The men’s underwear market is very crowded. There are so many options available to potential buyers, and in that type of market, it is hard to stand out with a USP on such a small piece of design!
There was a phase, where every underwear brand seemed to be a carbon copy of every other brand, from colour story to to design, the only differential seemed to be the name on the waistband. Companies were turning designs around so fast that there was no continuity in the sizing or the quality from
One pair to another! I’m pleased this seems to be less of the case, now. Because brand loyalty comes from a consistent approach that can be relied upon.
As I was sorting my underwear collection having built new wardrobes this weekend, it got me thinking about what it was that I look for in the perfect pair of pants! So I thought I’d it would put it to Instagram and see what y’all thought as well!
Overall it seems that there are four main factors that are the focus of men when they are making the critical choice of what underwear to buy:
STYLE
COMFORT
AESTHETICS
FABRIC CHOICE
This post will look into all of these areas and feature some of the recommended brands that have been suggested by the underwear community!
STYLE
The age of question of Boxers Or Briefs? Doesnt really get to the bottom of the array of styles available on the market, and with each style having a variation of cut, the options are limitless!
Colour stories have been a topic of discussion with classic black, white and grey being popular. For others though, a pop of colour or a variety Brant print brings a smile to their faces and opens a whole world of colour to be discovered. From pastels to prints, raunchy reds to Noble Navy, there really is something for everyone. It really is down to personal aesthetic and what makes you feel good about yourself.
As unique as each of us are, there are so many options when it comes to the aesthetic provided by the cut of the underwear too. Take a Jockstrap for example, you have a classic woven version which has a vintage feel and is very practical, normally a woven pouch with a thick elastic waist band, then mor modern options have changed the proportions and brought all elastic aspect to a more unified thickness, prioritising aesthetics and comfort over practicality. I have a Teammate jock, which has the thinnest straps around the butt cheeks and from the front you would never guess that this pair are a jock at all!
And the same can be said for all underwear styles, we are so lucky to have so many options open to all of us, and our differing tastes!
From Vintage Y fronts to the tiniest of thongs, the people who responded to my polls overwhelmingly want style options to match with their multi-faceted personalities and not to be boxed in!
COMFORT
We don’t want to be limited or restrained on our underwear choices, but we also want to be comfortable! That was the overriding theme when it comes to comfort! We want to feel sexy but also comfortable!
Some factors that play a big part in comfort were boxer-briefs not riding up and having to adjust an eternal wedgie! Support support and more support – those of us with active jobs and/ or are lucky enough to have a lot of weight in their pants, focussed on just how much of a factor that support plays in our every day lives.
Pouch advocates also talked about the positive difference that having separation between your junk and the rest of you, has. Ensuring chafing and excessive sweating do not occur. For others though the pouch just doesn’t have a natural feeling and that for them is a non-negotiable.
Sizing and stretch also play a huge part in comfort, the active man need pants that can roll with the punches and serve their purpose throughout the day, not matter what challenges lay ahead for us.
We want comfort for what ever we are up to, and we don’t want to sacrifice looking good, to get it!
AESTHETICS
When it comes to aesthetics, unsurprisingly we want it all! The overwhelming primary focus is unsurprisingly that we want underwear that makes the most of the penis we have inside the underwear. We want a prominent bulge on show and many people noted that they felt more confident when parading with an adequately accentuated appendage!
Whatever the size though, the key word is proportion. Men don’t want to be dwarfed by a massive pouch that they don’t fill, or be spilling out of the sides. Aesthetics are clearly not all things to all men.
We want a flattering cut that is proportionate to our packages, and also makes the most of whatever size we have down there. Sexy comes in all shapes and sizes, and we want the same from our underwear
FABRIC
With so many fabrics available, we are spoiled for choice in terms of what we can get from our underwear. Made from everything, Cotton to recycled plastic bottles, bamboo to latex, the range is mind-blowing.
Rolling waistbands – a personal pet peeve that is shared with a lot of poll-responders – are a non-negotiable! Whether it’s because of the discomfort or because it’s a reminder that we have a belly, this is on off-putting factor for brands that can’t design around this common complaint.
Men want stretch fabrics that I’ve with their active lifestyles and they want breathability too. (It was noted that these factors are even more vital when choosing underwear for the gym) so whilst the aesthetic is a key factor for overall confidence we want hard working fabrics that are also adaptable to an active lifestyle and keep us comfortable throughout – that’s quite a lot to ask from such a tiny piece of clothing!
All in all, it’s been quite an exploration! Thanks to everyone who made suggestions and commented to make this post possible
Below are links to some of the suggested brands that were popular within the polls, so feel free to show some love, there are certainly brands here I would love to review myself!!!
TIB
ThatIsBeyond 