Do you remember where you were when you saw a billboard with a young Mark Wahlberg in his boxer briefs? Maybe I'm really dating myself here, but I was in college. That for me marks the day when it all got complicated. Before that, it was tighty whities like your dad or really loose boxers like your grandpa. Maybe you made some color choices but mostly it was black and white. Now, well who would have thought choosing underwear could get so complicated. Let me try and break down all the options for cuts, I won't even get into different fabrics, colors, and designs, that we will leave for another day.
For now, cuts and fits. Before I get into options let's put an important point out on the table. Are you buying underwear for yourself? Looking for the best possible fit with comfort being the deciding factor? Or are you making your choice solely based on what you think a “special friend” will say? No wrong answer here, but important to decide before making choices. Either way, you really want to be as comfortable as possible, it is the garment closest to your skin, they are literally your jewel box.
Choosing the right size is very important. You do not want waistbands digging in or leg elastics leaving big marks and cutting off circulation. OK so have your size figured out and you are being honest with yourself regarding the audience, then let's dig in and take a closer look at the different cuts:
Men’s Briefs
Yeah, no longer your Dad’s “tighty whities”. There are a whole lot of new designer styles available. Rugby players soccer players hockey players any guys with large muscular thighs, briefs are for you. Other cuts you may find out, ride up your thighs bunching up, not only uncomfortable but looks bad.
Now if you find yourself, you know more about Robert Redford than Michael Jordan when it comes to height, briefs are also a good choice. They make your legs look longer this style is also very supportive, you know exactly where your jewels are at.
There Is More Briefs Has To Offer
Take a look at the position and angles of the leg holes (told you no longer your dad's tighty Whities). It is important because it can really affect the fit. Some cuts will help cover that fuller backside, if you are skinny when it comes to the caboose or tight and lean the cut may help avoid extra fabric bunching up looking bad in your jeans.
Remember you want to look out for the backside but the priority is upfront you do not want to be too restricted.
Men’s Boxers
Now, nothing is more comfortable than a loose boxer, especially if you are home officing and only on the zoom camera from the waist up. If you find yourself in a proper fitting suit or slim jeans these boxes are going to bunch up and not look so great. The loose fit letting them breathe comes at a cost, very little to zero support, it's a real free for all down there.
If you are a member of the X generation like myself, you may have given these a try just to break from those grocery store checkout value pack tighty whities your mom had you in.
Your Boxers Are Getting Advanced Too
The passage of time has been good to the boxer cut, they've been nipped and tucked. The traditional version, baggy with a bunched elastic waist, while still around have shelf mates, designers have shorter cut options, less fabric to bunch, wider stretch elastic waist. These work well for fellows with slim thighs.
If you have athletic thighs you might want to think twice especially when wearing jeans, the freewheeling in the unrestricted areas can mean collisions, if you get my drift.
They let him breathe, freedom does not always work when getting dressed to go out. But for sleeping well let’em breathe, let’em breathe, let’em breathe, here lookout for a nice cotton blend it'll work great.
Men’s Boxer Briefs
Yes, this brings us back to Mark and those billboards. In my case I was never the Speedo guy at the pool, so traditional briefs to run to the fridge in co-ed dorms late at night, well was not my comfort zone.
The boxer brief gives you more coverage, the fitted material clings where it should. Here you get the support your jewels are accustomed to, holding them comfortably in place. They cling nicely to the thigh and if you are choosing better quality, they will give a nice slimming effect to the leg. Boxer briefs usually come down to mid to lower thighs. They work for guys with athletic thighs as well. The extra fabric down between the legs works wonders for all those problems you want to avoid with rubbing and chafing.
Always Look For The Right Fit
While on this uncomfortable topic, alert, make sure you buy the right size for you, two big they will ride up and bunch, not only looking bad with your slim-fit jeans but can also cause all kinds of uncomfortable nastiness down below.
The boxer brief is great for guys with a fuller caboose. More fabric more coverage. For taller guys, the higher waistband helps them from slipping down while bending over. These can be a staple, the go-to cut for most any guy.
Hipster Trunks
These are the newest player in the drawer and have quickly risen to a new height of popularity. Hipsters seem to have become more popular as skinny trousers and jeans emerged as more prominent go-to styles over the last five-plus years. They are a shorter version of the boxer brief and generally sit from the mid to the upper thigh. They mostly can be found with a flat front or extra pouch of fabric in the packaging area, not just about support, enhancement comes into play as well.
Go For The Best Suited Fabric
While of course cotton is always a good choice you might want to try modal with this cut. It will really form your shape and feel like a second skin. This cut works well with slim builds anyone with large thighs may find they ride up some when you walk.
Hope this helps you wade through all the choices out there and keeps you from staring into the abyss overwhelmed. Remember you can have more than one cut in your drawer, just try them out, that is the best way to know what works for you.
Final Thoughts
While searching for the ideal shaper for yourself, picking the appropriate style can be important. You don't want to wear something that you're not used to wearing and that might irritate you. Therefore, it is always advisable to look for the style in which you will be most comfortable in order to pleasantly enjoy the benefits and move the way that you like.
