We are almost at the end of our window to take part in this years reader survey! Don’t miss out on the chance to share your love of underwear. We have some big things happening and are using this to help us focus for the future. Also we are going to share with you guys the findings of the survey! So take part before it’s too late
Take the UNB Reader 2016 Survey NOW
UnderwearDude
BEAU: Welcome back UNB readers! I’m Beau Briefs, your virtual host of UNB’s Pouch Couch. As I mentioned last week we are joined now by UnderwearDude on the Pouch Couch. So pull up a cushion and get comfy as we dive into UnderwearDude’s Pouch Couch thoughts!
BEAU: What is the most important thing you look for in a pouch?
UD: If I’m just looking at a pair, and have yet to try it on, I mainly go for looks. It has to look good. Some pairs use color patterns that just makes their pouches look horrible in my eyes.
BEAU: What defines the perfect pouch in your mind?
UD: Comfortable to wear, not too big but with enough room to grow, yet good looking as well.
BEAU: Do aesthetics play a role in picking out a pair/pouch?
UD: Yes, they can. Even if a pouch doesn’t feel uncomfortable, if I don’t like the look of it, I won’t wear it. If the pouch was truly amazingly comfortable but ugly, that’s a different story.
BEAU: What are some examples of great pouches and which brands?
UD: I quite like N2N Bodywear and Ergowear pouches. Cocksox pouches are pretty good too, but sometimes they are a little too big and make me feel like I look like I’ve got some sort of bird’s beak hanging off of me.
BEAU: Do you want structure or flexibility?
UD: I like a mixture of both. I like being held in place, but I don’t want to be constricted either.
BEAU: Have your pouch preferences changed at all over time?
UD: A little. I used to be more wary of pairs with big pouches, for fear that they would make for embarrassing bugles under clothing. I haven’t found that to be the case.
BEAU: Any “just for fun pairs” that you’ll admit to us?
UD: I own a pair by Pikante from their Castro line that is less a pouch than a sleeve. It’s neat looking, and somewhat comfortable, but I’m not sure it’s really suited for daily wear at all.
UD: Oh, one more thing:
I hate pouches that don’t have “room to grow”, so to speak. Contoured or not, ergonomic or not, if the pouch can’t handle you and still look good doing it that bothers me.
BEAU: Thanks for joining UnderwearDude! Week 2 and we’re already seeing different viewpoints and Pouch Couch preferences. We’re all very lucky to be in a time where underwear that’s available actually is as widely varied as we’d like and more accessible than ever! Don’t forget to Tweet or favorite anything that you see and read on UNB. Most of our writers (myself included) can be found on different social media sites so engage with us and stay tuned next week when we talk with T Lawrence about what fills his Pouch preference list.
We have had a great response to the survey. We def need more of you guys to fill out our survey. We want to have the most respondents ever! Its simple to do. Go to the UNB Survey page! It takes a few minutes to fill out, so don’t do it if you’re in a hurry. Feel free to be 100% honest about what you love and don’t love. We have no way to identify who responded to the survey. I have friends who have responded and I don’t know which one they are!
Take the Survey NOW! 2016 Reader Survey
Timoteo is good at finding great new models. Ben K is his newest model. This is what they had to say about Ben. “New Model Ben K. came into the studio last week to work with Timoteo. They shot some of the new gear for the CellBlock 13 line. Perfect timing as IML is just around the corner and people from all over the world will descend on Chicago for the big leather event at the end of this month. ”
Gear by Cellblock 13
Do you just want to open up and tell someone about your love of underwear? If so now is the time! We are doing our annual readers survey and we want you guys to share what you love and hate about underwear. You will find out what you and other guys on the site think of underwear. Results will be released later in May or early June.
Don’t waste anytime, take the survey now!
If there are any problems with the form, the direct link is http://goo.gl/forms/9KFcnHeCVO
Who’s ready for summer? If you are make sure you check out JOR swimwear! We have it coming in our UNB Swimwear Guide. SO stay tuned it will be out very soon!
Its time to tell us about your undies! We just launched our UNB Reader Survey 2016. So far you guys have been doing awesome and we are off to a great start. Let’s keep it up! Go to our Reader Survey page to share your passions and annoyances with underwear!
Ergowear Pouches—A UNB MINI-SERIES
Part II: The MAX Pouch
PART II: The MAX Pouch
Candyman Fashion furnished the MAX SUAVE BIKINI by ERGOWEAR for review.
Rating: 10/10
Pros: Super soft fabric, great golden waistband, anatomical pouch
Cons: No cons.
SALVATORE Recommendation: I was excited the day my Ergowear Review package arrived in the mail. I get new underwear quite often. But there is something exhilarating about receiving a brand you’ve never tried before. Ergowear has long been considered the “gold standard” in anatomically or ergonomically correct pouches by most experts. This begs the question that if I consider myself an expert, how in the world had I never tried Ergowear? I’ve come to realize that sometimes even the most experienced underwear enthusiast misses something incredible.
As I carried the package inside, I went through my normal new underwear routine. I wen to my bathroom, opened the package, and enjoyed a few moments of solace with new arrivals. The first pair I pulled out was the FEEL SUAVE BIKINI. The second pair I pulled out was the MAX SUAVE BIKINI.
Admittedly, I’m a sucker for the waistband string bikini. That’s what this brief is all about. The shiny gold waistband mixes with the great color options put together by the brand to create a very sleek pair of underwear. I was impressed with the pouch from the get go. I could automatically tell that its anatomical design was flawless. I slipped on the bikini and the magic started immediately!
Because the brief is so perfect, I will highlight some of things that stood out most to me:
All in all, I have been super impressed with Ergowear. I posed this question in the Part I of the mini-series. I feel it is necessary to restate: How have I been testing and trying underwear for over 25 years and just now discovering ERGOWEAR? I almost shed a tear when I think that I could have started wearing this incredible brand since 2002. When they first emerged on the underwear scene. Can’t look back! Gotta keep looking forward.
Can’t wait to share my X3D story and bonus post with you in the next couple of weeks. If you have any feedback for me or just want to link up on social media, hit me up on Twitter @manatomicallyme. Until the PART III—See you later!
BRAND: ERGOWEAR
PAIR: MAX SUAVE BIKINI
COLORS: Black, Red, Turquoise, and Blue
FABRIC: Microfiber: 95% polyester 5% spandex
SIZES: S – XL
COST: $26.00
FURNISHED BY: Candyman Fashion
Where to buy:
https://www.candymanfashion.com/products/ergowear-ew0367-max-suave-bikini-color-blue-7
Credits:
Photos: Adrian C. Martin
Model: Sam Melian (@smlmelin)
Wear: 2eros
Location: Canary Islands.
Todd Sanfield has a new collection out. It’s classic and pretty awesome. I got a chance to talk to him in Vegas about the line and now we interview him since the collection is out!
First off I have to say I love the new collection. It is classic yet sexy as well. Where did you get the inspiration for the new collection?
I would say my friend, Kevin McDermott, gave me the inspiration for this collection. After knowing him for years, doing numerous photo shoots, two high-end coffee table books, and listening to how he thinks, I have come to learn he has a certain refinement that makes his work unique. He can take something very simple and fancy it up. That is the approach I took with my current collection and where I am taking my brand.
You made a fabric change. What fabric are you using in the collection? Why did you pick this fabric?
It is 95% Lenzing Modal / 5% Elastane. When you first open the package and feel the fabric, I want you to know you’ve purchased a high-quality piece of clothing. The way it feels at first touch is exactly the same way it feels when worn. I want my customers to know that when they purchase clothing from this brand it will always be of the highest quality.
When in Vegas you said this collection draws from your experience from your modeling days? How did modeling affect your designs?
My entire brand draws from my experience while modeling. When I lived in NYC, I was fortunate enough to work with a reputable agency. They introduced me to different photographers and sent me on a variety of castings to different brands. After learning of the various brands and photographers, I would go home and study their designs and images. Modeling in NYC was a gateway to me being more creative, which is something I am more passionate about.
The new collection is tagless. It is one of the big annoyances our readers have, tags that is, is this why you made this design decision?
Because we are still, what I consider a new brand, my primary focus is to make a high-quality, comfortable pair of underwear. No tag is one less thing the customer has to worry about when purchasing products from a new brand.
Color is big in this collection. How many colors did you go through and what colors did you decide on?
For this new collection, I bought a Pantone book. This was my first experience using the book. In my head, I knew which colors I wanted, so it was easy to pick the colors once the different shades were laid out in front of me. We went with four colors to start, black, white, red, charcoal, teal, and a light purple. The plan is to always add more colors every few months.
The collection has the classics (Brief, Trunk, Tank and T-shirt ). What made you include a jock?
A jock is a classic similar to the brief and trunk. Being a new brand, we need to have a classic foundation and that starts with these three sexy cuts of underwear. My goal was to make a high-quality jock, brief, and trunk, then build from there. The tank and v-neck were added using the same fabric to give to customer more variety.
What kind of guy wears the new Todd Sanfield Collection?
All guys. Going with an understated design, the Essential Collection was made for everyone. The modern design and choice of premium fabric combine to make a piece of clothing that all men can wear at any place and time.
Where can our readers find your collection?
The best place to shop would be our online store: www.toddsanfield.com
It’s time for the Annual UNB Reader survey. This is one time of year we want you to tell us about your underwear love! We want to make more content on what you guys love and share some of the information back with you guys. Before you start wondering, we don’t share personal information ever! This survey, we ask no identifying information, it is completely anonymous. We don’t ask name, email or city where you live. Most information is general when we ask!
Why are we doing the survey? We want to know more about you guys. Our readership grows and changes. We want to know what you guys like and don’t like. Now is the time to share your passion with us! If you have any questions about the survey, feel free to email us!
We will include the survey in every post this week and you can go to our UNB 2016 Reader Survey page as well! Please share with your underwear loving friends!
If there are any problems with the form, the direct link is http://goo.gl/forms/9KFcnHeCVO
We shot the UNB Swimwear Guide last weekend! It was a great shoot. We had two amazing models. One you know from our Holiday Guide, Drew! The other you have seen in some of our videos, Matt! Both did an amazing job. It was shot by Taylor Campbell again!
The day started around noon. We had JOR, Clever, Modus Vivendi and N2N Bodywear in this years shoot. Pictured above is some of the JOR swimwear. It was a very fun and quick day. We have some behind the scenes video coming and also the guide itself. Stay tuned for it’s release!
I love it when we find new brands for you guys. Today when I opened an email from His Jock they had a new brand called Code22. The colors and styles caught my eye and I had to investigate further! So I did what many of you guys do and Googled CODE 22 Underwear. The site came up. I hate it when we find a new brand but there is no website for them.
This is what CODE 22 has to say about the brand.
CODE 22 is an expression of defining men’s swimwear, underwear an sportswear design. CODE 22 gives meaning to the words balance, confidence and masculinity. CODE 22 is a concept born from the spirit of innovation and created for men who are in need of minimal yet elegant creations. Our mission is to find the balance between design, comfort and functionality.
Before conceptualising each collection we work around these three words, when developing each and every garment. We only use European materials to insure the highest quality standards. This is why every time you buy CODE 22 you will notice the time and dedication which has been put into each and every design.
The brand has really clean and colorful designs. The pairs they offer are jock, brief and trunk. These are the ones we are going to focus on. They also have a long john and full front boxer. Those are not available at this time. There is no store on the CODE 22 site yet. And His Jock has all the designs.
So let’s talk about the jock. The jock has matching color elastics. Meaning the same elastic is in the waistband and leg straps. The pouch is a solid color with a contrasting band at the top. It’s a really cool design the way they have implemented it. This is my favorite design
The brief and trunk have a similar design. The bottom is a solid color. Then you have a solid band of fabric and lastly is the waistband. There are three color combinations in all the styles. The colors are Blue/Red/White, Blue/White and Black/White. Its simple, clean and colorful.
The cost of the pairs is: Jock $26, Brief, $28 and Trunk, $31.50 at His Jock. I hope you guys check them out and we will see a lot more from them!
We love Go Softwear! They have some awesome underwear and also have been great friends to UNB. We hope you enjoy this picture! GO check out what Go Softwear has available!
Hey you Kinksters and general booty shakers,
Happy Fetish Friday to you all, the weather in Boston this week was SUPREME to make up for the sad as heck gray and damp weather from last week (there’s a reason I left Seattle, sorry @BeauBriefs). This week, I am gonna enlighten you a little more into an aspect of the wonderful world that is my life. Since moving to Boston almost 2 years ago, I have become quite immersed into the world of burlesque. Before moving here, I had been to ONE burlesque show ever (I recall almost nothing, it was horrible). Now, I frequent them quite often, getting to see lots of my friends and colleagues who do both circus and burlesque shining on stage (sometimes really shining, SOOO pale). I don’t really have any need to become a burlesque performer- though I won’t say no to a butt-centric circus act here and there. I just support my fellow performance artists doing their thing and making it sparkle. So now, to the title of this Fetish Friday:
WHAT’S YOUR CROTCH REVEAL?
In this wonderful world of underwear, we have all sorts of brands catering to the guys that just wanna whip it out. For the sake of this post, we’re gonna ignore the “just pull em down” method. That restricts the legs movement, and stops the potential rond de jambe you might be adding to the striptease. So, with my intensive research, and my background in professional costume design, we have for you…
THE CHOICES:
VELCRO, SNAPS, ZIPPER and FLAPS.
VELCRO:
A better known term for hook and loop fasteners (it’s like Kleenex), is known for it’s ease of use (there was a time when you couldn’t tie your shoes). You just slap a fuzzy piece (the loops) against a scratchy piece (the hooks) and they connect. Then you get the satisfaction of creating that nice rip sound as you pull them apart. The benefit is simple ease, you know it will shut just by touching the two pieces together. But you loose a bit of accuracy of placement the more velcro you have on a garment. It also has the stick factor of the velcro being able to attach without you pressing. I’ve only seen these on some random swimwear on the side seams. Maybe they’re not as big of a thing in underwear?
SNAPS:
Snaps, or sometimes “poppers” across the pond, are a type of fastener involving a bulged post that squeezes into a socket that hugs it. It acts much like a ball and socket joint do. They come in a variety of types (ring snaps, spring snaps, plastic, metal…etc). They also come in a variety of strengths (the strength needed to pull before they separate). These snaps can be found on all sorts of garments, leather, swimwear, underwear. I just recently fell in love with plastic snaps. You will see more about that soon enough (I’m going to be SEWING a pair of sexy undies and documenting the process for you all). Snaps are great because you can put them anywhere. They can be as decorative or as stealthy as you want depending on the look you’re going for. To me, snaps are greater than velcro, because if you are somewhere you are trying to be discreet. Your boo is like “let’s go”, you can get down to business almost as fast as this lady:
Downsides to snaps are unlike zippers, flaps, and velcro, you can’t cover a long distance in one go. A snap only snaps that one point. If you want a long connection. You gotta use a row of snaps (just so you know, I STRONGLY dissuade buying snap tape, it’s pre-made and cheap, and you end up with nothing better than that).
ZIPPERS:
Zippers, sometimes referred to as slide fastener (sorry, I majored in costume design), are made up of interlocking rows of “teeth” that can be locked or unlocked by a tab that slides up and down the two tracks. They mostly come in nylon and metal, and are either coiled or molded. These, unlike snaps or velcro, CANNOT be used for spot attachments. They connect long seams of fabric together. They are relatively silent, unless you are one of those zipper DJs, and for the most part, work well. There are times however, unlike flaps, snaps, and velcro, where zippers will get caught on the garment itself while zipping. Or the zipper can just misbehave altogether (watch an episode of Project Runway). The zipper doesn’t require a lot of accuracy for unlock and locking. You just find the pull tab, and pull it up or down. The downside is, having zippers near your precious cargo could lead to some pain if you’re rushing. Generally though, zippers are pretty awesome.
FLAPS:
Flaps, in this case, refer to any pouch that is able to moved aside or down or away to reveal the kit without needing to remove the underwear. Or use any fasteners as seen above. These flaps can be attached to multiple seams or just one. Sometimes the flap just stretches aside, or it is meant to swing away. Pros: nothing to mess with, just pull and pose. Cons: doesn’t take that long, so the whole striptease idea might not play off as well (unless you have a really good choreographer).
So my fantastic fiesty readers, what’s your favorite reveal: Velcro, Snaps, Zippers or Flaps?
Tune in next week for more Fetish Friday fun-times.
Keep it Kinky,
TtheAmazing over and out.
IMAGES FROM: Male Power, Cellblock 13, N2N Bodywear, and Andrew Christian. Women’s dress designed by Hussein Chalayan.
Raw Studio Military Collection is here and it’s exclusive to Jockstrap Central! It’s a collection of military inspired fetish jockstraps, jock briefs and ball-lifters all made with a ridiculously hot army-green leather-look pvc fabric as it’s base. As with all Raw Studio, this is hand-crafted in Canada with exceptional quality and meticulous attention to detail.
The Military Jock is certainly the most elaborate with a brief style front in the leather-look fabric with a textured metallic olive-gold stripe down the front and a military style star insignia on the right. Even better is the fabric has an ultra-soft backing which feels great against your junk. What’s most ingenious about this jock is it doesn’t have a traditional waistband. The front is entirely the pvc contoured pouch which continues around to the back, eventually becoming the upper part of the leg straps. A wide masculine 1.5 inch wide back elastic wasitband strap joins the gap above your ass and two more three quarter inch leg straps begin where the pvc ends off and joins the base of the front pouch. This not only looks incredible but ensures the perfect fit. It’s hard to describe so check out Jockstrap Central’s VERY detailed (and uncensored) photos on our website for more clarity.
The Recruit and G.I. Joe Jockstraps are a little more of what you’d consider a regular jockstrap. Both with a contoured pouch and both edged with black piping for style and added support. Recruit has a metalic olive-gold racing stripe and one and half inch waistband while G.I. Jock has a metalic pewter racing stripe, a three quarter inch swimmer style waistband and a military style star insignia on the right.
Maybe not the best (as they’re all pretty spectacular) but we’ve definitely saved the most fun for last: The Commando Ball-lifter is the evolution of Raw Studio’s original ball-lifter designs with a dual purpose of not only lifting up and pushing out to bulge under your outer clothes but also as some awesome looking gear that showcases (with style) everything you’ve got. The front is made with a distressed leather-look pvc fabric with an ultra-soft backing ensuring comfort. It’s contoured with a semi-circle cutout that edged in metallic pewter to highlights your junk. One inch black elastic runs down each side of the pouch then runs under your balls finishing off the circle lifting your junk up and out. There are no leg straps so the view from the back is strealined and sexy.
Jockstrap Central model (and porn star) Caleb King is modeling all the new gear and I’m sure I don’t have to tell you that many of the photos over at Jockstrap Central (especially the ones of the Commando Ball-lifter) are not safe for work.”
NOTE: Post contains an affiliate link
One of the new favorites here at UNB is the N2N Bodywear Studio Groove line. It’s the new print line and made out some some awesome prints. We can’t get enough of these prints.
Brand: N2N Bodywear
Line: Studio Groove
Style: Trunk
Cost: $26
Link: https://n2nbodywear.com/collections/studio-groove/products/pu2-studio-groove-trunk
Pouch Couch:
Hello UNB Blog readers!
I’m Beau Briefs and I am very excited to be bringing you a new segment we’re calling The Pouch Couch. Each week I will be posting answers from our different contributors and readers about…Pouches!! Naturally as underwear enthusiasts we all know that packing the pouch, how it’s packed and all of that can have a big impact on our overall impression of a pair of underwear. So I hope to help unpack those packages, as it were.
I’ll have each guest answer a set of questions and post their responses. I imagine their responses will be as varied as they are and run from tight and compact to pouch, who needs pouches, let it be free!
So I hope that you will join us for the Pouch Couch time every week.
To start off our first week I will be answering my own questions!
The Pouch Couch Week 1
Guest: Beau Briefs
What is the most important thing you look for in a pouch?
The absolutely most important thing for me is the balance of structure and design, I don’t want an utterly useless design but I also don’t want an utterly useless structure. It’s got to be a good mix and seems and piping play a big role in that for me.
What defines the perfect pouch in your mind?
Hmmm, well I think my ultimate pouch is one that holds everything where it should be, secure and up front. It has to be able to hold all of the goods in a comfortable state and have just minor flexibility, I don’t want the pouch to grow as I…grow. I’m also not a big fan of lumpy pouches, yes that’s my word for pouches that show every itty bitty detail of the goods.
Do aesthetics play a role in picking out a pair/pouch?
How so?
They do! No one wants an ugly pouch, that ain’t cute! I like a very classy, smooth bulge. It can also be great to have fun with colors and contrasts with the rest of the pair. Again, I am fundamentally against lumpy pouches, just ain’t my thing.
What are some examples of great pouches?
For me the gold standard is Calvin Klein hip briefs, see his Steel line for the premier example. They are comfortable, soft, smooth, but firm in their “conviction”. If you asked someone to draw a cartoon brief they would generally draw a very smooth, rounded pouch and that’s exactly what I like and I think Calvin Klein does a great job on that. Timoteos also does a good job but when bringing fabric into the mix between Timoteos and CK Steel, I’ll go with Steele. Old school Diesel Color briefs also are a contender for my top slots.
Which brands make your favorite pouches?
Oops, guess I just answered that. Calvin Klein, Timoteo, Diesel, perhaps add Bluebuck and Garcon Model.
Do you want structure or flexibility?
Yes. Haha, but I lean towards more structure. There’s a cliché that isn’t always true that says that there are growers and there are showers. Sometimes it is true though and if we’re being honest then I’m in the former category and so I need pouches that will let things get started but not run the full mile, if you will.
Have your pouch preferences changed at all over time?
Actually no. I’ve been pretty firm in my beliefs on the pouch topic.
Are there examples of pouches that aren’t functional but “fun” that you own?
Me? No, never! Or, yes. I have a few pairs that would never do to wear for a full day but they can be entertaining in the moment. One is a very fine mesh pouch, another is a bigger knit mesh. Neither would do for a full day but would be fine for a full 5 minutes.
Anything else you’d like to add to the pouch…discussion? (haha, sorry, I thought it was funny)
I think it’s good to have a preference. A preference for pouches can help guide you in future purchases, especially when trying out a new brand. However, I’m also a fan of experimentation with underwear and you should never stay completely within your comfort zone.
That’s all for this week’s Pouch Couch session. Join us next week as we get the full package from our guest: UnderwearDude.
Today we take a look behind the scenes from the Neon underwear line photo shoot by Modus Vivendi.
Available to buy: http://www.deadgoodundies.com/designe…
As you can imagine that being a “neon” line it brings together bright and loud colours in a variety of styles
CREDITS
Model: Chris Artemiou
Photographer: Gavin Harrison http://www.gharrisonphotography.com
We love the work of Armando Adajar. This time he sent us some great pics featuring Clever Moda underwear! We hope you enjoy them!
For CREDITS:
It’s Jockstrap Wednesday! The day where we are supposed to wear a jock! Since you should wear a jock why not wear a super sexy one? The one we suggest is the Pistol Pete Cubic Jock. Its super sexy and will show off more than just your assets!
Jocks have come into their own in the last almost 10 years. Pistol Pete is taking risks with fabrics and colors and making something fun. Jocks are now part of fashion in the world of men’s underwear. They aren’t just made to wear during 
sporting activities.
Pistol Pete has a unique style that is all their own. This pair definitely has the Pistol Pete spin on it. The Cubic Jock is a black jock that has a mesh fabric. Its a unique fabric that has mesh circles. While not 100% see through, it will show off everything you are covering with the pouch.
The waistband is not too thick. It’s not a “traditional” brand, being 3 inches. It appears to be a little over an inch. The leg straps are more traditional. Meaning they are close to an inch wide. Some jocks have thinner leg straps but I think this works very well for this jock.
What would you wear this pair with? If it’s a Wednesday, I would say a suit would be an amazing thing to wear it under. We at UNB don’t think you should wear boring undies with a suit. It needs something fun and amazing under. Imagine how sexy you will feel with a mesh jock under your suit pants!
The Cubic jock is made out of a 95% POLY – 5% SPANDEX blend. It will conform to your body and fit great through out the day. The only color currently is black. If you are looking for a bright color, this is not the jock for you. If you’re looking for something sleek, sexy and fun. Buy it now!
The Cubic Jock retails for $24.50 at the Pistol Pete Website.
We are super impressed by Todd Sanfield Collection. His new collection mixes both sexy and classic in one. Its very high quality and fashion! Make sure you see the collection.
Welcome to a Brief Talk between UNB Tim and one of our newest guys Undies Rock. We hope you enjoy this honest talk about underwear!
UNB Tim – Undies Rock, First welcome to the site! You are our new resident straight guy, well one of three! So we had a text conversation the other night about social norm and how both gay and straight guys have very similar stories. It was like preaching to the choir and we have very similar views but from very different places. Being gay it’s fully accepted that I can like undies, whereas you being straight its not culturally acceptable. How did you discover your love of underwear? Have you heard people say you must be “gay’ for liking underwear?
Undies Rock – Hey UNBTim, thanks for having me on, it’s been a blast so far! I want to start off by saying that was a solid convo we had, and I’m looking forward to sharing our view points. You know, I don’t know the exact point in time when it clicked for me, because I have always been fascinated by underwear, but I knew I was hooked when I bought my first pair of bikini briefs in high school. I couldn’t believe how comfortable they felt and how dope they looked. Ultimately, in the back of my head, I knew how “uncool” and socially unacceptable they were (are). Language such as “they’re gay” is typically what people are conditioned to think when they see a pair of men’s bikini briefs, and though I have not been explicitly called gay for the type of underwear I choose to wear (mostly because people don’t have the opportunity to see them), I know that people could assume this from my underwear selection. This stereotype has always frustrated me, not because I’m afraid of people thinking I’m gay, I couldn’t care less about anyone’s opinion of me (life’s too short), but what frustrates me is that a group of people who do no harm to anyone have had to suffer such social injustice. First of all, I don’t even know whose business your sexual orientation is, or how it even matters; personally I don’t want to know. Second of all, I certainly can’t rationalize the correlation between fashionable/comfortable underwear and gay men, other than the fact that they have the confidence to strut killer undies, which is admirable. Why do you think people assume underwear fans to be gay?
UNB Tim – That’s a simple question with a complex answer. When the blog started it was read by gay guys. I would assume about 100% were gay. I think gay guys are more open to talking undies and sharing what feels great. This, when noticed by society, lumped undies into the “gay” category of fashion. This is reinforced by entertainment. When they want to have a funny person in undies, they do something really off the wall. Look at the Borat thong he wore. Also, most times a bikini or thong are made fun of rather than seen as no big deal.
Even without movies, I think the general public has a notion that underwear that is skimpy is made for gay guys. They consider it too much like women’s underwear. I won’t go into the whole lace debate, but bikinis and thongs are considered feminine to a large amount of men in the states. Hell, even prints and pouch briefs are lumped in this category. Real men wear boxers or boxer briefs. No self respecting man would be caught dead in man panties.
This attitude is changing. This is due to the of the Metrosexual. Metrosexuals allowed guys to break out of the jeans and t shirts mold guys were accustomed too. It now allowed them to wear clothes that were flattering and develop their own style. This also includes underwear. Why would you wear great clothes but still get underwear at a big box store? Guys are trying undies through their own or through wives/girl friends. Underwear has become a fashion accessory. Its not longer something you just put on.
What do you think the biggest hurdle of guys from trying great undies? What changes do you see happening in society to make underwear more acceptable?
Undies Rock – These are loaded questions, and are topics that I have struggled with for quite some time. There really isn’t an easy answer, and I hate to get philosophical, but I really think it boils down to social conditioning. In a similar manner to how men have been conditioned to be accustomed to uncomfortable and ugly underwear, we need to work to open the conversation to men that fashionable and comfortable underwear are socially acceptable, and desirable. Continual conversation and positive exposure in the media outlets will help foster the mindset that it’s oaky for men to shop openly and own sexier underwear. I stand by this, and decided to join the conversation by blogging for UNB.
As you mentioned previously, people associate swim briefs and skimpier underwear with the outlandish portrayal in entrainment such as Borat, Wild Boyz, etc,. These gross over exaggerations ultimately engrain the notion in men that if you wear a swim brief or bikini underwear, this is how you will be viewed by society. Though these portrayals are far out, they possess the power to influence the mass, which they have. To further my position, what I find interesting is that for women it’s the antithesis. I feel this has been fostered from decades of positive press. Let’s not forget that only a few decades ago, it was a mortal sin for women to expose their skin. Let alone be 90% naked at the beach with nothing but a skimpy triangle top and swim thong to cover up. I have a strong feeling that if women’s swimwear and underwear was portrayed in a similar fashion to men’s (e.g. an unattractive female wearing a tacky swim thong) then I bet it wouldn’t be socially acceptable for them to wear skimpy intimates.
I know it won’t happen overnight, but if more men come to the realization that awesome underwear exists, and that it is masculine to shop for it, I think the social epidemic we are currently facing on this front will diminish. If you had to guess, when do you think men as a whole will accept underwear and swimwear? Do you think we will start to see more men wearing swim briefs in a couple years or decades or not at all?
UNB Tim – That’s a great question. I think every year we get more and more advancement in what guys will wear. I mean, the boxers are finally going down in popularity. The brief is picking up steam and the bikini is making a strong come back. I mean a few years ago you’d never hear much about bikinis and now its starting to spring up all over!
It’s like the 80’s all over again. Back in the 80’s more guys wore bikinis and swim briefs. It was pretty much a non issue. I remember changing for gym and being self conscious about wearing bikinis and there would be several guys in them in the locker room and it was no big deal. Even one of the big men on campus wore them.
Next, guys want to be comfortable. I have heard more guys talk about how uncomfortable boxer are to them. They give you no support, I don’t get boxers. I have worn them and given them a go but Its never a go to pair and I only have prob 3-4 pairs. More guys need support through out the day and discover if you get a good pair of trunks or briefs it keeps everything I place and you don’t have to worry about having to constantly adjust.
Lastly, guys want to be more fashionable. As we have said in this post several times I think. Why spend $100 on jeans to to wear $4 boxers under them? Wear something that matches your clothes.
I’m electing you to speak for the straight community! Why do you think are a few reasons straight guys are holding out on wearing great undies? What do you think can be done to encourage more guys to wear good undies?
Undies Rock – These are all great points that you’ve identified, and I couldn’t agree more. Hopefully we will see the switch sooner than later. But for sure it seems to be true that men as a collective are deciding more and more to wear comfortable yet fashionable undies. As they should.
Specifically for straight guys, there are a couple of reasons why men are apprehensive to indulge in great undies. I hate to circle back to this, but I feel a lot of it boils down to what men feel comfortable with. Though I don’t relate to this, I have recognized that a lot of men are susceptible to popular opinion. I think that all of the negative press on cool undies (ultimately equating to a derogative stereotype) has put a damper on any progress and development. I also think that it is an exposure issue. Not a lot guys have had the privilege to swim in a CA-RIO-CA bikini, or had the opportunity to wear a JM thong, or to divulge in the (what seems to be) hundreds of options (on a micro level) of underwear. With this in mind, men have no clue how to adequately judge and form an opinion on what is actually good, other than to accept the norm. Which is why men actually believe that curtains of shame (aka boxers) are in fact underwear (not shorts! LOL) and that they are comfortable and cool. This is our current state. Sigh.
There are a lot of actions we can take for the cause. I don’t want to make this sound like this is a strategic endeavor, but we have to be smart with our actions in this day and age. I think one element that will help the straight community is conversation. As more men talk about underwear, it becomes less taboo and more casual. I think men in this day are fairly open, and I think once a positive conversation is started, a lot of progress can be made. As I have stated numerous times, this one of my main motivations to blog for UNB.
Also, it would help if big brands start to offer bikini and better cuts of underwear, with a wider range of comfortable fabrics such as modal, nylon, polyester, etc . Big retail brands have the power to influence the mass with what is socially acceptable. And their statement of approval is simply making the product. This may not always be true, and I know consumers drive market trends, which they can bring to life or kill. But I think if big retail brands such as Gap, American Eagle (FYI they just started a body positive campaign – AE isn’t my thing, but power on!), might be surprised at the response they receive if they start to advertise and showcase cooler underwear. I can’t say this absolutely, but I have always felt like there is this bubble that is waiting to pop on this front, and I think when one mainstream company takes the helm, the rest will fall in line.
I think it will also help the straight community to have solid support and appraisal from women. Women possess the power to make men feel self conscious or confident with their wardrobe and body. Funny enough I met with Andrew from N2N and he mentioned the greatest blowback he has received is from women. This kind of had my head my head spinning. Apparently they are the first to taunt and tease men for their swimwear/underwear selection. Personally, my girlfriend raves over my undies, and I know that she is not the only female out there who can appreciate a solid pair of undies on her man. In fact I think more women would than not. Just because a few loud mouth hater chicas disapprove, holds no weight in this war at all. I think a lot of ground will be covered if women start to voice their approval and desire for better underwear and swimwear for men.
Concurrently, I think this also holds true for brands. Instead of brands advertising group photos of men together wearing underwear, I would like to see more photos of men in swim briefs with a female counterpart. We see this in brands such as Corka, Charlie BMZ, Clever, and other brands that advertise men and women together, and it looks hot. The imagery is enough for straight guys to interpret the approval and support from brands and women to feel it’s acceptable to have dope underwear.
Also I think time is a huge factor. As trends become obsolete, previous generations die that drove trends, etc., room is created for new designs and styles. Ultimately it up to us to set the trends, and be the leaders for progressive underwear for men, and if you’ve read this far into this post, your helping us step in the right direction (and THANKS for the support!).
Lastly I think that gay men and straight men need to unite on this front. We are divided, and there is no reason we should be. Division on such a mass scale only hinders progress. Numbers matter and our voice holds that much more weight as a collective. I get it, the mere fact that I am even acknowledging that straight men have different needs than gay men doesn’t help. My goal is to at least address the reality of the situation and draw attention and opinion to greater area of concern; amalgamation. Honestly, call me dense, but I haven’t ever been able to figure it out. Who cares if you’re straight? Who cares if you’re gay? I really don’t know, but somehow it’s still an issue. So let’s get with the program dudes. IT IS 2016 – NO ONE CARES ABOUT YOUR SEXUAL ORIENTATION. Not because it’s irrelevant, but because sex is sex, and believe it or not, people have sex with whomever ever they wish (as long as it’s mutual), and it should be no one’s business to delineate otherwise. But if you do care, spare yourself the shame and humility of publically acknowledging that you actually have the time to trouble yourself with such a trivial matter. We are people. We are men. Guys lets unite, and bring back cool underwear. Enough ranting lol.
Not to dwell on your previous response too much, but you mention how it’s almost like the 80’s all over again with the trends that are starting to catch. I found this interesting, not because I love the 80s (which I do!), but because it seems like progress was made in the 80s, but that it was dismissed in the 90s, for us lone undie fanatics to deal with the aftermath of poor decision making. I mean if we stayed on track with the trends from the 80s we probably wouldn’t be having the convo is the first place haha. Why do you think the trends in the 80s didn’t stick? How can we stop this from ever happening again? Lol I bring this up because I would hate for the undie community to lose all of the progress we’ve gained in the 2010s in the 2020s.
UNB Tim – I would say what stopped the trend was the Boxer. The boxer became the default underwear for guys in the 90’s. I know many people reading this would say they didn’t wear them. I think I bought one pair of boxers, which drove me crazy. I didn’t understand their popularity due to no support. It was like I was wearing shorts under my Khakis. This also lead the way to the Boxer Brief. The hybrid that changed the world of underwear too.
Going forward we need to let guys pick what ever they are comfortable in, not just be fashionable. If you love a thong, wear it, bikini wear it, boxer brief, wear it. That’s what UNB is for, guys who love undies and want to share it. Its about your passion and enjoying it.
Good things are happening in the world of undies. The rise of the Jockstrap in the 2000’s is the world of undies shifting. Also the creation of more hybrids. The biggest example is the jockbrief. Baskit lead this revolution and it’s pretty much a mainstay style in a lot of brands. Then we come to the rise of the thong again. Thongs have always had their die hard fans over the years. But more guys are trying them and finding they love them. We have had few guys say they wear them to the gym for the support they give. This isn’t just gay guys its straight guys!
I would like to say we are going through a revolution in underwear. No longer is it just gay guys caring about underwear. Straight guys and women are wanting something better. Its making them step outside their comfort zone and find something amazing. I have long said that once a guy tries amazing undies they don’t go back. They have a preconceived notion that they are uncomfortable and made for showing off rather than wearing. Once they slide them on they find out, underwear makers want their underwear to fit like a glove and your goods were made for them. Where would we be if all brands just made underwear that looked amazing but uncomfortable to wear? We wouldn’t be here!
How do we get it from happening again? I say let them discover underwear. I think more guys now are trying different style from the 80’s. I think the market was way smaller then. Now its HUGE. I mean we have how many blogs dedicated to men’s underwear? Plus we need to be more open about our love of underwear to our friends. As soon as you have just a conversation about underwear like it’s no big deal it won’t be a big deal!
Other than UNB, how are you spreading the word about underwear? What do you think guys can do to make underwear a topic that’s not taboo?
Undies Rock – Way to put me on the spot UNB Tim! Sorry, I had to J but that’s actually a great question. To date, I think that one of my greatest contributions has been all of the underwear purchases I have made. I have quite an extensive collection (don’t hate), which some may say I have a problem, but let’s face it, every man is allowed to have a hobby, and I just so happen to dig undies. I think all of the purchases I have made have been a voice for more fashionable and comfortable underwear and will hopefully drive market trends. As consumers we have purchasing power, and though you may not be able to find a cool pair at Macy’s, Kohl’s, or other department stores, cool underwear does exist. There are countless amounts of brands with awesome styles and cuts for every activity, and they need our support. I am also a huge proponent of swim briefs, and I strut them shamelessly at the beach, pool, etc. I will continue to press on with wearing swim briefs in hopes that I will inspire guys who are on the fence but lack the confidence to strut them due to fear of being marginalized. Hopefully in time, more and more men will realize that it’s actually way better to swim in comfort and style. Also at times I have given friends recommendations on underwear for various activities. It’s usually a little suspicious to them as to why I am so knowledgeable but I could care less, and really, anyone who knows me understands this haha. I also have an Instagram account dedicated to underwear (@undierockla). I’ll be honest, I haven’t used it much, as my life has been a little hectic, but as the summer roles in, I plan to share all of my UNB reviews on it as well as other undie related topics. Ultimately the small things do help, and everything I mentioned that I do above are things that all men can do and ultimately the more small things men do collectively play a greater part in the revolution of men’s underwear.
A lot of the taboo around men’s underwear has been due to the desexualization (I think I made this word up, but you get the point) of the male body in American culture. For women in America, it’s the antithesis, as they female body is almost over sexualized. American men have been conditioned to unreservedly accept the norm due to a multitude of reasons, but I think (as I stated countless times) that keeping the conversation in combination with positive press will go a long way. Every year, I see more men wearing swim briefs, and the men’s underwear market is continually expanding and thriving, which are all positive signs to me that progress is imminent. At this point I think we have covered a lot of ground on this issue; do have any closing thoughts that you would like to share UNB Tim?
UNB Tim – I just hope we have a lot more talks between the guys on the site and our readers! It’s time we have real conversations about underwear no matter if we are gay/bi/straight. Let’s make undies mainstream.
Nasty Pig has released a new line. It’s called the 3D line! Nasty Pig still has a fetish side but it also has some mainstream underwear as well. I would consider the new 3D line as more mainstream. The cuts and fabrics are ones you could find in mainstream stores.
The new line is called 3D. The reason it is called that is because of the waistband. It has a 3D logo in the waistband. Which I personally like. It takes what could be considered a simple pair and makes it a bit more fun. Each of the pairs has this waistband. It also alternates depending on the color.
The 3D collection 2 styles. Those styles are the brief and jock. The jock is a pretty standard cut with Nasty Pig. It is one style that I think they are known best for making. The briefs are a traditional cut. The body is black and accent colors are blue and red. What makes this a traditional cut? The brief has the fly front with trim. It’s a new take on the tighy whitie.
One thing they have in this collection are socks. Socks have been getting bigger and bigger in the world of men’s wear. Each year more brands start making them. The best part of the socks for Nasty Pig is that they will match the underwear exactly. Which many of our readers love!
As noted above each the jock and brief come in two colors. They are red and blue. The main body of the pair is black and the color notates the different trim colors. The Jock and brief both retail for $29. The socks are $16 on the Nasty Pig site! If you have wanted to try Nasty Pig now is the chance to jump in and get a great pair of briefs or jock!
Everyone needs some great new Tee’s. This week’s $12 Tuesday is the Light Yoga Tee. You can stock up on some one of the best tee’s on the market. Shop at the Baskit site.