I hadn’t done any research into which pairs I’d be reviewing so when I got another pair of Clever briefs in the mail I was a little nervous because if you’ve worn the brand before then you know their sizes can be a little inconsistent with their own size chart. With that in mind I was a little nervous to step into the Clever Onix Classic Brief. My initial impression was fairly positive as the lightweight fabric seemed like it would be comfortable (it was) and I was also excited to have a full-cut brief to review, as 99% of the briefs in my drawer are of the bikini or sport-type cuts.
I decided to wear these for a full work day to give them the adequate treatment. Upon initially getting them on my body, I noticed a couple things. The first was that the fabric has a subtle diamond-plaid type pattern which I didn’t pick up on when they were in my hand. The other was a unique stitching design that differed quite a bit from my other Clever briefs. The briefs are made of 88% nylon and 12% spandex, and unlike other nylon designs out there right now this pair has amazing breathability. At the end of the day I was really pleased with how comfortable they were and though I changed into a jock for my evening workout, I could have easily kept these on and known they’d serve me well during a workout.
This pair was an XL (34-36)which is what I normally wear with Clever, except in the case of these briefs I could have used a large in everywhere except the pouch. As I eluded to earlier, I have a couple of pairs of Clever Briefs that happen to be the same size (XL) and one fits me close to perfectly and another one, again, same size that fits like it’s a Medium. I don’t know if the emergence of Clever in the American market has led to a trend to more American sizing, or I just happened to get one of the pairs that was on the larger end of the XL pile.
The brief is constructed with a Y-seam that runs down the area of the wearer’s “crack” which joins two diagonal seams that run to the base of the leg openings. If you’ve got a bubble butt like I do, this particular stitching is fantastic, as it allows the brief to adjust to the thickness of the wearer’s behind. The downfall of that seam though is always the pouch which on these briefs seems like it is its own piece. While I didn’t have too many problems with the pouch, it could have been roomier, and I think due to the nature of the seam work of the brief overall, the pouch is sort of awkward once you get them on.
What makes this brief special is that it does enough with its design and its look to not feel like “Classic” should be in the title at all. When you get them on, you can understand why they use the moniker-these are a full cut brief available in only black and white (my pair is white). However, the silvery logo’d waistband and the diamond plaid design in the nylon make these a “classic” brief I would be proud to be seen in by just about anyone.
Pros:
- No-fuss design
- Good styling accents
- Comfortable Fit
Cons:
- Pouch could be more contoured
- Seams might be over-thought
Ratings:
- Daily Fit – A
- Sizing – B+
- Construction – A
- Styling – A
- Daily Performance – A
- Overall – A
Clever Furnished this pair for receive.
