Have you noticed the underwear is the most worn clothing item in your closet?, I’m sure many of us haven’t and that’s why we have to talk about it. Just because nobody else sees them doesn’t mean they don’t matter. You can’t see your thoughts either, yet they’re the engine that drives your life. Bro,… underwears matter too.
There are rumors (which I frankly hope that’s all it is…rumors) that some men don’t even wear at all in the name of wanting a cool breeze down there and all. This is never acceptable. There’s the risk of raising the flag pole down there somewhere along the line, which is very embarrassing. Or should we talk about zipper accidents that can occur or germs and stains that can rub directly into your pants? I believe you reading this don’t belong to those class of men though.
It all starts with the underwear, not that well-tailored blazer or kaftan. It’s the foundation of every man’s everyday dress routine, it is what holds the family jewel (the major physical organ of your masculinity) all day… reminding you of who you are and your role, what you deserve in life, your values, and goals, yet its role is underplayed and we barely talk about it. Besides, you never know when she may show up unannounced and may have to strip down unexpectedly, trust me you don’t want to ruin the moment with a sight of loose-fitting, hole-ridden, dirty looking pair of underwear.
When it comes to underwear, one size doesn’t fit all. Different kinds will require different purposes and functions. Understanding and getting a hang of it is one of those style knowledge you want to arm yourself with as a fashion-forward modern man. Let’s dig in on how to make the best of your underwear, choosing the right one based on comfort, function, body type, and aesthetics as well as maintaining a healthy sex appeal.
COMFORT IS KING
There are different styles of men underwear, such as boxer shorts, boxer briefs, trunks, briefs, thongs, jockstrap, c-string, mankini and tights, but we will focus just the first 3, as a man’s underwear should truly reflect is masculinity.
When selecting underwear, comfort is the key component you want to pay attention to as you want to go through your day unencumbered by any undergarment. Good underwear should possess the following characteristics;
- Absorb body fluids or sweat coming from the crotch or armpit.
- Hold your package in place comfortably all through the day.
- Provide good ventilation while regulating body temperature in the lower and upper regions.
- Breathable and stretchable.
The type of fabric used is very important. Cotton, spandex, lycra, and modal are good fabrics for underwear as they possess some of the attributes listed above. Essentially, the kind of lifestyle, weather, and weight placement will ultimately influence the type you go for.
Let’s explore each of the underwear types:
BOXER SHORTS
DESCRIPTION AND FUNCTION
Boxers are loose-fitting, though very breathable and allow for enough comfort and easy movement. Most boxers are made from cotton fabrics, hence they don’t have that grip or tightness to the body. Great for casual sports, beaches, or just worn to chill within the house. Boxers are better worn as underwear with jeans, loose pants, or pajamas and are sure the best to sleep in.
BODY TYPE
Boxers are well suited for big-bodied or athletic men with thick thighs. It fits better as it aligns with other parts of the body and allows for easy movement and ventilation as stated earlier. Won’t work for men with thin legs, as it elaborates the thinness of the legs due to its loose-fitting which apparently is unflattering.
BRIEFS
DESCRIPTION AND FUNCTION
They are the standard pair of underwear that you could wear on almost all occasions. They cover your entire pelvic region forming a Y-shaped front, but leave the side of your leg and upper thigh exposed. They’re usually elastic and made from cotton and spandex. Provides great support for your package. In fact, it’s the perfect underwear if you aren’t so big down there but want to create the illusion of a big package. Let’s just call it the padded or push up bra of men’s underwear. It can be worn with almost any outfit and provides complete freedom too.
BODY TYPE
Briefs are more suited for thin, muscular, and model-looking men with a flat tummy or 6 packs, as it allows you to show off everything except your goods. However, they’re very discriminatory for big-bodied men with thick thighs and wide hips as it enhances the weight and can quickly stretch out of its size easily, due to its elasticity.
BOXER-BRIEFS
DESCRIPTION AND FUNCTION
As the name implies, they’re a hybrid of boxers and briefs. They’re designed to resemble a tapered boxer with a snug. You get the best of both worlds with these, as they provide the necessary support, coverage, and comfort. Goes well with your everyday clothes, good for workouts, and best for a well-tailored pant, giving a feeling of fullness and less crease around the butt and crotch area. When in doubt, do boxer-briefs.
BODY TYPE
Great for all body types. Just make sure you get the right size as you don’t want it too tight or too loose.
SINGLET AND T-SHIRTS
Singlet T-Shirts
DESCRIPTION AND FUNCTION
Singlets or tank tops are underwear (though now commonly worn alone without a dress shirt, will discuss that in some other post) for the upper body, designed with large armholes and neck holes which reach down to the chest region. It’s perfect for hot weather conditions as it provides less body coverage and gives room for better aeration. The downside to singlet is that it doesn’t absorb armpit sweat, majorly because of the large armhole design.
T-shirts or vests, on the other hand, are underwear with short sleeves and a small neck hole that grips the neck and comes as V-neck too. Serves the same function as absorbing body sweat with an extra advantage of absorbing armpit sweat, preventing it from staining your shirt directly. However, in hot weather conditions, you may find it quite uncomfortable except you’ll be under air conditioning for a good part of the day.
The compromise as to which to wear when, or with what is not that hard. If you’re wearing a dark-colored shirt, you can do singlet as the armpit sweat won’t be obvious when it hits your shirt. On the other hand, a T-shirt is recommended if you’re doing a bright colored top to absorb armpit sweat, just make sure you’re in a ventilated room or environment. An added style advantage of a t-shirt when worn with a dress shirt is that you can unbutton down your shirt and roll up your sleeves, giving you a completely new and relaxed look in case you need to chill with the boys after work.
BODY TYPE
The rule to this is just knowing what works for you and understand your metabolism. The kind of lifestyle too plays a huge role. If you do a lot of physical activity all day, then singlet is the best option for you, as you want to be as comfortable as possible and a t-shirt won’t be able to hold the amount of sweat your body generates anyway. Although, the t-shirt is recommended for big-bodied men as it fits the body in, giving you a slimmer frame.
YOU CAN’T HAVE ENOUGH
Since underwear shopping is not always on our top priority list, buying them randomly when it comes to mind is the rule of thumb and if you’re not on a budget, stocking up for the rainy days is not a bad idea too. Another rule of thumb is having at least 2 weeks supply on standby for every day of the week.
We all have those busy weeks when the last thing on your mind is laundry, so having a 2 weeks supply is sufficient so you won’t have to go without underwear or be tempted to repeat used ones. This brings us to 20-24 pairs in all, with at least 2/day. The secret to achieving this is just buying it randomly, you’d have many of it before you know it.
DOES COLOR MATTER?
YES… It does. The trick to pulling this off effortlessly is to have many of it, such that when you’re wearing a bright-colored cloth you also have bright-colored underwear and vice versa. You don’t want to wear a white shirt with a black singlet… you catch my drift right?
Keep more dark colors though, especially for the briefs and boxers because any stain on white is quickly seen, not to mention the extra care it takes to maintain them, keeping them sparkling white and all. Furthermore, research has shown that solid colors red, black, blue, and grey have a higher sex appeal and score more points with the ladies. Try to avoid undies with large prints, multi-colors, elaborate patterns, country flags etc… they look immature, and look more like what you’ll see on teenagers not grown men.
LET IT GO
There is nothing cool about repeating used underwear. It only reflects poor preparation and planning, not to even mention unhygienic. Investing in quality underwear, just like with investing in any other thing quality, pays off in the long run. You don’t have to worry about replacing them so soon and they serve their purpose just fine. However, keep in mind that it’s only a matter of time and you’ll have to replace them soon enough. A small hole, a tiny rip, a little fray or loss of elasticity, discoloration in the armpit or crotch… just know it’s time to let go.
Olowe Segun
Tolulope
