A History of Brooklyn In 20 Objects (“Objects” Being Very Loosely Defined)
4) Game of Thongs
The thong defines a certain part of Brooklyn at a certain time of year. That’s right. I’m talking about Brighton Beach in the summer time. All the men wear thongs there. Big men, small men, skinny men, fat men, hairy men, more hairy men. MORE HAIRY MEN. This has come to define Brooklyn bathing. No cool Rockaways-esque impromptu fashion shows occur on the Brighton Beach boardwalk. Oh, no! Over here—like, I suppose, in Mother Russia—it is all about the thong.