If somebody ever told you that beauty is pain, well, they were wrong. Beauty comes from comfort and you should know that comfort is the source of origin of many other great things, such as confidence. And what better place to start feeling comfortable than with the layer of clothes that is closest to your skin. Today we are going to talk about underwear and clarify what has become a modern male dilemma: briefs, boxers or boxer briefs: which type is the best?
To tell you the truth right from the start, we have to say that there is no “best” choice. It’s all up to you and your lifestyle, but what we can tell you is what a good piece of underwear should or should not be.
You have to look at what you require from your underwear and the answer to what type you should be buying will pop right up. But there are a lot of things you should be also taking into consideration when you’re searching for new underwear and we are going to discuss them next.
When you are buying underwear, it’s crucial that you make sure the fabric of piece is a good one. Wearing bad underwear can not only be uncomfortable, too cold or too hot, but it can also lead to rashes and irritations.
Just as important as the fabric of a piece of underwear is the cut and the structure of the underwear.
A great example of a brand offering quality pieces is Tommy John. The brand was founded in order to offer underwear that does not cause “classic” issues to the wearer: getting untucked, clumped or simply not breathing right. Their line of underwear is great because it is formfitting and very elastic, which means that even if they come in standard sizes, they will adapt to your body just right, be comfortable and they will give you the support you need.
Let’s take a look at the three most common types men need to pick from today: briefs, boxers and boxer briefs and discuss them each.
Briefs
A second skin brief by Tommy John. They are made out of a super-thin micro modal fabric and their contour pouch eliminates having to “re-adjust”.
Many guys who practice a lot of sports enjoy wearing briefs, as they feel that these are going to support them the best and that they won’t be bothered by the extra fabric when doing their exercises. Briefs are great because they cover your backside and privates completely, but they leave the upper thigh and the side of your leg exposed. This makes them comfortable to wear with almost anything. Briefs come in high-, medium- and low-rise.
In the case of high-rise briefs, the waistband stands right below your belly button. This is the more traditional fit. This kind of brief can streamline your waist, and thus smoothing your stomach and shaping your waist. High-rise briefs are perfect to we worn with high-waisted pants.
Mid-rise briefs have the waistband situated at your natural waistline. This is, of course, the middle model, which is very versatile and goes with dress pants, board shorts, regular cut jeans and many other types of pants.
In the case of low-rise briefs, the waistband sits below the natural waistline of the wearer. They are usually quite small, but they do have enough fabric to cover you up. Some low-rise briefs are designed to visually enhance your pack. This kind of briefs goes great with low-rise shorts or jeans and with workout pants.
Boxers
Boxers usually have a loose fit. Many men like them because they are similar to shorts. They are perfect to be worn in everyday activities, but you can also wear them when you are doing sports or going out. They are designed to offer your legs a lot of movement and have more breathability than any other type of underwear. A lot of boxers have an open fly, in case you need it. Boxers usually come in a larger variety of colors, patterns and prints than other types of underwear, so if you are looking for colorful, fun underwear, you should be probably looking in the boxers section. Boxers are not all the same: some are more loose than others, so make sure you check out several pairs before you actually buy one, as a different model might be more appropriate to you! They are perfect to be worn with shorts, pajamas and looser pants. Tight pants and boxers don’t usually make a great combo!
Guys who struggle with itching or irritation as a result of more or less severe skin issues, should probably stick with boxers. However, if you are having a reaction to a certain fabric, you should probably just change the underwear.
Boxer briefs
A fitted boxer short by Tommy John. They have a unique Horizontal Quick Draw™ Fly for “quick” access.
Boxer briefs are not as tight as briefs, but not as loose as boxers. Many athletic guys prefer boxer briefs for their daily routine. Boxer briefs are tighter than boxers and they hold more things in better than boxers, which leave everything loose.. This is why you might feel more secure if you are wearing boxer briefs than if you would be wearing boxers.
Boxer briefs are perfect to be worn with a wide range of clothes: from workout equipment to jeans and formal wear as they are usually designed with a moderate height of the waist.
When it comes to health issues, as we stated before, it’s crucial that your skin should breathe. Everything else you might have heard, for example that wearing too tight underwear will affect your fertility is not 100% false, but the impact of the underwear you are wearing is too small to panic over.
Also, why should you decide for just one type of underwear and feel like you can’t change it? If you are undecided, you can simply buy more styles and see in which one you feel best.
In the end, even if not many people will see your underwear, wearing the right pair will make your comfortable and if there’s one thing that never becomes unfashionable, that’s comfort and the attitude that comes with it!
To read more about underwear, check out our article: A Guide to Buying Men’s Underwear
Fraquoh and Franchomme
P.S. What type of underwear do you prefer? What factors do you take into consideration when it comes to getting a new pair? Share your comments below and keep the conversation going!
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