What is "whale tail"

n. 1 (&lit The tail of a whale English) 2 (context slang English) An unintentional display of a thong etc above the waistband of trousers etc. 3 An automotive spoiler

Whale tail is the Y-shaped waistband of a thong or G-string when visible above the waistline of low-rise jeans, shorts, or a skirt that resembles a whale's tail. Intentionally or unintentionally, a whale tail is exposed above the trousers mostly when sitting or bending, or even while standing. The frequency or occasion depends on the style of trousers, the style of underwear, and the way they are worn. Displaying whale tails became popular in the early 2000s, together with the rise of low-rise jeans and thong underwear. The trend, popularized by a number of female celebrities including Christina Aguilera, Victoria Beckham, Mariah Carey, Paris Hilton and Britney Spears, waned within the decade.

Specially designed trousers like low-rise jeans or hip-huggers and higher cut thongs led to greater exposure of the whale tail. The trend was also associated with the trend of sporting lower back tattoos. The word was selected by the American Dialect Society in January 2006 as the "most creative word" of 2005.

The tail of a whale

Whale tail may also refer to:

• Whale tail, colloquially, is the Y-shaped waistband of a thong when visible above the waistline of low-rise jeans.
• Whale's Tail Beach, a beach in Destin, Florida
• Whale's Tail Beach, a beach in Puntarenas, Costa Rica
• Whale's Tail Beach, a beach in Sandy Bay, Jamaica
• California specialty license plate
• Whale tail (automotive spoiler), particularly on the 1974 Porsche 911 Turbo
• Reverence, a sculpture also called Whale Tails created by Jim Sardonis