Men: How to Buy The Perfect Briefs

Photo credit - Moosejaw.com

How to Buy It
With endless brands on the market serving up a myriad of colours and styles, it’s no wonder we find ourselves sticking to the same type over and over again. While there might not be anything wrong with that, if we give a lot of thought to our other clothes, why is it that underwear is nearly always at the bottom of the priority list?

So if you think you might need some guidance on the sort of area to be looking when buying underwear then take note of the following.

Your Fitting
Trunks are probably the most popular option, offering support and style. They’re that happy medium between the out-of-style briefs and looser boxers. Boxers are your ultra-comfortable option. Perfect for lounging about in on a shaky Saturday morning. Our personal preference here would be trunks – they’re just a little more mature and offer that extra support that never goes a miss.

If you tend to go for tighter fitting legwear styles – skinny jeans, chinos or well fitted shorts – then you need a pair of trunks. Otherwise you’ll be running the risk of your overly loose boxers starting to ride up and pop out of the top of your trousers. On the other hand, if you tend to wear relax fittings in your jeans and prefer a pair of joggers, then boxers are probably for you.

Use Size Charts
Most brands and stores will have a sizing chart for your reference. Once you’ve decided on your style, make sure you’re buying the right size. There’s no point going for a well-fitted style if you then get a size that’s too big. Get this right and you can’t go far wrong with everything else. You also can’t return underwear – for pretty obvious reasons – so you’ll be wasting money if they don’t fit correctly.

Stick to Cotton
Cotton is breathable, durable and will keep irritation to a minimum. Don’t go for cheap materials as this will only lead to an uncomfortable experience when you’re walking about. If you’ve got the cash, you could always go for premium materials but most men won’t want to spend silly amounts on their underwear.

Re-Stock Regularly
You should be replacing your underwear every 4-6 months, or when you think it looks ‘worn-out’. Be truthful with yourself here. If the elastic is less taught, there are frays in the stitching, they’ve mis-shaped or shrunk or have lost their colour, it’s time to get rid. Nothing will scream immaturity to a potential love interest than old underwear that’s clearly in need of a refresh.

Spend Wisely
Most brands offer multi-packs which will end up working out cheaper than buying separately. Underwear does also tend to be one of those areas wear, if you part with a little more buck, it will stay looking fresher for longer. We can’t all pay a premium amount of cash for our underwear, though. Nevertheless, it’s no excuse to waste money. Hunt out those deals and invest what you can, getting as many boxers or trunks as you can in one pack.

Act Your Age
If you’re 12 years old and still rely on your guardians to buy your underwear, cook your dinner and drive you to town so you can loiter about with your mates, you can get away with immature prints and lairy designs. If you’re a grown man with your own place, a job and the days of mum and dad welfare are behind you, it’s time to act your age. Simple, classic styles will always come out on top over flashy designs that quickly look dated and tacky.