Aussie Bum’s clearance sale is nearing its end. Select items, including Hitch Brief in ice blue for $8.88, are being discounted at up to 50% off. No promo code required!

In preparation for Valentine’s, Beach N Dance, proprietor of custom-made swimwear, offers 10% off your entire purchase + 1 free surprise Valentine’s Day themed swimsuit with every order. Sale ends January 25th.

C-In2 Clothing’s Boxing Day Sale continues. Selected styles are available at 7 for $77. No promo code required!

Gear Essentials is offering Cell Block 13’s Grid Iron Short Jock for $29.67 (a 34% savings) if you use promo code “GRIDA19” at checkout.

Also on sale is Cell Block 13’s Velocity Jockstrap for $19.17 (a 40% savings) when you use the promo code “VELA19” at checkout.

Want both the Grid Iron & Vela offers in one order? Gear Essentials can provide a personalized promo code upon request! Sale ends Jan. 15th.

Intymen’s Happy New Year Sale continues. Enjoy up to 30% off selected items and up to 70% off clearance.

www.mensuas.com “It’s good for you sale” continues. Select styles are on sale, including the Feel FEK 005 Thong in black for $12.99 (26% off).

What’s Hot in Texas – Swimwear – July 2018

While most mall-based retailers only stock swimwear during the summer months, Skivvies in Dallas is one of Texas’ few brick-and-mortar stores to carry a full range of men’s swimwear year-round. Need a pair of classic trunks for Labor Day in South Padre? Need a new speedo for that a post-Thanksgiving cruise or a square cut suit for Halloween in Rio? Skivvies has you covered! Topping Texans’ swimsuit shopping lists are clothing from Savage, Tribe, & Bwet.

Shorts in bold prints, such as those from Savauge Swimwear have drawn the eyes of many Texans. These blue hibiscus print shorts feature an on-trend shorter length hemline. A logo tag on the left thigh completes a refined, classic look. This pair retail for $72.

Square cut suits from Bwet Swimwear remain consistent best-sellers at Skivvies. Key to the Spanish designer’s success lies in its attention to detail. In this Sentosa trunk one notices the hanging “B” from the waistband, the Bwet signature drawstring, the coordinating leg elastic, and the Bwet moniker on the left thigh. All those details establish that the wearer (like the suit itself) are worth a second look. This pair retails for $59 at Skivvies.

Finally, Texans looking for a “modest” swim brief turn to Australian design house Tribe Swimwear. Tribe’s line of low rise briefs, such as the Riviera Shimmer, show slightly more thigh than a traditional square cut or Brazilian sunga but aren’t quite as revealing as a typical men’s swim bikini. Tribe’s pouch also offers a cowboy more room up front than one might find in a 2” Solar from Speedo. The coordinating signature drawstring keeps the suit on tight even in Galveston’s roughest surf. Skivvies offers this suit for $59. It may also be ordered directly from Tribe Swimwear, where it retails for $73.95 (AUD$).

Many thanks to the generous owners and staff at Skivvies for spending time with UNB. We talked and photographed – and shopped – for nearly two hours on a recent Monday.

Considering the weather in the Lone Star State is hotter than Papa Bear’s porridge, we here at UNB thought y’all might be interested in what underwear is selling like hotcakes in Texas. A quick trip to Skivvies in Dallas (http://www.skivviesdallas.net) provided lots of information about which underwear is flying off the shelves.

Nasty Pig’s Jockstraps top the underwear shoppers’ lists in Big D, the local’s moniker for the City of Dallas. Texans can’t get enough of Nasty Pig’s Take Down Jock, especially the version in black with white piping. The Take Down retails for $29 at Skivvies. Other color options include blue/white and red/white. Texans are also picking up the coordinating Hook’d Up Sport Socks for $12 to complete the NP look.

Texans’ top second and third choices for new undergear also come from Nasty Pig. The Xposed Brief and the Xposed Jock, both in red with blue accents, rival each other in weekly sales stats. Both retail for $32 each. Skivvies’ store manager shared that the NP line of underwear has fast become a favorite of both gay and straight clientele.

Finally, honorable mention status goes to the 2018 ribbed briefs from Pump! Underwear. The navy has proven extremely popular; red and military green are also available. The pair retails for $31 at Skivvies.

Many thanks to the generous owners and staff at Skivvies for spending time with UNB. We talked and photographed – and shopped – for nearly two hours on a recent Monday. If you can’t find what you’re looking for on Skivvies’ website, they accept phone orders at 214-559-4955. A trip to their physical location at 4001 Cedar Springs Road in Dallas is also worth your time.

Valentine’s Day is about love and passion! Some of us will have it and others of us will celebrate Singles Day! This post you have me the single guy giving you two recommendations and Osgon and UNB Ryan who each has a significant other give his suggestions. Don’t be sad I’m used to the single life! And dating will happen when it happens.

UNB Tim’s Recommendation

Just because you are single doesn’t mean you can’t wear great undies. I have two suggestions for you for the big night of watching Netflixing and chilling alone. The first pair is the Cocksox CX01 Bikini. This is hands down one of the best pairs to make you feel great. The bikini gives what you got a bit of a lift and shows it off! The fabric is amazing and fits very well. It’s super fun and I feel super sexy when I wear them.

Another pair that I LOVE is another bikini! It’s the Ergowear Suave X3D Bikini. The X3D is my favorite pouch. Followed by the Max and Feel pouches. The pouch is great but the fabric really makes the Suave collection. It’s amazingly soft and feels amazing on you. Those are the two things that I look for most!

Being single isn’t about not wearing great underwear because no one will see it. You know you are wearing it! So break it out and enjoy!

Osgon’s Recommendations 

I’ve always viewed Valentine’s Day as an opportunity to try a new and daring pair of underwear.  This might include a designer that’s new to me, or it might be a style that I don’t wear on a typical day.  I also use VD as an excuse to spend a little more on a pair of underwear, especially if I think my husband might appreciate my extra effort.

In past years my selections included a variety of jocks, thongs and g-strings in varying fabrics and colors.  Silk, cotton, microfiber, pleather, and even leather have made a Valentine’s Day appearance.  A favorite from many years ago was a red silk contour thong from the now gone Undergear.

If you’ve never tried silk, you should.  Silk is always appropriate for special occasions such as Valentine’s Day.  It’s a sexy, unisex fabric.  Whether you choose a boxer, bikini, thong, or g-string silhouette, silk provides a smoothness and a coolness next to your skin that is unmatched.

If you’re looking to step outside your comfort zone and try silk underwear, online Retailer His Room currently offers two different silk knit thongs by Magic Silk.  I recommend both.  The first (featuring a moniker waistband) is on sale for $16.10.  The second (without a branded waistband) sells for $15.75.

Other silhouettes and colors are also available at www.hisroom.com at varying prices.

UNB Ryan recommendation

I don’t get too excited about Valentine’s Day, but will absolutely use it as another excuse to buy some new cute underwear. If you’ve read anything I have written in the past you’ll know that my favorite thing to wear is a thong, both as underwear and swimwear. Unfortunately living in North Carolina it’s gonna be too cold to wear my swim thong on Valentine’s Day so I’ll have to settle for a sexy pair under my pants!

For this Valentine’s Day I plan to wear my white Joe Snyder Sock It Thong. It is crafted out of white lace, which is perfect for a sext Valentine’s Day surprise for your spouse or partner. I am married, and try to think about what my wife will like to see me in when picking out a date night outfit. Picking out my underwear is the first step. First, I always pick something that suits my mood and what we’ll be doing. Next, I always try to find something that will be exciting for her to see me in! Last, I always want something that accentuates my better features. For me I definitely think that’s my booty!

I found the Joe Snyder Sock-It thong on https://joe-snyder.us/onestepcheckout/index/. It currently retails for $30.

Looking for more Valentine’s Day ideas? Here are a few suggestions from mild to wild:

Pikante labels its Victory line as a brief, shown here in red, but it fits more like a trunk. The back is see through mesh – perfect for Valentine’s Day! The cut-outs beside the pouch provide the illusion of coverage while also proving the wearer has a playful side. The 83% nylon & 17% fabric offers ample support where it counts. This item sells for $20 at Pikante’s website.

Pump!’s “Access” jock-trunk hybrid provides a form-fitting boost in both front and back. It’s made from a blend of micromesh and cotton. On Pump’s website the jock-trunk retails for $30, but at last check Pump! was including a free 2018 calendar with every purchase.

C-IN2’s 100% cotton “Oxide” low, no-show profile brief (shown here in “misty day”) will set the right mood with color, style, and comfort. And though the garment’s cut won’t break any taboos, this is something you won’t be afraid to wear in the locker room weeks after Valentine’s has passed. It sells for $24 on C-IN2’s website.

Dallas-based designers Marek & Richard carry traditional basics, but their best sellers trend toward the irreverent. This, their Devil Jockstrap, features a Valentine-appropriate heart tail in the back and a sequined red bow tie above the 92% cotton and 8% spandex contoured, anatomical pouch. It’s a bit pricey at $38.50 on Marek & Richard’s website, but consider it an investment you hope to wear on multiple occasions.

Finally, if you’re looking for something that’s NSFW, check out the Daddy DDK010 Slip Thong (shown here in red). At $14.99 on Mensuas’ website, it’s sure to provide great bang for the buck. The minimalist pouch covers your manhood with a fabric composed of 89% polymide and 11% spandex. The metallic O-ring above the pouch provides a shiny accent to what lies beneath.

This Valentine’s Day, choose to wear something that excites both you and your intended!

UNB writers have previously discussed different ways of organizing an underwear drawer.  But the problems in organizing underwear also arise when trying to keep straight a growing swimwear collection.  Here’s what I did recently to try to contain the clutter and ease the process of selecting the appropriate swimwear for my chosen watersports activity.

I started with a Skubb drawer organizer from Ikea  ($7.99).  It’s inexpensive, and the seven divided compartments of varying sizes helped group different swimwear by style.  The organizer also takes up only two-thirds of my drawer, leaving a large additional space for more swimwear.  Here’s a look at the final outcome:

And here’s how I got there:

A. I first folded lengthwise my three pairs of swim trunks and put them stacked in the open space to the left of the Skubb organizer.

B. I folded and placed my single pair of board shorts in the top left square of the organizer. These are Andrew Christian board shorts, so they’re neither as thick or as long as most board shorts.

C. One pair of square cut trunks resides in section C. (The other two pairs of square cut trunks went to section G.)  There’s room in section C for at least 1-2 more pairs.

D. The sections marked D hold swim briefs that would be appropriate to wear at any beach or public pool. I folded and turned each brief so that the back faces the front of the drawer.  Folding and storing in this manner provides the largest possible view of each brief’s pattern when later selecting which suit to wear.

E. The small, top right corner of the organizer holds swim thongs. I don’t often wear these, but folding and stacking them so that the pouch faces front makes choosing easier when the right wearing opportunity does arise.

F. I utilized the organizer’s two medium sized sections to store the swim briefs and bikinis that might be too immodest to wear to the neighborhood pool. (These swim briefs typically have a profile pouch or are custom-made swimwear from designers such as Muscle Skins, Beach-N-Dance, or Jovana Design.)  As like before, I folded each so that the rear of the suit faced forward, making the pattern more visible and easing a later search for a specific suit.

G. Finally, I folded and placed two of the more modest square cut trunks next to my all-locations-appropriate swim briefs. The square cut trunks in this section lack the profile pouch of the square cut found in section C.  (Think “more James Bond” and less “Magic Mike.”)

In total, the Skubb organizer provided an inexpensive solution for organizing and storing over 35 pairs of swimwear of varying styles.  All my swimwear had previously been just stuffed randomly in the drawer.  I am pleased with results of my attempt at organization, and I hope I can maintain this level of order through the end of next summer.

I take a mostly utilitarian approach to underwear organization.  My collection consists of more than 175 pairs of everything from the smallest of “anatomical pouches” to traditional boxer shorts.  Such a large stock requires using multiple drawers within the chest of drawers, with certain drawers dedicated to specific styles of underwear.  I also rotate what I wear within each style so that everything wears (almost) evenly.

For my “show me your drawers” submission, I chose one drawer dedicated to briefs and bikinis and a second drawer dedicated to multiple styles.  (Two additional drawers hold the trunks, boxers, undershirts, boot socks, and still more briefs.)

To organize briefs and bikinis, I place them flat in four separate stacks within the drawer.  Underwear most recently washed appear on the far right; underwear to be worn next reside front-and-center.  As the front stack is depleted, replacements are rotated forward in a counterclockwise fashion. (Pictured are favorites from Andrew Christian, Nasty Pig, Buffed Bod and N2N Bodywear.)

A Skubb drawer organizer from Ikea  ($7.99) helps corral socks, g-strings and K’Mando pouches in another drawer.  These too are roatated, but certain pairs nonetheless get more wear than others.  (Pictured across the top are g-strings from Andrew Christian, Hotline and Gigo, as well as pouches by K’Mando Sport.)  The Skubb organizer leaves about five additional inches inside the drawer, providing space for thongs (not pictured).

Avid readers who remember the Fort Troff Sport Trunk review may wonder about athletic gear – compression shorts, running tights, jock straps and swim briefs – that are undoubtedly part of the collection.  Well, that’s another story altogether . . . .

Andrew Christian furnished an “Ace” jock from its “Almost Naked” collection for review.

Rating:  9/10

• Daily Fit: 10/10
• Sizing: 10/10
• Construction: 9/10
• Styling: 10/10
• Daily Performance: 6/10

Pros:

• That perfect “Almost Naked” pouch
• Leg straps are attached underneath the waistband
• Narrow leg straps feature subtle embossing of Andrew Christian brand

Cons:

• This is streetwear, not gym wear
• The leg straps curl and loosen when sweat-soaked

Osgon’s Recommendation:  A worthwhile buy if you like fashion jocks

With around 50 in my collection, you might say I’m a fan of the athletic support (aka “the jock strap”).  So I was excited when UNB Tim asked me to review the “Ace” jock from Andrew Christian’s “Almost Naked” collection.

Unless clearly marketed as fashion or fetish wear, I believe athletic supporters should be able to withstand the rigors of a real workout.  I tested AC’s Ace Jock by putting it through a rough, 90-minute at-home gauntlet of lifting weights (leg day!) plus HIIT cardio.

The Ace Jock is extremely well-made.  The seams are nicely constructed.  The fabric finish is trim and neat.  Its leg straps are attached underneath the waistband, which provides a more polished aesthetic.  (All designers should follow suit.)  The “Almost Naked” pouch provides exceptional support, just as one would expect.  And the 95% cotton, 5% spandex offers a soft hand to the material.

Alas, the Ace Jock didn’t stand up to the rigors of a workout.  When the leg straps became sweat-soaked, they curled.  They also loosened slightly.  Leg straps should remain flat and taught against the buttocks throughout a workout, even when wet.  Neither issue became so problematic as to interfere with the workout, but each issue is a fault worth noting.  And each fault necessitates one consider the Ace Jock as “street wear” and not “gym gear.”  (As a “street wear” product, the Ace Jock would probably receive a 9.6 or higher rating.)

If you wear a jock strap under your jeans on date night or under shorts while running errands, the Ace Jock makes a stylish, functional choice.  Just don’t expect it to be your go-to supporter for a heavy leg day or Kickboxing Cardio at 24 Hour Fitness.

At last check, the Ace Jock is available only in size medium (30-32”) at www.andrewchristian.com.  Other online stores may have additional sizes in stock.  I would expect other jock straps within AC’s “Almost Naked” range to perform similarly.

• BRAND:  https://www.andrewchristian.com/limited-edition-ace-jock.html
• PAIR:  Almost Naked Ace Jock
• COLOR:  Blue Stripe w/ White Leg Straps
• SIZES:  S-XL
• PRICE (without discounts):  $18
• FURNISHED BY:  Andrew Christian

About the author:  Osgon is a certified fitness instructor living in the Dallas, Texas, area.  He evaluates fitness-focused underwear based on a garment’s ability to hold up to a serious workout.