be tying that inclusivity to the larger movement of body acceptance, not just in size but in texture, tone, and even hair.
Body positivity has gone through its own evolution and this faux-hair thong lives right in that tension. On one hand, it’s a celebration of natural bodies. On the other… it’s a product sold by one of the most image-curated celebrities in the world. The irony isn’t lost on anyone and least of all, the Internet.
Twitter/X lit up within hours of the drop. Some users called it “the most absurd thing Kim has ever sold,” while others praised it. TikTok creators immediately began reviewing, unboxing, and parodying the thong, making it an instant meme. One viral clip simply captioned, “We’ve gone full circle. Fashion is a simulation.”
And yet… people are still buying it! They’re literally sold out.
The Power of the “What the Hell” Moment
What does this say about the direction fashion and body representation are moving toward? Increasingly, we’re seeing brands blur the lines between sincerity and satire and to stand out in a sea of campaigns promising “authenticity,” you now have to make people question if you’re even being serious.
One thing about Kim Kardashian, she understands virality as an art form. Every SKIMS campaign is designed not just to sell shapewear but to dominate timelines. We’ve entered an era where shock is strategy. From Balenciaga’s trash bag handbags to Diesel’s belt skirts, fashion has embraced absurdity as a tool for conversation. Kim’s new drop sits comfortably within this space, a cultural test that says more about the audience than the thong itself.
For some, it’s empowerment. For others, it’s exploitation. And for most of the internet, it’s just pure entertainment. But here’s the kicker: SKIMS doesn’t care which camp you fall into, as long as you’re talking about it.
And while critics might dismiss it as another Kardashian marketing ploy, the Faux Hair Thong represents a new era of post-body-positivity fashion, where inclusion, humor, and provocation exist all at once. It’s no longer about presenting the “perfect body” but about showing that a wide range of appearances (in this case, the bush) can be styled and celebrated. It’s time for the real and faux bush girlies to just have fun with this without thinking too much.
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