Every once and while, I get a glimpse of my male friend’s underwear, either in the laundry room or when their waistbands are visible. Even in this booming era of underwear marketed towards straight guys, and with increased interest noted in the media, the vast majority are still wearing the same Hanes and Fruit of the Loom boxer briefs that they’ve been wearing for years. This is simply mind-boggling to me.

When I first discovered a brand that wasn’t Hanes or Fruit of the Loom, I switched to that and never looked back. It was easy for me. I understand that others, however, might need to take baby steps on the road towards underwear nirvana. So I’m not advocating for all straight guys to immediately throw out all of their underwear and spend hundreds of dollars to replace it with Andrew Christian. Instead, I believe that every guy needs to start with one high-quality pair and go from there. I would aim for spending $20 on a popular brand like Calvin Klein, MeUndies, Under Armour, or Mack Weldon. There are very few guys new to the underwear world who could pick out a pair from one of these brands and not like it. While this may seem pricey, I’d rather spend $20 on a great pair that will last longer and make me look great compared to $2 on a pair with a waistband that wraps after one washing and isn’t form fitting at all.

Once you’ve realized what you’ve been missing, it’s time to start fixing that underwear drawer. Whenever you feel like you’re able, buy another pair of underwear and throw an old pair out. After a while, if you want to branch out, start looking at trunks and briefs. I’ve found that women like these styles the best because guys usually look best in them, particularly when they’re something beyond whitey tighties. Do some research on different brands and discover the one that’s right for you (UNB can help with that). If you’re a college guy on a budget like I am, it’s still possible to afford better undies. You can check out places like TJ Maxx, where there are usually upscale brands on sale, and CheapUndies, which offers daily deals on great brands.

Together, we can break loose from the chains of Hanes and Fruit of the Loom. Most of us would not wear ill-fitting, cheaply made, or drab clothing, so why would anyone do that with underwear? Guys, step your game up. Your girlfriend will thank you. Your package will thank you. And even your wallet will thank you in the long run.

There has been a lot of discussion about straight guys who love underwear, including thongs, on Underwear News Briefs. While this shouldn’t present a problem in and of itself, telling your girlfriend you like thongs can be a trickier matter. For me, it was a little embarrassing coming clean about wearing thongs when she doesn’t even wear thongs herself.

Out of the blue, I had decided to go all in and wear my favorite Joe Snyder thong to our fourth date. I remember feeling the thong and getting more and more excited about the big reveal as the night went on. When the time came, we continued doing what we had been doing as if nothing changes. This was very heartening and such a relief. Underwear is a big part of my life, so it felt great that I could be now be open with her about it without fear of rejection. Although my thongs were a relatively harmless secret, with that there were no more secrets between us.

After the fact, I asked her what she thought of the thong. She said she already had an idea I had unique tastes in underwear because of my large underwear drawer, so she wasn’t shocked by any means. In addition, she added that since it made my bulge look great, showed off my backside, and was something I liked wearing, she couldn’t complain. I couldn’t have asked for a better reaction.

To any guys in a similar situation, I would say that you should never be afraid to put yourself out there and share your underwear love with you significant other. If they react badly, then the relationship probably wouldn’t work out anyway, because they should like you for who you are, not what you wear. In the end, I realized you should never be embarrassed by your underwear preferences because underwear is meant to be comfortable and stylish.

Picture by Joe Snyder US.

We are gearing up for the UNB Swimwear Guide for 2017. This is a throwback to our 2015 swim guide featuring model Bobby in aussieBum. Photo by Taylor Campbell.

We hope you caught our interview with Jon Pastor. He’s one of Andrew Christian’s models. If you missed it make sure you check it out.