Few things ever take me off guard in the world of men’s underwear. In the 30 years, I have LOVED underwear, it takes a lot to phase me. One thing that seemed to come out of nowhere is thongs. Yes, we have had a steady group of guys who loved the style. But, they were always a smaller group of really devoted guys.

In the last two years, thongs have really taken off. Much like the way jocks did in 2009. Now a good number of our readers LOVE thongs. This includes a lot of straight guys. Many of our guys here, like the Thongged Ginger, theBottomDrawer and Undiesdude all are the biggest thong lovers on the site. As we have posted thong content, we have attracted more thong readers. This includes a lot more straight guys. Which is awesome.

Thong Thursday was developed on Twitter to showcase thongs. I’m not sure who started it or what their purpose. But we fully support this day! We want more of our readers to post on Thong Thursday. Share your pictures, stories, and experiences in wearing thongs. They could be swim or underwear thongs.

Going forward we will be doing regular Thong Thursday posts. This will include reader experiences, highlight thongs (both new and classic thongs), swim thongs and discussions around them.  We want to get our readers more involved sharing their stories. If you are interested, just simply email us and we can tell you exactly what we need!

In the mean time, I will share one of my most recent thong purchases. A thong that I highly recommend. It was the pride thong from M-Wear. I am not a huge thong fan but the pouch and design was so freaking incredible. Totally blew me away! You can also get custom thongs made from M-Wear. Find them on Twitter.

When We were in Vegas covering Project/Magic, we asked you guys if you shopped at Amazon. We got some really interesting results. More of you guys shopped Amazon than I thought you did! It appears that Amazon may be the new UnderGear. Meaning it will be the place where guys start discovering underwear.

21% of guys who responded said they shop Amazon regularly. While another 21% said they shop but not often. The most interesting one was the 36% of guys who have browsed but not bought. Only 4% said they didn’t think of Amazon for undies. So this is really interesting.

The readers don’t shop big brand undies online. Most of the guys answering go for smaller brands. There are some great smaller brands on there but some not so good ones. it’s still buyer beware.  If you get a pair that is similar to a big name, don’t expect it to be the same quality. But don’t get me started on counterfeit undies. We love to get a deal but on the real undies.

Some of the brands guys buy are:

• Gary Majdell
• C-IN2
• 2(X)ist
• Jack Adams
• Calvin Klien
• Andrew Christian
• HOM
• Cocksox
• aussieBum
• Obviously
• Clever
• Pikante
• PetitQ
• Joe Snyder
• David Archer
• Under Armour
• Garcon Model
• Wang Jiang
• Papi
• Emprio Armani
• Pump!

There are a variety of brands from big to small to choose from. I think we will see this grow over the next few years.

There are downsides to Amazon. I worked for an underwear retailer who was on Amazon. The first is the images. You don’t see the underwear on guys. That means there is no nudity or anything with mesh. It has to be on mannequins. Unlike other UnderGear, you won’t find a favorite model or see the underwear in real life.

We will keep covering Amazon so stay tuned

If you were a fan of the Maverick swimwear line from N2N Bodywear,  the line is back! If you aren’t familiar with the line, it’s a smaller line with a very enhancing pouch. You will show it off to everyone when you wear this pair. We wouldn’t recommend wearing it to a family friendly beach.

The Maverick is back in a bikini and thong. The Maverick bikini is definitely a bikini cut. It has a built in c-ring (double snap adjustable cock ring). The c-ring will take what you have and enhance it. It also has a Xtreme N-Hance pouch. The pouch along with the c-ring will put everything front and center. Lastly, the pair has a draw string and is unlined. Some guys this is important while other guys shy away from this because it leaves little to the imagination.

The Maverick Thong is back as well. We have had many questions to whether N2N Bodywear would release a swim thong. Well, wait no further here it is. It has the same features as the bikini. The built in c-ring, Xtreme N-Hance pouch, unliked but no draw string waistband. Thongs really don’t need one, especially swim thongs.

Both the lines are made out of an 83% nylon / 17% spandex fabric blend. The colors for the pairs are pretty awesome. The colors are green, mango, fuschia, and Pacific blue. Each one of the colors are bold and bright. But let’s face it the bold colors are just icing on the cake. The other features will draw attention to you more than the color.

Find both of these pairs at the N2N Bodywear Website.

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.