With my Instagram page having a focus on underwear, as I am sure you can imagine I get a fair few questions asked! So I thought I would take this opportunity to answer a few of them, all in one place!

What’s your favourite pair of underwear?

Well, if I’m honest I try not to play favourites and it literally changes from day to day! I’m not the guy who reaches into the underwear drawer and picks a pair at random – I think about what I have on the schedule that day and what is going to make me feel the best about myself!

You can’t beat a classic white Calvin Klein Brief, I always feel good in those – especially if I have a tan 🔥. Then I have a Blanc Menswear jock (which is a truly tiny cut) it is super comfortable and unassuming and contrasts nicely with a thicker thigh. I have yet to find a Sukrew pair of undies that isn’t an incredible fit and very flattering. Contrary to popular belief you don’t have to be massively endowed to look good in them, the cut of their pants makes the most out of whatever a guy has.

And my fave underwear site to browse and shop numerous brands together is Haut Underwear, (which I am an ambassador for – Use code: THATISBEYOND15) their site is a curated collection, which provides a lot of range when you are looking for that perfect pair.

Dressing UP or Dressing DOWN in your Underwear?

There is no right or wrong answer, this one is all about comfort and the style of underwear that you are wearing! Those with a lower hanging pouch are usually a dressing down situation I would say, where there is less room in pouch, you’re going to be dressing upwards or sidewards. But having said all that – comfort is key – and you do you, Boo!

Do you wear thongs?

In a word – Yes. Not on an everyday basis, but I try not to discriminate with my underwear and I think a good selection is key. They are certainly not to everyone’s taste, but there are certainly situations and out fits which just look good with no VPL. I have a couple of Athletic pairs which are my go to do some leg day sessions as they are comfortable and also super supportive. The pair pictured are by Code 22 (from Haut Underwear) and are also made of a breathable mesh, so keep you airy under the gym shorts. Worth a try in my opinion.

Novelty Underwear Yay or Nay?

Hmmmmmm this is a tough one because everything has its place, but the reality is that I only wear them in a given season so I would prefer to have something I can wear all year round! There is also some truth in the fact that novelty underwear tends to be cheap in price and made from poor quality fabrics. I guess ultimately it comes down to what it is that you want your underwear to say about you. Do you want to take your trousers off to someone laughing at your novelty knickers or do you want a whole more sensual reaction. I know which I’d prefer 😂

What’s the biggest error an underwear brand can make?

There are a lot of errors that brands make all the time but for me these are the top three…

⁃ getting the cut wrong or advertising it incorrectly

For the brands that have only factored in one body type at the point of conception. There is a margin for error in fit, but on such a small item that margin is tiny. Try your designs on different body types before going to market, or your slice of it is going to be minuscule.

⁃ Only using “models” or men with six packs to advertise their underwear

Yes they look great – yes I wish I had their abs and yes I probably will buy them! But much more, we want to see our own body types represented in the products that we buy. There is no excuse. Be more diverse in your advertising and you will have a more diverse market to sell to.

⁃ Creating carbon copies of other underwear just with a different name

I really value design and detail. A number of brands have been seen to directly copy a new or innovative design seen elsewhere. If I’ve seen it before – you’re not designing very well.

What is the underwear market missing?

Something that looks aesthetically flattering but is also super comfortable to wear. I have experienced both ends of the spectrum but never the perfect blend! When you have a models body, almost any silhouette is going to work, but those of us who have extra curves or contours to work around require more from our underwear. I have heard great things about Separatec, but I have to admit I don’t find pouch underwear comfortable in the long-term. Otherwise I find them all to be a bit samey and I would tend to choose a brief in its place.

In short, the PERFECT Boxer brief.

Least favourite style and brand?

It’s not so much “least favourite style” more the style I wear least, and that is the standard Boxer short. They are fine for bed or for longing around the house, but as an everyday underwear they are just too much fabric to ever be properly comfortable. Although I have to say that I have some David Gandy for Autograph boxer shorts which I love – and if you’re gonna wear them, they may as well be designed by the Gandy himself!

In terms of brand, I can’t think of one particularly, I have had pairs where the fit wasn’t right, or the sizing was off, but I don’t think that is necessarily a reflection of the brand as a whole. I once complained to a brand about their underwear being uncomfortable. But it turned out to be some plastic stuck in the stitching! Not ideal but also not a reflection on an otherwise fantastic brand.

What does your underwear say about you?!

This may be one that my readers can answer better than I can! I hope my underwear says that I don’t care what people think of me. That I prioritise what makes me feel confident and comfortable, and that I am more than just one thing. I am as complex and diverse as my collection, and if that is the case then I am proud of myself for that.

TIB