I know I’m known as one of the thong guys on UNB. When it comes to underwear, there are really three main styles I wear: thongs, jockstraps and briefs. I never know day to day which style I am going to be in the mood for, so I like to have a wide assortment of all kinds. That’s why even as a verified thong lover, I was happy to order a new pair of briefs from a brand I adore: AussieBum. It’s been a long time since I wore one of their classic original styles. The light pink classic original briefs were one of the first pairs of underwear I really enjoyed wearing on a daily basis.  At least when I first started realizing how much I truly enjoyed underwear. Needless to say, the pink briefs are no longer with us, so I was happy to order a new pair, this time in purple.

I often complain there aren’t enough brands making underwear in purple. It’s my favorite color. One that I think I look best in. Sometimes purple is more slimming and sexy than black! And these AussieBum classic original briefs aren’t just any purple. They are a very deep royal purple. Truly the kind of purple you’d want your underwear to be. Just opening the package made me excited to wear them.

I am generally a medium in most brands, so I ordered medium in these briefs. They are a perfect fit for me. Sometimes depending on the style or fabric, AussieBum sizes don’t always run true.  For the most part, they are fairly spot-on. I wore them around on Christmas Eve, so there was actually a lot of movement and travel to get a good feel for them. Throughout the day, everything was kept in place, and the briefs were very comfortable to have on. Anymore, I prefer a pouch that bulges in all the right places.  These briefs are a standard pouch, so you don’t get any lift. That doesn’t really matter when it comes to AussieBum classic original briefs.  They are just comfortable and a good every day pair. They are sexy, too. The cut is low rise and features a flap on the pouch, but it’s not really a functional pouch – it’s more for looks. The briefs also hug around the back. If you like showing off your backside, these will do it very well. A comfortable option without wearing something that’s really going to dig into you while it lifts.

The briefs are ribbed, so if that’s aesthetically pleasing to you. It’s a definite positive because they are a really good rib. If purple isn’t for you, there are many other colors to choose from. All of them are vibrant and strongly dyed, so you are getting a true color. It’s one of the cases where the colors you see online aren’t photoshopped that much. You are ordering what you see.

There are plenty of standard everyday briefs out there, but AussieBum stands above the pack thanks to their color choices, comfortable fabrics and cuts. The classic original briefs are something that should be in your drawer.

PROS:

• Comfortable fabric
• Top-notch color selections
• Good fit

CONS:

• The elastic has a tendency to stretch out in the back after a few wears
• Hard to find in United States – shipping from Australia can take a while
• Pouch is not anatomically correct

RATINGS:

• Daily fit – 10
• Sizing – 9
• Construction – 8
• Styling – 9
• Daily performance – 10
• Overall – 9.2

Find the Classic Original Brief at the aussieBum website for $12.23!

I was thrilled to try out and review the Nukleus Maldiva Micro for two reasons (furnished by Underwear Concept).  First, I had never heard of this brand and love to find new underwear.  Second, the bikini cut looked right up my alley.  This brief is part of their Sea Series (Rebirth Collection). It comes in light blue, purple and navy as well as the white . Which is the pair I was going to wear.  I decided to check them out online to learn a bit more. I found that Nukleus is all about sustainability and being environmentally friendly.  They use organic cotton, bamboo and believe in safe, clean work environments for their workers. As well as fair pay for the farmers where their materials come from.  Visit their website to read more on their values and practices.  It’s a huge part of who they are as a brand and it  definitely put me into a positive mindset before I even put these undies on!

I chose to wear these on a lazy Sunday hanging around the house and then out to dinner.  They didn’t seem like a pair I would wear for exercise.  I can be a creature of habit when it comes to choosing underwear for a long work day so weekends are my review time of choice.  After wearing them, I found they would be great as a daily pair or lounging – I even wore them to bed.

Being a company based in Asia, I figured the large I was sent would fit since their sizes tend to run small – sometimes very small.  The large says it will fit 34-36 and I’m generally a 31-32, which according to their site, would be a medium.  I always wash my clothes before I wear them and I expected them to shrink a bit but they remained pretty much the same.  I was surprised to find that their sizing matched American sizes pretty well.  A medium would have fit me just fine.  The
cut is great in front and was supportive but not tight.  The back is where I had a small issue because I don’t have much of a butt.  The cut was a bit big and definitely gave more room than needed.  It bothers me when the elastic goes down onto my thigh instead of right under my butt to give it a lift.

You can see that in the picture, which I was hesitant to post because I don’t like it. But I thought I should share since it’s a real life view of these briefs.

I loved a few things about the Nukleus Maldiva Micro : The bikini cut (in front) was perfect for me – not too big and not too small. The fabric is terrific (95% organic bamboo + 5% Spandex) and very soft and I like their strong identity
as a company.  I’m far from a hippy or someone who is really “green” but I liked their thoughtful and caring approach to their apparel.  My only real problem was the fit in back but it definitely didn’t affect the comfort level – just the styling.

I would definitely try more items from Nukleus and maybe go down a size to see if that remedies the fit.  I like the colors and styles in their other series, as well.  Some named after the elements and others after fruit!

Daily Fit: 9

Sizing: 9

Construction/Materials: 10

Styling : 9

Daily Performance: 10

Overall: 9.

Find the Nukleus Maldiva Micro at the Underwear Concept site for $4.96

Think about history and all of the events that shaped the world we live in today. Now think about what could have happened had something shifted to reverse the way those events played out. What if the British had defeated the Americans when Americans wanted independence? What if Rue McClanahan had actually played Rose and Betty White played Blanche as Golden Girls producers originally intended? And what if the thong had taken place of the jockstrap?

In the past ten years, jockstraps have quickly found a place in the wardrobe of men all over the world. Jockstraps aren’t just for sports anymore. There are tons of fashion forward jockstraps from brands everywhere that take inspiration from the original white sport jockstrap and run with it. There are jockstraps for every day wear, gym wear, fetish wear. If you have an event, there’s probably a jock for it. But think just for a second what if thongs had become popular instead of jockstraps.

The way you play sports or hit the gym would be inevitably different. Instead of putting on a jockstrap to take the court or gym floor, you’d be putting on a thong. Which wouldn’t be such a bad thing. Thongs offer just as much, if not more, support than a jockstrap and do a really good job keeping everything in place. They give a good lift and help to make sure everything stays anatomically correct, which if you believe scientific reports, is something important in your daily underwear.

If thongs had taken off instead of jockstraps, you’d also be saving a lot of space in your underwear drawer. Not that either type of underwear takes up a huge amount of space, but think about it: thongs don’t require that much fabric, where as jockstraps generally have larger pouches and two straps as opposed to the single strap of a thong. Thongs don’t take up much room at all, which save a lot more room for the rest of your clothes.

And finally, if thongs were more popular than jockstraps, a lot of men might feel freer. A jockstrap isn’t necessarily constricting, but there’s something about wearing a thong that makes me feel more liberated, and I’ve heard this from other thongs wearers, too. There’s just something about knowing you have on extremely comfortable and sexy underwear while most guys are going around in briefs or boxer briefs. Thongs have sex appeal, but they are also not very constricting and allow for maximum breathing room.

I’m not saying thongs will ever become more popular than jockstraps as each have their place in the underwear world, but it’s nice to think about what could have happened had thongs taken the place of jockstraps in pop culture and men’s wardrobes.

Are you a fan of Candyman, Ergowear or PPU? If so you can get 30% off all three. Shop this week and get some of the new PPU or amazing X3D collection from Erogwear! Shop now at Candyman Fashion! If you are in the US get free shipping on all orders $50 or more! Flat shipping on international orders

NOTE: UNB Tim does consulting for Candyman Fashion.

RSH Photography sent us more great pics he’s taken of Chazie Bly in the brand Eppureluca! The first set of pics he sent us of Chazie were awesome so we are sharing these too! There will be more to come!

As underwear lovers and individuals, we all have our favorite styles of underwear. For some of you, your favorite is trunks or boxers. Then there are those who refuse to wear anything other than a brief. And then there are those of you like me who want something skimpy. That’s where jockstraps and thongs enter in the mix. I often go back and forth between jocks and thongs when deciding what I want to wear. If you’d asked me ten years ago, I would have told you jockstraps were my favorite – mainly because I always wanted to be an athlete, but never had the abilities or drive to be one. I suppose I equated jockstraps with dreams left unfulfilled. I always wanted to win Wimbledon, but could never get a serve in, so making the varsity tennis team was always out of the question. But that was ten years ago. While I still enjoy jockstraps and everything they have to offer, thongs are my underwear of choice (I am the Underwear News Briefs thong expert, after all!). For me, it’s hard to beat a low-rise thong with a good lift in the front and comfortable strap in the back.

If you’re like me and have a daily battle within of whether to wear a jockstrap or thong (seriously, it can be a bigger debate than a Presidential one), enter in the best of both worlds: the jock thong. When I learned it existed, it was almost as exciting as finding out I was going to see Olivia Newton-John in concert. Yes, I’m comparing the excitement of a jock thong to Olivia Newton-John. They are both way up there on my list of excitement. When I Google search jock thong, I find there are only a few brands out there making them right now: Andrew Christian, Jack Adams and PPU. Each brand has its own style, so it’s really up to you what you are looking for.

Jack Adams’ jock thong is sportier in style and reminds me of a C-IN2 jockstrap in design and fashion. However, it still keeps the great Jack Adams lines that will keep brand fundamentalists happy. It functions more like a jockstrap and less like a thong, so it keeps everything in place without a lot of movement. It features a thin strap in the back, which makes the thong likeness very minimal. You will probably not even notice it’s there. It is the perfect starter jock thong.

PPU’s jock thong is a little more erotic in design. It features cutouts in the front and reveals more skin than other jock thongs. It also has a fuller thong strap in the back, giving a full thong effect. The pouch is halfway between a jock and thong in size, which gives this jock thong less of a place in the gym and more of a place on a date night or special occasion.

Andrew Christian certainly has the largest quantity of jock thongs, as there are rotating styles, colors and designs. These jock thongs are bright colors and coordinate with lines like Blow! and Almost Naked. The jock thongs vary in design from great gym wear to great date-night wear. I have the biggest variety of jock thongs from Andrew Christian and find them all to be super comfortable. The fabrics are soft, and the thong and jock straps are both perfect, truly giving you the best of both worlds.

What’s to love about a jock thong other than just the general answer of everything? It combines the two popular types of underwear into one and gives the best of both worlds. You get the jock straps around your butt that helps to lift and give the great athletic feel most of us want when we wear them. Then you get the thong strap that reminds you that you’re wearing a thong, which for me, makes me feel sexy. Something about a thong gives me more confidence. Then you get the combination pouch that is almost halfway between a thong and a jockstrap. It gives just the right amount of lift without hoisting everything up to your bellybutton or squishing everything beyond recognition. You also get the jockstrap waistband, which is good because if you are somewhere you don’t necessarily want everyone to know you’re wearing a thong and your pants slip down a little, you have the waistband protection to not give yourself away.

I’ve always found something inherently sexy about jockstraps and thongs, and I’ve never thought enough men were willing to make the leap into thonghood. You know – stereotypes about thongs being too feminine, uncomfortable, etc. But maybe with the addition of the jock thong, more guys will be willing to give thongs a try. I know if I was already a fan of jockstraps and hadn’t tried a thong, I’d want to mix it up a little with something different, so it’s great to have something not the norm to give a chance to.

You have seen Shawn Alexander before and now we have an interview with him! We hope you enjoy this profile

• Name – Shawn Alexander
• Stats– 5’8” 160 green eyes, blonde hair
• Age – 27
• Interesting Fact: I tend to be a homebody and love staying in and watching movies with a glass of wine and someone special.

What made you get into modeling? When did you first model underwear/swimwear?

It was always something that intrigued me, I never thought I would be any good at it but seeing guys modeling with amazing bodies and amazing images made me strive for it and continue to strive to get better. My first shoot was in Spring 2014.

Is there a shoot you consider your breakthrough shoot? One you got noticed by a wide audience?

I would have to say my first shoot with Kevin Hoover while I was still living in NYC. Following this shoot I was contacted by Joe Flowers with Joe Flowers Talent Management and began to be represented by him. Joe was able to book several jobs for me which slowly began to allow for more publicity and a wider audience.

What do you think sets you apart from other models in the industry?

Modeling for me is a hobby more than a profession or something that I rely on to support myself. So, when I’m shooting it’s usually on my terms and I’m able to have fun with it without a lot of pressure.

Shoots can be a lot of work but fun. What is your favorite shoot and why is it your favorite?

My favorite shoot was a recent shoot I did with Landis Smithers. This was a fun shoot because it was an all-day project that involved several wardrobe changes, hair, makeup and 5 or 6 other models. We did solo stuff, pairs and group shots all in a gorgeous house in the Hollywood hills. It also gave me an opportunity to branch out of strictly underwear and swimwear modeling.

Unexpected things can go wrong at a shoot, what has been one of the biggest challenges you faced on a shoot and how did you over come it?

I’ll never forget shooting with James Franklin on location for DNA and we were shooting against a building and the sun was directly in my face and I could not keep my eyes open. I think it was frustrating both of us, but eventually we were able to get the shot just by closing my eyes and only opening them when he was ready for the shot.

Underwear comes in all kinds from boxer briefs to thongs and everything in between. What is the most usual you have modeled?

Most underwear I’ve worn in shoots have been briefs. I did do one shoot for different brands of jock straps for underwear expert. Ive also done swimwear for marcus Australia and ergowear.

There are tons of brands out there, which brands have you worn with on shoots?

I’ve worn many different brands: Todd Sanfield, Pump, Rufskin, cn2, es, ergowear, n2n, marcus, ca-rio-ca etc.

You’ve worked with Armando Adajar on a few shoots, can you tell us about them?

Armando is great to work with. One of my favorite shoots was with him wearing ergowear underwear. It was actually our first shoot together and was supposed to be a test shoot but the images came out so well they were used for the brand. We also did an ergowear swimwear shoot on location at the beach which was also a lot of fun. He’s always easy and fun to work with.

What other  photographers have you worked with?

Kevin Hoover, Harol Baez, Richard Rothstein, Wander Aguiar, Hubert Pouches, Dylan Robinson, Justin Monroe, Jeremy Kost, Jerrad Matthew, Jim Jordan, Landis Smithers, James Franklin, Thomas Avila, Julio Ramirez

Which photographers would you love to work with on future projects?

This list is endless:  Rick Day, Thomas Synnamon, Joseph Sinclair, Brian Jamie, Scott Hoover just to name a few.

What has been your biggest accomplishment in modeling?

I was featured in DNA’s Hottest Men Alive 2014 Issue and being featured in MMensuel Magazine for an interview they did of Wander Aguiar who shot the photos they used.

Outside of modeling and working out what do you do in your down time? What are your hobbies and interests?

I work fulltime so modeling and working out are my hobbies. However, I love going to the beach, traveling as often as I can, seeing broadway shows (which is something I miss about moving out of NYC) and dining out with friends trying new restaurants.

What type of fitness regime do you do to keep in shape, and does it change when you do a shoot?

I mostly do resistance training 5-6 days a week and include HITT cardio 2-3 times a week. Before a shoot I may do more cardio and reduce weight in resistance training and do higher reps.

Models can’t always eat great what is your favorite guilty pleasure in food?

Fried food and pizza are my weaknesses, ive never had much of a sweet tooth.

Being an underwear blog we have to ask are you a fan of underwear?

Of course, one of the benefits of modeling underwear/swimwear is most of the time you get to keep the products. Having a good pair of underwear is always the foundation of the outfit.

Also, so what makes up your underwear drawer? 

Most of my underwear are briefs, jocks and thongs have never been my thing.

What is your favorite song right now?

Talk Me Down – Troy Sivan ( the whole album is amazing though)

If you were stranded on a deserted island what is one thing you must have with you?

I would have to say my cellphone. I rely on it for everything plus I could call for help 😉

What is a fact about you that would surprise our readers? (are you shy? Love disco? Know all the words to Star Wars?)

I’m very shy actually especially when meeting someone for the first time. I’m also very self-conscious and am probably my biggest critic.

What is the best advice you got when you first started modeling?

Learn to take criticism, whether from viewers or photographers being able to take constructive criticism is important.

Where can our readers find you on the net and social media?

I’ve been featured in DNA and on theunderwearexpert.com site.

My social media is facebook (Shawn Alexander) and Instagram @shawn.alexander.

Photographs by:

• Armando Adajar
• Wander Aguiar
• Kevin Hoover
• Thomas Avila & Julio Ramirez

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