I found Darren on Instagram. He posts pics of him at the gym in amazing gear. I wanted to reach out and talk to him about his gear.

Thanks for taking the time for the interview Darren. First, what drew you to spandex gear for the gym?

When I first started going to the gym I wore the usual shorts and t-shirts but found they didn’t give me the freedom of movement and support I wanted. I purchased a pair of underarmour compression shorts and found that they made a massive difference to my workouts and muscle recovery time. I also like the way they look and feel when you’re wearing them, they keep everything where it should be lol.

Your posts show a lot of Super Hero gear. What made you let your Geek Flag fly, so to speak? Why do you wear super hero gear?

I’ve always been a big superhero fan. I’ve been reading comics since I was young and have carried that on into adulthood. When I found my first Batman, Superman, Flash and Captain America tops I just had to have them! I’ve never been worried about standing out and am a proud geek, so these just give me the opportunity to express that and get fit at the same time. I do get a certain motivation when I wear them. Who doesn’t want to be a superhero even if it’s only at the gym?

I have to ask, do you have a favorite super hero?

I have always been a massive fan of Batman and seem to have more Batman tops than any other superhero.

Do you get compliments or comments at the gym in the gear you wear? If you worked out my gym, I would have to compliment your gear all the time.

Yes, my friends are always asking “who will you be today?” when they know I’m off to the gym. My work colleagues even did a fund raiser to decide which superhero gear I was going to wear for a charity walk I did, which was amazing. I also often get asked where I get the gear from by people using my gym. I’ve noticed a few even wearing superhero related tops over the last few months which is great!

Is there any gear from a character that is currently not made that you would love to sport to the gym?

I’m hoping they release some Justice League gear when the new movie comes out, Cyborg or Aquaman would be awesome.

What advice do you have guys who love gear but won’t wear it to the gym? What could you say to convince them to try it?

Just go for it. Life is all about expressing yourself so if it makes you happy why not just wear what you want? You might be surprised by the positive reactions.

Follow Darren on Instagram @darrenhans1

Welcome to our brief talk on sexuality in Underwear.  Not Day or straight but feeling sexy in underwear to turn your partner on and carry it over into fun time with your partner

Unb Tim

Unb has always been a place where guys of all orientations can come together and talk about undies. Everyone is welcome and we try not to go too over the top with posts and pictures.  However, when talking to the ThongedGinger I learned something interesting.  Straight guys want to incorporate their over of underwear into sexy time.

Being a gay guy it’s pretty much mandatory who I date will improve their underwear drawer. It’s happened with every guy I date.  Most have kept wearing better underwear after we broke up.  I also tell them that great undies get rewarded.

So what is a guy to do? What seems to be the biggest hurdle in wearing sexy undies to bed with your Mate?

ThongedGinger

Well, Tim, the issue with straight men and not getting to enjoy more comfortable and sexy undies lies in what I believe 2 places. The male himself has preexisting thoughts and perceptions as to what a true “man” should wear, or the female he is with isn’t very encouraging and automatically thinks they might be gay and breaks up with them to prevent being hurt. That last one is actually true, my wife and I went through that one. The stigmatism for wearing a thong means that I am not a man to its truest form, which isn’t true at all. When you and think of an alpha male, does what he wears underneath really make or break him?

If I was a dude who secretly wanted to wear a thong and wanted to gauge interest in what my mate would say, you could go and find model photos like what we have on the site and see how she responds there. Next maybe see if she would be interested in you in one, then try it. I’m generally blunter, so I just told whomever I was with that I was going to do it and didn’t care the consequences. At the end of the day, if a couch needed to be moved, pictures hung, or car needed minor work I know I could still do it. The only way we can change perception is by making the perception seem ridiculous.

I mean at the end of the day gay and straight men are very alike, I’m pretty sure you and I have several things we enjoy and do that doesn’t set us apart except for the sexual orientation, am I wrong?

UNB Tim

I totally agree. When I started UNB, there was a big divide between gay and straight. Over the last 9 years, that has shortened. Guys, regardless of sexual orientation, want amazing undies. They want undies they feel sexy in and can express their personality. On top of that, they are tired of ill-fitting boxers and want some support.

I think straight guys get the “gay” wrap because you want to wear something against the mainstream. If you don’t fit in and are different, well you must be as well. This comes from both men and women. I have heard stories from readers over the year that their girlfriends asked if they were gay because they wore bikinis or thongs. Then telling them real men wear boxers, WTF? I would always tell them to dump them and get someone who supports them.

So this poses my question to you, Why do you think that women haven’t come on board with the world of men’s underwear?

ThongedGinger

I think you pretty much killed this question already. There is a set definition in the majority of men and women’s minds as to what a male should and shouldn’t wear. Deviating from that norm and you get your masculinity questioned. If I want to wear a pink frilly thong to work on my car, move furniture, or go to the gym then I should be able to without anyone questioning my masculinity. Being masculine really doesn’t have anything to do with what you wear or sexual orientation, I have seen several gay gentlemen whom I would consider more masculine than 90% of straight out there.

The good news is that this topic is way less taboo than it was say 10 years ago. I think now a lot more manufactures are creating thongs and bikinis targeted to the average male. I’m pretty sure UNB has grown with readers during this timeframe as well to go along with the rising demand of guys who want more options than just plain boxers, boxer briefs, and briefs. Nothing wrong with those but everyone should explore more in order to break this social norm.  What do you think could be done to break this social stereotype, Tim?

UNBTim

That’s the million dollar question. How do we get the general public to break the “gay” stereotype. I know in the 70’s (before many of our reader’s times) there were all kinds of bikinis, prints, and mesh. We had professional athletes in ads for Jockey. Hell, we had MLB star Jim Palmer sporting bikinis from the late 70’s through the early 80’s. Then the 80’s came and we got the boring period where it was white, gray and black. And then shortly thereafter the rise of the boxers. Which is finally going away! HUZZAH.

But before I got side tracked, back then your masculinity wasn’t questioned if you wore bikinis or something bold. It was pretty much to each their own. That is coming in men. I think a lot of guys are just fed up wearing crappy underwear. They want it for support and fashion. They don’t want to be limited to one style. Looks at women’s lingerie there are tons of styles they can choose from, it’s only limited by the imagination of the designer. No one bats and eye when they buy a thong or something sexy. The shop clerk doesn’t go “Oh I bet you are one of those lesbians.”

At UNB have welcomed straight guys from the beginning because we are all alike. That was something that has surprised me in the blog. Our origin stories are almost identical. Both gay and straight wanted and noticed great undies in early teens. It was the fit and feel we fell in love with. We have the philosophy “Wear what you want when you want.” It’s about having you partner feel supportive of you and your choices. This is for life in general and for underwear. I mean in the overall scheme of things, wearing sexy undies isn’t the worst thing in the world. I can think of a lot worse things.

So, after my rant. You are a married guy, when did you come out of the closet as an underwear lover to your now wife. Did she have issues or encourage you wearing sexy undies?

ThongedGinger

Well, my wife was a little apprehensive about it at first, but she finally came around to the fact that it’s what I wear and it makes me feel good about myself. Telling her was actually really easy because I had worn a few pairs before and knew it’s what I liked but stopped wearing them for fear of fitting in. So if you are on the fringe and unsure if you want to try some sexy undies and have a significant other, try a pair on the down low first and see if it’s something that you would want to continue. I would suggest referencing our Thongs 101 but Thebottomdrawer and Underweardude for where to get started. After that then tell them how you fell and I guarantee that they will be supportive if they know it will make you happy. If you are single, then just go for it and that should be a deal breaker if the person you are considering dating isn’t a fan of what you choose to wear underneath.

UNBTim

That’s awesome advice. I totally agree it should be a deal breaker. It is for me as well. There are gay guys who don’t get underwear (SHOCKER I know) and it’s something they have to be open to as well.

I hope you guys enjoyed this talk. We will have another talk soon!

Some guys were lucky and had a particular person influence their love for underwear. This wasn’t exactly the case for me. My admiration for underwear started in my teens. I loved catching glimpse of women in their underwear or swimsuits on TV shows and movies. Baywatch was a good one for this. Even seeing models in flyer ads and catalogs was something I sought out. You may think that sounds like a normal teenage boy. Personally, I considered myself more obsessed with it. Other guys rather see the naked girls while I’d prefer to see them in their bikinis and thongs. I definitely sought out after glimpses of them.

All I knew in guy’s underwear was boxers and brief. I had no idea there was more out there until one day I received a catalog in the mail. No it was not an underwear catalog. It was a catalog of catalogs. While browsing it to my surprise I came across a men’s underwear catalog listed. In the picture was a guy in a bikini brief! I was in shock that us guys did have sexier underwear that I have been admiring on women. The catalog was either Undergear or International male. I believe there was also another men’s underwear catalog listed that may have been Bodyaware.

Seeing that guys had sexy undies like the ladies got me wanting to get my hands on a pair. Of course living at home and not having a credit card made this a difficult mission to complete. Until one day in a Kmart ad I saw string bikinis for guys on sale. By this time I could drive, so I gave my parents a reason I needed the car to go to the store. When I got home and tried on my first pair, I knew I found my new found love. I loved how they looked and felt on. And now I knew why women liked to wear them.

I still wondered about a thong, but those weren’t in the local store. It wasn’t until college that my chance to experiment with underwear happened. With the Internet and a credit card, I was able to shop the web. Remembering the Undergear catalog I found their site. Seeing all that sexy underwear opened my eyes to new options. My first order from Undergear I had to included a thong. It was actually a g-string. When it came it was pretty much the same experience as my first string bikini. Loved the look and sexiness of it. Probably liked that it was a bit daring and against the norm.

I guess it wasn’t completely women that influenced my underwear journey. It was that catalog of catalogs that brought light to me that men had more options than boxers and briefs. Though if it wasn’t for my admiration of women in them, I don’t think those catalogs would have jumped out at me as much as they did. I don’t believe I would have wanted to know what wearing a bikini or thong would be like if I didn’t think they looked sexy on females. I also thought if I liked the looks of them on women then they should like the looks on me. This is why I attribute women to my journey into bikinis and thongs.

I have been single the entire time of UNB. My last relationship ended in 2006. Now don’t go “awe sorry.” It’s been my choice to be single over the years. I felt I had a lot of myself to work on and when things happen they will happen. In the last few months, I have gotten into the head space I want to get back in the dating world. Not get married in three months but go on some dates and meet some good people.

One thing I have avoided has been the strange looks when the other person sees your underwear for the first time. The 9 years of running UNB, underwear is just a matter of fact with me. They are what I love and I wear it. I never had to think about someone else and what they like and don’t like.

When I dated before, I remember guys would comment on my undies when things got intimate. Some would love them and others would look puzzled. By the time we started dating I had converted them into better undies. I can’t recall anyone going “What the hell is that?”

I am not sure it’s going to be too much of an issue. More guys are wearing better underwear. Well, I would love to think this and it should be a non-issue. I’m more concerned about the dating than the undies. LOL

When I dated before I always wore something fun on the first date. Something sexy and made me feel great. It was very few times the guys got to see these undies. Although, it has happened. I do this to give me a little bit of a confidence boost and make everything look good! It maybe in reverse of most guys but I figure do it on the first date.

Then I get a little more conservative around the third date. I mean, I don’t go put on big box tighty whities. But over the course of the previous dates, I will bring up underwear at some point. I mean, I run an underwear blog so it’s not something that I could hide. Most guys are ok with it, but a few think it’s weird. Those get bounced right away.

I haven’t had a date yet but will keep you posted on how the dating goes. Especially with the underwear.

More and more guys tell me they are shopping on Amazon for undies. It’s not a place I think of when I want to go underwear shopping. But with Prime 2 day shipping it maybe a place we have to check out.We would love ot hear if you do shop at Amazon for undies.

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When we think about when we first get into undies, there are probably a few stores or people who stood out in encouraging you along the way. It could have been a store you found on vacation that had an amazing underwear selection. Or, it could have been a friend (in person or online) that exposed you to new brands and encouraged you to step out of your box and buy that thong you had your eye on.

I have a ton of these over the years. Now it’s a lot easier to love undies. Because back in the day there wasn’t an internet and that made it hard to discover new brands. There were also very few stores (that I knew of at the time) that sold “good” underwear. The one thing I found was the International Male catalog. Later to become UnderGear. On a side note, when I found out that UnderGear was being released I was so excited. An entire catalog of underwear and gear. Today that just seems crazy I would get so excited. But at that time there wasn’t anything.

International Male/UnderGear (IM/UG) exposed me to more fabrics, cuts, and colors. Some of the styles were incredibly skimpy and sexy. It was the first place I really saw thongs and skimpy bikinis. These hot guys were wearing it like it was no big deal. When new catalogs came in I would mark everything I wanted. At first, it was just wishing then one magical day I got an International Male Credit card with a $200 limit. I thought I had hit the jackpot. A 19-year-old with the ability to buy 200 bucks of undies? WOW this was unreal.

In the early days, you had to phone in your orders. Yes, you had to talk to an actual person. Most of the operators were women. I’m sure this made some guys never order the crazy stuff, but I didn’t care. I had to have the singlet, thong or jock I was ordering. I didn’t’ care who knew. Later the internet came and the rest is history.

UnderGear allowed me to embrace the wilder side of underwear. It showed me that erotic cuts can be a lot of fun. In the time of the grays, they had all sorts of colors. Any color you can think of, they had over the years. Lastly, UnderGear made me see that there was more to undies than briefs and boxers. It opened my eyes wide that allowed me to be the underwear lover I am today.

Who or what has influenced your underwear journey in the early years? How did they influence you?

We asked a few readers to share their experience wearing swim thongs in public. Here are a few of our reader’s tales of rocking the swim thong:

GD (picture above):

The first time I wore a swim thong in public was on a secluded beach in WA. It was a turquoise Joe Snyder bulge thong that I was wearing under my shorts. There weren’t many people around so I thought “why not?” Taking off my shorts and feeling the breeze against my legs (and rear) was exhilarating. After embracing and getting comfortable with this very new and very exposed feeling. I walked to the water’s edge and dove in. The freedom of movement that a thong provides in the water is amazing! I almost felt like I was wearing nothing at all. I swam for just a few minutes and then got out to dry off on the beach. I layed out on a towel on my back still wearing just the thong. I closed my eyes since the sun was so bright and I heard people walking by. What I did NOT hear was any laughing or judgement. The way I see it, if they want to point and state that have their own insecurities to figure out. I am comfortable in my own skin and will continue to wear whatever I want! I hope my story might help others interested in trying swim thongs in public. Just go for it!

BK:

I’ve worn one to tan in the back yard before, but took the plunge and wore one in public. All be it, on a more secluded beach. It was exhilarating and freeing. Would I wear it on a crowded beach, not yet, but one step at a time

Ken:

I love wearing it on the beach and overall gives the best tan. I feel confident knowing I work out every day and have been given compliments. Then if you’re going to a local beach bar just put on a pair of shorts. Nobody likes the netting of swimsuits anyway.

Daniel:

n our last vacation, we stayed at a gay resort with a group of our friends. The resort is clothing optional but I, like most of our friends, prefer to opt for something, even skimpy, rather than nothing at all. One night when we got back from the clubs we decided to all get in the pool. I told my fiance let’s just go in our underwear. He was wearing a 2xist brief and I had on a Joe Snyder pride frame thong. I wear a Joe Snyder thong practically every day. It was great… the feeling of being looked at in a wow kind of way. It was great also that one of our friends the next night upon our return from going out also wore a thong in the pool. I wore another Joe Snyder thong of course. Can’t wait to go back LOL

Dan:

I’m a straight guy and occasionally wear a swim thong in public. I have found it to be a great style for several reasons. First, I enjoy thong underwear and find it comfortable. The same applies to the right swim thong if you get the right brand and style. I own two swim thongs which are very comfortable. Second, I often bring a swim thong with me on a hike or walk to a remote beach where I know it’s unlikely I will see anyone else. As a hiker, I always try to minimize the weight I carry and a swim thong is a very light weight and if it gets wet I just clip it to the outside of my hiking bag. It’s much better than carrying around wet soggy board shorts. Some places I go I could probably get away with skinny dipping, but I prefer a thong just in case. I avoid wearing a swim thong on a crowded beach or pool out of respect for those who may not want to see me in such skimpy swimwear. But on a remote beach, it’s not so much an issue. Finally, swim thongs are great on a hot day where I want to soak up the sun rays and get a full body tan. Board shorts and swim trunks can be too hot. Every guy should try a swim thong! It’s scary at first but it can be addicting.

Ken:

I was actually in SW Florida at the time when I saw swimming briefs in the mall. I then wondered casually through the department store looking for other swim briefs, I stumbled upon thong underwear only. Then began to do research online and found the trend expanding to the US. I then decided to order my first swim thong online. Feeling confident and driven to work out more.Then I tried the Jor swim thong which completely changed my beliefs on swimwear. I LOVED them. I wore them to the public condo pool and the beach the first day despite being nervous. I received several compliments from men and women at both places. Answering questions “Is it comfortable?”yes of course and is the best support and overall tan”. I am ordering more soon because of the encouragement from friends and strangers. JOR makes a great suit and Pikante does as well. Hopefully, other companies catch on. I wear them all the time to the pool, tanning bed, and beach.I find them overall the best underwear and probably will wear forever to the public beach and pool lol.

Have you worn one? Let us know!

In 2013 we shot Josh two times. This is a behind the scenes video of the shoot we did with him. He’s a lot of fun to work with and it was shot by Ignacio Rivera Jr.

I have talked to several long time readers about this topic and wanted to gauge the interest from our readers a whole. On UNB over the years we have debated many times having a reader get together. Where guys of all walks of life and sexual orientations come together and just talk and maybe shop new undies.

The shows in Vegas have been getting smaller each year. I think this is due to the internet making it easier to connect with customers. Retail stores don’t need to go to find out what’s new. They can do it online.

Some of the ideas I had for a get together would be more social than a conference. Including the following:

• Retail area to shop new underwear/swim just for guys attending
• Pool Party where it’s safe to wear swim briefs
• Dinners with other guys to hang out
• See shows in Las Vegas
• Runway show of new underwear/swimwear

You maybe asking why Vegas? Well, it’s not too terribly expensive to get to from the US. There are plenty of hotel rooms and lastly, there is a lot to do there.

I have racked my brain for years to come up with a reader experience that would be good. This idea is formulating and I’d love to hear your feedback on if there is enough interest or if there are other things you guys want to do.

Let me know your thoughts. It would be a weekend to hang out and get to know some other guys who think it’s great to own 300 pairs of undies. !

The men’s underwear world if the magical world of color. Gone are the days that limited guys to just black, white, or gray. Those were what I called the dark days. All color went out of underwear and it was boring. Well, for the masses those of us who loved undies always found a way to get color in our undies.

Unlike previous days now color is an important factor for guys picking underwear. It’s always one of the top criteria guys list in our Reader Survey. It’s up there with fabric and sizing. It’s that important. No one reading this blog wants boring underwear. It’s a bold statement but I dare say it’s true.

Why is color important?

Yes, we do have fans who just like classic colors. Which there is nothing wrong with that, underwear is an extension of your personality. If that’s who you are, embrace it and rock those classic colors. If, however, you want to wear a pink bikini or purple thong, you have the option to get them!

Underwear is personal and we want it to match who we are or who we want to be. Meaning it depends on the situation. If you have to wear a power suit to work every day. You are limited into what you can wear. It’s mainly classic colors, Black, Navy, Grey and such. One area you can express your self in your undies. You could wear a lace thong under. Or maybe a jockstrap or on the other end of the spectrum, leather underwear. I always love matching my tie and undies.

Color is also Fashion

Underwear can extend your fashion sense. You can wear underwear that matches what you are wearing. I used to have a white and aqua striped polo and a matching bikini. I loved wearing them together. Not everyone wants to wear them together but want to compliment what you wear. If you spend $200 on jeans why would you wear $3 underwear with them? We firmly believe that your underwear should be up to the level of the clothes you wear.

How important is color for you? Let us know in the comments!