My underwear journey has been punctuated by many key moments. From my own Declaration of Independence, to self-confidence, to writing words on a page, underwear has had a big impact. 

I’m always on the hunt for the Next Big Thing! What are underwear brands creating, how is the market moving and how does that scale down with a price point that most men are able to afford.  But to forget where the journey began is to undervalue underwear, so I thought I’d explore it in this post! 

Independence 

My first job was in the back room of a shoe store. I would take in the deliveries and find the requested shoes and send them down to the shop floor for trying on, collect them and return them to the stock room. And all this for £2.07 an hour!  Other than a bit of spending money, this offered me the opportunity to buy my first independent underwear.

Not dissimilar to the ones pictured, I purchased a blue striped boxer short with a letter T and a bouncing Tigger on them! I took the time to shop for them, choose a fun design and spent my hard-earned cash on them too. This first purchase was a nod to my future fashion game and the start of my independent journey into the world of underwear. 

The next notable pair, were a splurge on my first student loan payment, when I suddenly had more money than I had ever known in my bank account and living away from home meant that I was a little more frivolous than normal! I remember stepping through the doors of Selfridges for the first time and knowing exactly what I wanted… Calvin Klein boxer briefs.

The iconic CK marketing was all that was needed. Their classic style and the status that came with branded underwear, spoke to me as an aspirational brand And one that I wanted a piece of. The £45 price tag was considerably more than my weekly food shop and my Tuesday night beer money in the Student Union! 

I treasured those boxer-briefs. 

Finding My Voice

Following a period  of weight gain – a less active lifestyle and being a new parent being two of the main contributing factors –  As my fitness journey began, so too did the movement of my confidence and creativity. 

I began to blog. Words on a keyboard about things that I was passionate about – and so of course I had to focus on a new range of Underwear, a collaboration between two heavy hitters, Marks and Spencer & David Gandy. 

The range was classy and had awesome detailing. DG had a hand in the design and had put his name to the range. The colour stories were different to any I had seen before, gentlemanly and masculine with fabrics that looked great on any body shape.  

If you’re interested in the original article then check it out here:

Check it out

I wasn’t yet confident enough to post any pictures of myself, but I still had aspirations to take ownership of my body.

When I did find the confidence to post in my underwear it was a brand called Kennies (now rebranded as Kula) who had the boxers that I felt pretty damn good in. 

By this point I am more of a briefs guy, but these boxers were (and still are) an amazing fit that I feel just amazing in. The perfect hybrid of comfort and aesthetics. And of course this was the starting point for the development of  THATISBEYOND on the socials. 

In more recent times I have been able to explore many new brands who have pushed the boundaries of design for such a small item. Whether it has been function or aesthetics,  many brands have managed to change the literal shape of our underwear. And the biggest benefit of this has been to help the wearer build confidence in themselves. I always say that wearing good underwear is the best way to start a day. 

Functional / Aesthetic

A really popular sports brand to make a hit in the underwear world, in recent years, has been Nike.  Their viral jockstrap hit the market and they didn’t look back! 

Classic design, soft fabrics and a supportive fit are the throughlines of their range, and whether you go for a Jock, briefs or trunks, you will find the same quality and sleek form-fitting lines.

A large proportion of my IG community own at least a pair or two from Nike and if I’m honest I don’t think the brand itself knew they were on to a winner! 

Sukrew take a more aesthetic route to the design and focus on enhancement which brings a lot of men a boost in confidence – which is a rarely a bad thing! 

Essentially, they tend to feature a pouch which your penis can hang down in, but is still super comfortable and supportive. As well as this, the stretch in their fabrics also push your balls up and out, which enhances what you have and gives an overall more prominent shape.

With pouch underwear, comfort can always be an issue, but the choices of fabric and the tech within the design means they are super comfortable at all times –  and in addition they are available in all shapes and sizes from tiny thongs upwards! 

Obviously, we’re a game-changer, the freedom you feel wearing them is second to none, as though not wearing any at all. 

As the name suggests, the design puts your goods front and centre – obviously – but the comfort … let me tell you they are not the cheapest, but they are worth every penny! 

They really do achieve that aesthetic/ functional equilibrium and come in a large selection of colour stories too! 

Another post on Obviously linked here

Next steps

I am an affiliate of a brand called Awry and I have been so lucky to try out a selection of their range which stretches from sportswear, through swimwear and additionally to underwear.

What I love is the synergy across their range. From basics to more design heavy, there really is something for everyone. 

I am particularly enjoying the sports mesh details that run through some of their lines and also then features on some gym appropriate shorts as well. It takes fun details and makes them a talking piece.

Check out their website here and use code THATISBEYOND for 15% OFF

(The barely there collection looks incredible)

Who knows what the next big thing will be on the underwear market, there is certainly a hark back to the vintage preppy style, and wide-backed jocks. But moving forwards it will be interesting to see the brands that take a leap forth. 

I am sure there will be many more highlights in my underwear journey over the coming years, and I look forward to working with brands who push boundaries, and also maintain the balance between looking good and functioning impeccably. 

What are your favourite underwear innovations? 

Let me know in the comments