Make sure you vote for the Underwear of the Month. Remember you can choose from four great pairs. Vote once a day till Friday. The winner will be announced this Saturday.
Today’s Brief Distraction features Quarter Homme. This is part of their new comfort series they released.
Quarter Homme collaborated a shoot with Cory Frederick. The shoot happen at Vasquez Rocks in California (where they shoot a lot of movies such as the new Star Trek movies).
Model : Cory Frederick
Photographer : Edwards Mills
Location : California, Vasquez Rock
I haven’t ever worn a pair of Zylas underwear before, so when I got the 4034 Brief in the mail, I was excited to try them out. Once I had them in my hands I had a mixed first impression. The brief is mostly made of Nylon, an underwear fabric that I haven’t had much luck with. While I am not a huge fan of the 70s inspired conglomeration of greens and vertical stripes, these briefs do have some style to them.
Another first reaction before I had before I got them on was the size of the waist, it looked too small to match the sizing chart for what a Zylas XL brief should be (34-36). Once I got them on, my initial impression seemed accurate, as the waist was a little snug. You don’t have to be a rocket scientist to know that when it comes to men’s briefs, if the waist is snug, it’s likely going to be snug in all the wrong places too, but this turned out to be only partially true. I decided to wear them for a full work day to really put the brief through its paces. While I was nervous about how the brief would hold up, with its blend of nylon and spandex, these briefs stood the test of a busy day.
I did have an issue with sizing, when I peeled them off in the evening, I did have quite the “imprint” on my 36″ waist but over the course of the day, I wasn’t experiencing any discomfort around my waist. As with many Latin/South American brands, these weren’t made with U.S. sizing. While there are several brands that can get away with this, the XL at 34-36 is going to be too small if you’re wearing a 36 pant size. Quite honestly, I’d say if you’re wearing a 34 jean, you’ll want to go with the XL.
As I mentioned above, I haven’t been a huge fan of some of the nylon pairs in my collection, but the way this brief uses nylon I was pleasantly surprised. The fabric had vertical perforations throughout, making the briefs very breathable, so that helped score this brief some points. As far as the look of this brief, I am of two minds. Green is one of, if not my favorite color, but it can be overdone and the penchant Zylas has for vertical stripes overall, could be re-thought. While I appreciate the attempt, I am not a fan of the 1970s fashion trend of purposefully clashing several shades of the same color together, but I think this brief could have really been tied together well if the waistband and the elastic leg openings were the same shade of green as one of the stripes in the brief, instead it’s a lighter lime which clashes with the neon green stripes that feature prominently.
The style of the brief is described as an “almost bikini” and there has been a bit of a pickup of this type of style across several different labels. When you wear this style it certainly feels a little more comfortable and less boxy than a traditional cut brief and that is good. If I had to make one complaint overall though, it would be that this style does not lend itself to the ample pouch that my anatomy requires. That is not to say I felt too crammed in these briefs, but this brief certainly does not feature a contour pouch, which is something I need.
Pros:
- Breathable Nylon – a novel concept!
- Fashion-forward cut
Cons:
- Lacks a contour pouch
- Sizing for me didn’t work
Ratings:
- Fit – C
- Sizing – C
- Construction/Materials – A
- Styling – B
- Daily Wear – C
- Overall – C+
Zylas furnished this pair for review
We just completed our Swimwear Survey and the majority of yous said you wanted a bikini or swim brief. However there are some great swim suits you should check out, the 2(x)ist School of Fish Square Cut is one of those pairs. This is a pair I was looking forward to seeing out on the market.
When I got to meet with Jason Scarlotti he said that they wanted to do a stripe but wanted it to be different. The fish pattern definitely fits that bill. The fish make up stripes with the different colors. It’s great to see this level of creativity in a pair of swimwear. More and more underwear/swim wear companies are thinking outside the box.
The School of Fish Square cut is:
- 80% Nylon / 20% Spandex Tricot Knit
- (X)-SWIM Pouch
- No-Show Rise
- 5-inch side length
- Signature 2(X)IST metal tag at left hip
The School of Fish is available for $85 at the 2(X)ist Website.
It’s time to vote for Underwear o the Month. Each month we have our four Underwear of the Week compete to see who will be our underwear of the Month. This months choices are:
- 2(X)ist Sail Contour Brief
- Gregg Homme Target Trunks
- Pistol Pete Power Mesh Briefs
- Calvin Klein CK One Micro Hip Brief
Vote below each day for your favorite pair. The winner will be announced Saturday!
We are so happy Tom Cullis sent us plenty of great pics to share with you guys. This one features his model Colby in Papi Underwear. We will have more for you soon!
Today’s Brief Distraction features the new Go Softwear Pop Collection. “Presenting the hip, cool and original ‘POP’ Collection! A line inspired by groovy eye-catching colors of the swinging 60’s with a modern twist. Each color and style has been uniquely selected and designed to enhance the male physique and mood, apt for any occasion. Enjoy GO SOFTWEAR!”
It’s Tuesday and time for Baskit $12 Tuesday. This week it’s not a brief or boxer. The pair this week is the Light Yoga Tee. If you aren’t familiar with this it’s when Baskit offers a great pair for $12 today!
Also through today everything on the Baskit Site is 25% off! Hurry this is just till midnight!
Tim: Brands I don’t think are are intentionally omitting straight guys. They are going where the sales are currently. As they see the dollar shift, which is happening right now, you will see advertising to all types of consumers. Let’s say we have you as the marketing manager of a big underwear brand. How would you bring awareness and sell underwear to a broader audience? What would be important?
Brandon: In order to reach a broader audience you really need to focus on changing the purchasing habits of consumers. 7 out of 10 pairs made for men are bought by women? I think an ad campaign that shames the (largely straight) population with that fact and presenting a look at what they’re missing would be ideal. Obviously the cost of doing so would far outweigh the new revenue from the underwear, so long as the market remains the same. For straight men, availability is key. Andrew Christian signed a deal with Nordstrom. I talked to a retail sales person at the huge Nordstrom on Michigan Ave in Chicago last summer who said the biggest repeat customers who came back in to snap up more AC stuff seemed to clearly be straight. There are plenty of men out there that would benefit from the technology offered in the underwear of many of the top brands, but consumers don’t typically go looking for something they don’t know exists. Maybe I am leading into another question here, but the way I see it, gay men provide a humongous consumer base for designer underwear brands, as do straight guys who “care”, so it’s not too difficult to think these brands like the exclusivity their products bring.
Tim: I think you are spot on with this observation. Right now the purchasing is by gay guys and women. But more and more guys are buying underwear. Which is an awesome thing. I think that blogs like ours and brands need to show guys what is out there in the world of underwear. It is a big area of market growth or any company who can reach that consumer. In an ideal world I’d love to go out on the street and give guys great pairs of underwear and have them try them. Because the truth is in the pudding as they say. Once you wear great undies you can’t imagine going back to anything else. One issue with having straight guys buying undies is the stigma that guys have that because you wear something out of the ordinary (brief, jock or thong) they get joked or branded that they are gay. This I think is one big barrier for guys who want to try undies from going out and getting them. An example of this is I had a reader years ago email me and say he had to get rid of his thongs because his then girlfriend said they were “gay.” I was like WHAT?
Tim: What would it take to get the word out to straight guys about underwear? What draws you to a brand? What Brands have you tried because of their advertising? Have you dealt with the stigma of being called or labeled gay?
Brandon: Well, as you know, I have written extensively about this topic on UNB. I think getting the word out is going to have to be incidental, maybe it’s a friend who sees me in the locker room at a pool in a pair of briefs and gets inquisitive. I think to a certain extent straight guys like myself need to be less shy and start evangelizing a bit. I have taken baby steps in that regard but I think that straight guys should be more vocal, because the bottom line is plenty of straight men out there would acknowledge that they’d like to be wearing better underwear, but as I kind of hinted at with my last answer, they just don’t know where to start.
I am rarely drawn to “the brand” because I am always interested in the style/color/overall look of a pair of underwear before I consider the brand. If I like the look of a certain brief that’s what draws me to any given pair. While this might be hard to believe, I don’t think a single ad has drawn me to a brand. I’ve always tried new things based on the look or the description of the individual pair. I was drawn to CK and 2(x)ist because of their reputation. I was drawn to Andrew Christian because initially-when he wasn’t nearly as famous, he described the “Anatomically Correct” pouch as built for men who were well endowed. That was before any of the homo-erotic videos or poster-ads became the brand’s M.O. but I can tell you if I were thinking about my first pair of A.C. briefs today, I’d be more apprehensive as a straight guy.
Sure, I’ve dealt with it in very limited terms. My dad is hypercritical of me and what I wear, look like, etc. He’s caught glimpses of my underwear from time to time and has been sure to never reserve comment. “That’s kind of gay” he’ll say but does so with sort of a smile on his face, as if he acknowledges his own status of being behind-the-times in his Jockey brand boxer shorts. Other than that, I’ve never had to deal with it really. That said, I am always conscious of “being caught” in my underwear by my friends etc because of the fear of being judged in that same way.
Underwear labels clearly don’t shy away from sexing up/playing into the gay-factor with their ads. Does the prevalence of designer underwear labels and the chiseled male models in their ad campaigns play any role in the gay male’s body image? (I know I’ve shied away from certain lines because I’ve had to pause and think, yeah that looks great on this guy with a 31″ waist, but I am too fat to pull it off…)
To be continued….
I reviewed a new arrival to the Zylas performance line called their “striped brief” Perhaps it is lost in translation, but the naming of this product is less than creative, so to be precise, this is the 4033—the black “brief brief”.
When I first saw Zylas a few months ago on an online apparel store, I was not immediately drawn to them. The briefs seemed much fuller than I usually prefer to wear, and I almost never boxer briefs, which makes up most of their standard line. I tend to like underwear that is skimpier, at least in the front, but always I’m willing to have an open mind when it comes to new underwear.
When I opened my package for this weeks review, I was pleasantly surprised by what I saw—a sexy looking, attractive brief with vertical stripes and a waistband that subtly announced what I would be wearing to the rest of the world. I generally don’t “advertise” what I’m wearing (at least while I’m wearing pants or shorts), but if you do, Zylas seems to be a good choice for that.) It was made of 83% nylon, 10% polyester and 7% spandex. The label said it was “wicking, stretch, easy care and UV protection”—I planned to test all of those monikers, except for the last.
I did my standard daily routine I do when trying out any new underwear—a full day at work, getting up and down a lot; a 2 hour workout out in the gym; and changing afterwards at the gym to I could catch the “peer reviews” of the guys in the locker room to the new duds. The Zylas brief seemed well constructed, and held up great, despite an intense two-hour Mixed Martial Arts workout. The fabric wicked sweat away surprisingly well for nylon and polyester and the Lycra in the material allowed it to stretch well and not chafe at all.
I liked the look of this brief from the get go. There was a very slight descending line into the middle of the waist band, giving others the impression of smaller waist. The legs were high cut, allowing for freedom of movement and the wide waist band sat comfortably below the waist. The pictures online made this product look like a full brief, but I would classify it as a low rise. The fabric was somewhat sheer and shiny—in a way that invited others to look without giving away all the goods. The stripes, in brown and highlighted in white, gave the overall package a racy look, and there was plenty of space in the front for a good sized package.
However, Zylas is a Colombian company, and its sizing is designed for South American standard. I usually wear a small or medium (at most) in American standard. I wore a medium brief for this review, and it was most definitely too small—in the waist and in the butt. Granted, I have a big (but muscular) butt—but, I would need a size two sizes larger than what I usually wear to feel fully comfortable moving around and being seen in Zylas. I know it’s a hit to the ego to have to bump up two sizes to feel comfortable (from small to large), but hey—it’s only fabric
I noticed the pair riding up in back all day while I was wearing them. My opinion was confirmed by a guy in the locker room, who mentioned that I seemed to “falling out” my underwear. The back coverage of this Zylas brief was a bit too skimpy for me. Now, if you are less well endowed in the glutes than I am, you would most likely love it—so don’t let my problem with it dissuade you from getting some. Incidentally, I tried on a size larger, but still felt like I was hanging a bit in the back.
Overall, once the sizing issue was addressed, I did like the Zylas black striped brief. It had a racy, almost sheer appearance designed to get approving looks, fit well in the waist (in the appropriate size), and front, but was just a bit skimpy in the back. The construction held up well and especially after washing, was very comfortable to wear. It moved well during work and play, left me dry even after an intense workout, and made me feel sexy—which is what all good underwear should do.
Pros:
- Racy appearing
- Wicks sweat comfortably for workouts
- Descending line in the waist
Cons:
- Too little material in the buttocks
- 2 sizes off from American Standard
Ratings:
- Daily fit: B
- Sizing: C
- Construction/Materials: B
- Styling: A
- Daily Performance: A
- Overall: B
Zylas furnished this pair for review.
Today’s Brief Distraction features Cellblock13! This as you can tell by the picture is Timoteo’s fetish inspired line. The model is Brayden Forrester and he is wearing a Cellblock13 Jock and socks.
Model: Breydan Forrester
Photographer: Timoteo Ocampo
The pair of underwear I am reviewing is the ZYLAS Boxer #3078. Before I tried these on, I enjoyed feeling the soft, shiny black fabric with partially see through stripes mixed among a bright lemon yellow pattern. The waistband was the same lemon yellow that was the pattern in the fabric with ZYLAS woven into the waistband in an almost metallic thread. There was a ZYLAS Underwear label centered on the back on the boxer. The waistband is about 1.5 inches in width and very comfortable with no binding or bunching issues during wearing. The slight pouch became quite accommodating once I had the boxer on. This boxer was pieced together to create an extremely comfortable and form fitting pair of underwear that everyone would enjoy. This boxer comes in several contrasting color combinations that anyone would love. This is my first, but not last pair of ZYLAS underwear, and I enjoyed being able to try them.
While wearing this pair of underwear, I went about my normal daily activities for work. I administered assessments to three clients and sat and stood approximately fourteen hours while wearing this extremely comfortable pair of boxers. It was a busy day filled with lots of movement and activity. The pair fit well, did not bunch up, did not ride up, and felt like I was not wearing a bulky pair of underwear due to the nice, slick fabric that never clung to my khaki pants. This pair is more of a fashion pair of underwear and I would hesitate to wear it as exercise wear, but I feel it would hold up to strenuous and rigorous workouts.
I received a size extra large in this boxer. This size should cover a 34-36 pant size. Sizing was not true to size as I am a large in the vast majority of underwear, but this is a nonissue as the company tells you that the XL is a 34-36” size.
I loved the black fabric with see through stripes and bright lemon coloring (83%Nylon, 10%Polyester, 7%Spandex) as it was stretchy and conforming to the body. The pouch was slight, but stretchy and conforming to the bits. I loved the seam that ran along the rear from the leg openings in the rear across the buttocks as I felt it provided more shape and definition to my bum. There is nothing about this pair of boxers that I did not like. Someone was thinking when they designed them as everything about them seemed geared towards pleasing the wearer.
Overall, this was a nice pair of underwear and I felt sexy and comfortable at the same time while wearing them. The design is conforming to the body and creates a fantastic profile. I have enjoyed viewing the other ZYLAS underwear options and look forward to trying some more of the pairs they have to offer.
Pros
- Style
- Fabric
- Pattern
Cons
- None
Ratings:
· Daily Fit – A
· Sizing – B
· Construction/Materials – A
· Styling – A
· Daily Performance – A
· Overall – A-
ZYLAS furnished these for review.
Since bursting onto the scene several years ago with its revolutionary anatomical pouch design, Obviously has literally changed the face of Men’s underwear forever – providing a level of comfort never thought possible.
The remarkable journey continues with the release of Obviously’s first Bamboo Rayon range of Underwear – the EveryMan™ Range
NEW EVERYMAN™ RANGE
The EveryMan™ Range is specifically designed for EveryMan to wear Every Day and provides an affordable addition to your underwear collection.
The EveryMan™ Range is made from a custom blend of Bamboo Rayon and Lycra fabric which provides the perfect balance between comfort, freedom and support. The EveryMan™ Range comes in 5 totally new products:
- Boxer Brief 3 Inch Leg
- Boxer Brief 9 Inch Leg
- Brief
- Trunk
- Hipster Brief
Each of these products is a complete redesign from Obviously’s original Modal Anatomical Pouch products, they are engineered for even more comfort, providing a more spacious overall fit, and ensuring that you can find your favourite every day underwear, whether is Trunks or Long Leg Boxers, at an affordable price – while never sacrificing comfort or quality.
NEW “COMFORT” and “CLASSIC” FRONT CONTOUR STYLES
The EveryMan™ Range also features 2 new front contour styles – Comfort and Classic. The Comfort Style features a single panel front for an enhanced level of comfort while still retaining a slim line appearance and providing support. Think of it as a midway point between Obviously’s anatomical pouch and traditional underwear. This Comfort front contour is perfect if you desire underwear with a little more support.
The Classic Style features a classic double panel front with flatlocked double seams and a shallower front contour depth in order to achieve a classic shape with maximum support.
The complete EveryMan™ Range can be viewed on Obviously’s website on the link below:
http://www.obviously.com.au/index.php/shop/mens-underwear/everyman-range.html
NEW SUN and SURF LOGO
The EveryMan™ Range also features a new logo for Obviously Underwear. This new logo represents a return to the roots of the brand. The stylised O represents a breaking wave across a rising sun symbolising the sun and surf of the beautiful Australian beaches that have always been a big part of the brand. Symbols of fun and energy, of the relaxed Aussie lifestyle, but also of enduring power and beauty.
More information on all of these new releases and changes can be found on Obviously’s new website, so visit www.obviously.com.au today to read more about what’s going on with the world’s most comfortable underwear.
I asked a few of the guys to share some of their favorite waistbands. So we have five of the UNB staff to share which brands waistband they love and a brief explanation why they love the pair. To me the waistband is something that can set off a pair of underwear. It can really add something to the overall design.
McKillop Underwear Red Stripe – This is Alex’s favorite waistband. “It’s simple but still is something new and adds a pop of color.”
2(X)ist Speed Jockstrap – This is T’s favorite waistband. “it’s fun and sassy and the waistband has intrigue, the color just says WEEEEEEEEEEEEEE”
UnderArmour Cotton Charged Brief – This is UNBThong Guys favorite (and it’s not a thong!) “It stays in place. And its not some over thought waistband.”
Modus Vivendi 02913 Zipper Jock – This is Shane’s Favorite waistband. “I love the way the waistband has the color of the body of the underwear, the detailing, the zipper, and the MV logo placed on the side. I love the color because it’s not the everyday colors we come to expect from underwear and it’s bright and summery.”
Timoteo Double Cross Collection – This is Tim’s favorite. “Timoteo has always had great waistbands. This one I love because the way the “T “and “O” both fit in the white line around the waistband and then the two “X”s on each hip. Just fun and sets the pair off. They pay attention to details and always top the previous collections”
Today’s Brief Distraction features Go Softwear. This is from the California Colors Collection called Cal. Lifestyle. It’s getting hot out, so Quench your thirst wearing some of these sexy undies by GO SOFTWEAR
The underwear of the week this week is the Calvin Klein CK One Micro Hip Brief Golden Eye. There are so many choices each week for Underwear of the Week. This week was no different. As soon as I saw this on the International Jock site I knew we had narrowed it down to CK!
There are several reasons why we chose this pair as the Underwear of the week:
- It’s a hip brief which makes it perfect for an active guy
- The stylish pattern that is fun and not expected for a sports pair of underwear
- Fun orange/red waistband
- Fast drying material made out of 91% nylon, 9% elastane
- Retails for $22.00 at International Jock.
This is the last pair for May! Nex week after Memorial day we will have voting for our Underwear of the Month. This is your chance to vote on which is the four pairs should be given then honor! Find the Calvin Klein CK One Micro Hip Brief Golden Eye at International Jock.
We bring you our second Fetish Friday. Fetish Friday is when we bring you a pair that you won’t necessarily see at the gym. They will feature smaller cuts, mesh material and interesting colors. The pair we chose this time is the Pistol Pete Erotic Brief.
The Erotic collection is a mix of solid and mesh material. The pair we have featured is black with red trim. One of the most interesting parts of the pair is the back. There is a half mesh panel that shows off most of the back. This wraps around the sides and the pouch is solid. You won’t show off too much.
The pair is made out of a Cotton/Spandex blend. It is also available in black or white. You can find it at the Pistol Pete website for $26.50
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Save 27% off your order at NuWear. Use code MEMORIAL at check out. Expires midnight Monday nightShop at: http://www.nuwear.com |
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Premium Mystery Grab Bag of one (3) pair of Andrew Christian underwear for only $29.99* *Each has an approximately retail value of $50-80. Retail value is approximate and varies depending on combination of items. All 3 apparel items will be the same size as selected when ordering. Grab bags are “Sold As Is” and are non-returnable or exchangeable. (Although a bag is shown as the product image, one is not included in this special promotion.) Quantities limited to stock on hand. No limit per order. This item is not available for use with discount promo codes & sales.Shop at: Andrew Christian |
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Take 20% off you order before Midnight on Monday. This is at Designer DrawersShop at: http://www.designerdrawers.com |
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Skiviez Individual Fit Trunk – 3 Pouch Sizes That’s right, our patented technology now in a trunk with 3 pouch sizes! Check it out now!Shop at: http://www.skiviez.com |
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Made for and with studs. Italian fabric for the shell and lining with stand-out non rust studs. Embroidered Marcuse logo. Check out the all new Stud swimwear collection from Marcuse!Shop at: http://www.histrunks.com |
We just wrapped up our UNB Swimwear Coverage and wanted to bring you another great pic from Tom Cullis. This picture features his model Cory Druilliard. We love to get pics from him and think he’s one of the best out there!
I reported from Vegas earlier this year that colors are going to be big! Timoteo was one of those collections that proved this statement to be true. The new Pop Out line has been released in some bright fun spring/summer colors. The colors are Sunshine Yellow, Jade, Kelly Green and Candy Pink . These are more on the pastel end rather then super bright primary colors.
The pairs have a classic Timoteo name waistband in black to off set the color. Then they are accented with white piping around the legs and pouch. It’s great to see some fun colors back in men’s underwear
Available in jocks, briefs and boxer briefs. They aren’t on the Timoteo site yet, but you can find it at some of your favorite stores soon!
Photographer: Allen Zaki
Model: Steven Dehler
Stylist: Timoteo Ocampo
Andrew Christian has some fans of the Almost Naked line. We even have a few of those here at UNB. The reason this has become one of his best sellers is the really great pouch. The Almost Naked like has an ergonomically designed pouch that makes it feel like you aren’t wearing any underwear.
Here are some reasons to check the pair out:
- Feels Like you’re not wearing any underwear at all
- Package enhancing anatomically correct underwear with fun snuggle fit
- Hang-free design with no hidden cups or padding
- Extra room in front, just where you need it
- 94% Super Soft Rayon made from Bamboo
- 6% Spandex
- 1 1/4 inch contrast logo elastic waistband
This pair is available in four colors: Light Blue, Royal, Mint and Black. it’s currently available at the Andrew Christian website for $23.93.
It’s Time to get you some great new undies. The perfect way to do that is with Baskit $12 Tuesday. The pair that is on sale today is the Energy Trunk. Made out of a Nylon/Spandex blend that will keep you cool in the hottest times! Find this at the Baskit Site
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