Here’s the second part in my series that’s all about helping you find a pair of underwear that fits you well – things I’ve learned from my own personal experiences. My first tip (click here to read) was all about sizing, best for guys who are fairly new to putting some thought into the underwear they buy. This next one offers a little more insight for those of you with a bit more buying experience.

TIP #2 – Do Your Homework

So you’ve got your sizing figured out and you’re now ready to get some nice new gear! You start browsing an online retailer and pick out a few sexy pairs that you think will look great on you… and if you get the right size they’ll fit you as well as they fit the model, right? Sadly, it can still sometimes be a bit of a shot in the dark. That’s why this week’s tip is all about helping you get a closer look at the gear you’re buying by doing some quality research.

Read Reviews: The past 5 years has seen a huge growth in the men’s designer underwear market – no longer are we gear enthusiasts few and far between. That means there’s a good chance somebody out there has not only bought the pair you’re thinking of getting but has also posted his opinion on it. And while most reviews offer some sort of rating system that give the underwear a positive or negative score it’s the comments that will really help you know if the gear is right for you. That’s because it’s there that the reviewer may point out a feature that’s important to you or is something you were hoping to avoid. For example, if the reviewer says the gear fits tight around the legs, and you know that you’ve got big manly thighs, then you can bet you’ll also be struggling to get the underwear past your knees. I remember when I came across my first Joe Snyder thong online, they looked great and I couldn’t wait to try one. I checked out some reviews and guys were complaining that it fit too small and didn’t provide enough coverage, lucky for me these were exactly the features I wanted and I was sold!

A great place to find reviews is, of course, the UNB reviews (posted regularly). You can find all of our previous reviews here. Have a look – we may have covered a pair you’re thinking of getting, or at the very least a similar style from the same designer! Another one of my personal favorite is Buzzillions, a review site that covers any product you can think of, including even the sexiest in men’s underwear. Again, if you can’t find the particular style you’re looking for search for a similar style from that same brand. Many retailers are also now including customer reviews on their websites. Here’s a summary of some of the best places to look:

• UNB Reviews
• Buzzillions
• Underwear Blogs – Do a Google search with the Brand, Style Name and Review (eg/ Cocksox CS01 Review)
• FreshPair (uses Buzzillions’ review enginge)
• Skiviez

Check Out the Models: So if a pair of briefs that look great on a model is no guarantee they’ll look good on us, how are we supposed to trust any of the pictures we’re browsing through online? One trick I use is to compare how that same model looks wearing other brands or styles I already have in my drawers. If you know how a given pair of underwear fits you, seeing a model wear that same pair will help you get a sense of his body proportions. You’ll get to notice things like if he has a little more going on in the front or back, if he has wider hips, a shorter torso, smaller legs, etc. You’ll then get a better sense of how that first pair of underwear he’s wearing will fit you. You can do this by browsing multi-brand retailers that use their own models (rather than pictures provided by the designers). Sites that do this include MensUnderwearStore, InternationalJock and occasionally Nuwear. You can even search through several of these retailers to see how the same product looks on different models and from multiple angles, to further help you see how the style fits. Our UNB Buying Guides are also a great resource, providing you with pictures of numerous models wearing products from a variety of brands.

The Test Drive: Trying on underwear before you buy really is one of the BEST ways you can tell how a pair is going to fit you. Unfortunately, most US retailers have a policy that doesn’t allow this… they expect us to commit to buying an expensive pair of underwear without even getting to peek inside the box. In Canada, men’s underwear retailers such as Priape allow you to try on underwear over top of the underwear you’re currently wearing (they’ll politely remind you to keep your underwear on before you step into the fitting room). It really is just like trying on a bathing suit or even a pair of tight fitting jeans, so there really shouldn’t be a concern about hygiene. If you can find a retailer that allows this (some do exist in the US) I highly recommend it as a way to try a few different styles… even if trying them on over top of your underwear might not give you an exact idea of how they fit.

If you plan to go try a few things I have a few suggestions:

1. Check out the retailer’s selection on their website beforehand so that you’re sure not to miss anything you would’ve liked to have tried.
2. Wear a tighter fitting pair of bikini briefs that have a bit of a pouch in the front and a minimal waistband (boxer briefs are a no-go). This will help you fill out the pair you’re trying on closest to how you would if you were naked.
3. Don’t over dress for the occasion… if you’re going to make multiple trips to the fitting room there is nothing more frustrating than having to take off multiple layer of clothing every time.
4. Don’t forget to wash anything you buy before wearing them!