THE ULTIMATE MEN’S UNDERWEAR GUIDE

This is the ultimate guide to men’s underwear by online underwear retailer VOCLA. We’ve been selling men’s underwear at VOCLA for over a decade. Our customers constantly ask for help and advice. Whether a recommendation for an appropriate underwear style or questions about help with materials, colours or features.

The underwear market has significantly changed over the last decade. In particular, underwear is far more innovative than it was before. Underwear is the first item of clothing you put on in the morning. And it’s the item of clothing closest to your body (and your ‘precious’ parts). Yet it sometimes receives the least attention. If you find the most appropriate underwear for your body shape and your needs, you’ll therefore be much happier. We promise you.

This men’s underwear guide takes you through four areas to consider, some help and advice, when selecting the best underwear.

 

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1. GUIDE TO MEN’S UNDERWEAR STYLES

The different styles of male underwear have different advantages and can help with health (reducing heat, sweat, moisture build-up, itches and rashes), comfort (reducing scrunching, ride-up or chafing, giving you a snug or loose fit) and support (providing definition or creating a natural hang-free feel).

The four main styles of men’s underwear are briefs, boxers, jockstraps, and thongs. However, there are also some less well-known hybrids, such as jock briefs, and jock thongs. This guide to men’s underwear helps you discover the right style for you.

MEN’S BRIEFS

SUMMARY

• A–shaped or Y-front cut.
• Shorter than a boxer, helping with easier leg movement and exposing the thighs.
• Fitted style helps provide support and comfort, keeping your package neatly contained with everything in its place.
• Side material is unlikely to ride up.

SUITABLE FOR…

• Every day use for those who are quite active.
• Guys who sit down all day will find that their briefs don't ride up.
• Moderate sports.

Male briefs have an A-shaped or Y-shaped front, full coverage of the front and butt, and legs cut higher than a boxer. This styling reduces chafing, helps with easier leg movement and keeps everything secure. Briefs with a Y-shaped front, often called a 'Y-front', are a classic brief style incorporating a fly. Most modern brief styles tend to have an A-shaped front with no fly. This will have pouch trims to strengthen and shape the pouch area.

Briefs usually have a waistband, although the position can vary (hip cut, mid-rise, or low-rise). Other briefs have elasticated waistlines rather than an actual band. Waistbands can pull on your waist and create 'love handles', reducing comfort, but they give a more secure fit. However, elasticated slimline waistlines can be cut very low.

A well-styled modern brief will have a contoured pouch. The pouch is contoured with a central vertical seam, providing a little support and definition. It helps to shape and support an important area. But other briefs are designed to have anatomically correct pouches that let you hang, for a more natural feel. 

Various other features are incorporated into modern men's briefs, which are detailed below as they are not unique to men's brief underwear styles but common to most underwear types.

MENS MINI, MICRO, BIKINI + TANGA BRIEFS

SUMMARY

• Full coverage at the front and back, but with a minimum amount of material - these are the skimpy styles of men's briefs.
• No side material on a men's Tanga helps with easier leg movement.
• Simple but practical design.
• No waistband, the elastic is sewn inside the seams, therefore less pull around the waist and a 'sexier' vibe.
• High-cut legs provide easier leg movement.

SUITABLE FOR…

• Every day use for those who are quite active.
• Those with larger or muscular thighs will find a better fit around the leg.

Men's Mini and micro underwear covers a range of styles, usually briefs that have full coverage but a lower-cut waistline, higher cut leg opening and minimum material. These styles include:

• Bikini briefs, often referred to as micro or mini briefs
• Tangas
• Hipster trunks

Each style has some common features. They all have low-rise waists and higher-cut legs. The rise of a bikini, micro or mini brief is usually super-low-cut, sitting slightly below the waistline, giving a sexier look and reducing irritation around the hip. Tangas and Hipster trunks have a low-rise waistband. Bikinis have very high cut legs, significantly reducing chafing and are good for those with larger thighs. A hipster trunk is a super-short legged boxer trunk, often a square-cut shape, that could almost be a standard brief. And a Tanga has no side material, so the legs aren't cut anywhere.

 

MEN’S JOCKSTRAPS

SUMMARY

• Front cover, protection and support.
• Open back, providing greater air circulation and a better fit under tight pants or sportswear.
• Elasticated jock straps can provide some butt-lifting.
• No fabric between the waistband and thigh, therefore easier leg movement.

SUITABLE FOR…

• Sporting activities.
• Under tighter fitting pants, bike shorts, and uniforms.
• Those with large or muscular thighs.

The male jockstrap is sometimes called a 'supporter' or 'athletic supporter'. That's because its origins stem from the Bike Corporation. Bike designed the jockstrap so their couriers could cycle more easily, delivering parcels faster. That spurned the famous Bike jockstrap that we have today.

Jockstraps have a full pouch cover to provide front support and protection. The rear has elasticated jock straps that help support you, allow flexibility of movement, and tend to lift the buttocks. Everything in the design provides 'support'. This is why a jock is often referred to as a 'supporter', and used by sportsmen and guys in athletics.

Jockstrap underwear is also popular in the gay community, primarily for its sexy look and the butt-lifting properties of the elasticated rear straps. 

 

MEN’S BOXERS + TRUNKS

SUMMARY

• Boxer briefs and boxer trunks are fitted, whereas boxer shorts are loose-fitting.
• Boxer trunks have the shortest leg length, whereas boxer briefs have a longer leg length.
• Boxers usually have a mid-rise waist, sitting at the hip, or a low-rise, sitting just below the hip.
• More coverage compared to other styles.

BEST FOR…

• Every day, versatile use.
• Moderate sports.

Boxers are a more traditional underwear style, particularly boxer shorts. But boxer shorts have evolved into a modern fitted style that rides up less and reduces chafing. A boxer brief is fitted and has a longer leg, usually between the upper thigh and just above the knees. A boxer trunk is also fitted but with a shorter leg length, usually around the upper thigh. However, square-cut trunks are available, often referred to as a 'Hipster trunk'. Their leg length is so short that they could almost be classified as a brief.

The fitted boxer styles have a snug fit, keeping everything in place. However, a boxer is not usually as tight as a brief. The longer leg lengths provide more comfort against other clothes, but can cause chafing. 

 

MEN’S THONGS & STRINGS

SUMMARY

• Front pouch.
• Thin elasticated waistband.
• No leg straps – a piece of material or string runs down the butt crack to connect the pouch and back waistband.
• Open back provides greater air circulation and gives the ‘bubble butt’ look.
• A thong has a piece of aesthetic material at the top rear of the underwear.

BEST FOR…

• Warmer climates – the lack of back material helps to circulate air, keeping you dryer and cooler.
• Sex-appeal.
• Guys who find buttock straps on a jockstrap uncomfortable.

Men's thongs are similar to jockstraps because they provide full front pouch coverage. But the rear of a thong is vastly different. There are no straps, rather a string that runs from the centre of the rear waistline, underneath to attach to the pouch. Although you can get a stringless thong. The top of this string has a triangular thong piece. It has no real purpose, although it helps to frame the buttocks to create a sexy look. A thong may be preferable for guys who find the elasticated straps on a jockstrap tight and uncomfortable.

Men's strings can be a G-string or T-string style. They are similar to thongs, but omit the triangular thong piece at the rear, and the waist is usually just, well...a string. 

 

MEN’S BOTTOMLESS UNDERWEAR (JOCK BRIEFS + BOXER JOCKS)

SUMMARY

• Frontal coverage.
• Side seams provide more material than a classic jockstrap.
• Open back helps greater air circulation and gives the ‘bubble butt’ look.
• High-cut leg helps provide easier leg movement.

BEST FOR…

• Moderate sports/physical activities.
• Underneath tighter-fitting pants.
• Every day use in warmer climates or if you tend to get a little warm and sweaty at the rear.

The jock brief, or bottomless brief, has very similar features to the jockstrap but it is perhaps more of a fashion item, being slightly less functional. The backless brief has a front pouch and side seams. You are less exposed than with a jockstrap, but this creates slightly less leg movement. The cut of the design helps to create a nice ‘bubble butt’ look. Some jock briefs have inbuilt leg straps which can help lift the butt but most have a back opening without any straps. They are ideal underwear if you wear tighter-fitting pants or tend to get hot and sweaty at the rear. The open back helps provide better air circulation, which can help combat this.

Similarly, a bottomless boxer is available, which takes a boxer trunk and provides a backless feature, also called a 'jock boxer'.

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2. MEN'S UNDERWEAR MATERIALS

A men’s underwear guide would not be complete without considering the materials. Underwear materials can affect the following:

• The feel of the underwear against your skin
• How long underwear will last and hold its shape
• The stretch and therefore fit of the underwear
• How difficult underwear is to care for
• Whether the underwear can help with temperature control, moisture and sweating.

Underwear materials can be made from both natural, like cotton, and manmade or synthetic fibres. They have evolved significantly. Some more modern innovations work to wick away moisture, keeping you dry and reducing bacteria build-up.

TYPES OF UNDERWEAR MATERIALS

The main types of material used in men’s underwear are as follows:

• Men's cotton underwear – Cotton is a versatile fabric. Its soft, comfortable, and breathable characteristics make it a popular choice. Cotton is extremely easy to care for. Some underwear is 100% cotton, but other underwear can be a mix of cotton and other fibres. Typically, spandex provides stretch. Cotton tends to be a more affordable fabric. The better the quality of the cotton, the softer the fabric.
• Rayon underwear – Rayon is a man-made, manufactured fibre made from regenerated cellulose of plant material. There are two main types:
  • Men's bamboo underwear – This is made from the pulp of bamboo grass. It is a light but strong fabric. Bamboo can help wick away moisture and therefore help to prevent bacteria build-up. It can be useful for those with more active lifestyles.
  • Men's modal underwear – Modal is very soft and smooth, providing a luxurious and comfortable feel. It is more absorbent than cotton, which can help reduce sweat and moisture. The breathable characteristics keep it dryer and cooler. Therefore, it’s a great option for physical activity.
• Men’s mesh underwear – There are three types of mesh underwear:
  • Men's micro mesh underwear – tiny holes in the material help to ventilate you, helping to keep you cool and dry for longer.
  • Large weave mesh – for example, fishnet mesh. The large weave has ventilating properties, allowing the underwear to breathe and air to circulate. But it’s also totally see-through!
  • Sheer mesh underwear – sheer mesh has a smaller weave. Therefore it’s partially see-through and has a great sexy look.

WHICH MATERIALS ARE BEST?

• Sports – bamboo, modal, Tactel, mesh. All these have ventilating properties and some help to wick away moisture. They will keep you cooler and drier for longer.
• Everyday use – cotton or modal. Both are soft to the touch and easy to care for.
• Warm weather – bamboo, modal, mesh. They have ventilating properties to help keep you cool.
• Sex appeal – sheer mesh, silk, leather, latex. These materials have appealing aesthetic characteristics

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3. GUIDE TO MEN’S UNDERWEAR FEATURES

There has been huge innovation in underwear features over the last decade. This men’s underwear guide gives a brief overview. However, VA STYLE has several articles which look at enhancing underwear features in more detail.

The most popular features of recent years are technologies that provide front or rear enhancement, support and re-shaping.

FRONT ENHANCEMENT + SUPPORT

Frontal enhancement and support are not quite the same thing. However, the same technology can provide both. Providing support involves lifting the package, moving it upwards and away from the body. The benefits are a reduction in sticking, sweating and squashing. Enhancing underwear provides an increase or re-shaping to the front profile. The main ways in which enhancement and support are provided are:

• Lifting underwear – This usually involves a U-shaped piece of fabric or a front strap which the package sits across, with the package resting in a front pocket. The fabric holds the package upwards and keeps it away from the body, providing support and enhancement.
• Large pouch underwear – Pouches are provided at the front of the underwear. Sometimes these are reinforced pouches that provide additional room at the front, and sometimes the pouches are larger to provide extra space, such as the Andrew Christian Trophy Boy collection.
• Padded underwear – Padding is inserted into the front pouch. This is shaped to change the front profile. Therefore, the pouch looks fuller and rounder in appearance.

BUTT LIFTING

Underwear technology can reshape the buttocks by pushing them upwards and outwards, creating that lovely bubble-butt look. This can be done in two ways:

• Butt lifting underwear – These work like the straps on a jock. The straps are tightly fitting, which pushes the buttocks upwards and outwards. The straps are usually inside the underwear, possibly sewn into the fabric. The Andrew Christian FlashLift collection is a good example, with straps sewn into the material.
• Butt padded underwear – Soft pads are sewn into the back of the underwear to reshape the profile of the buttocks.

Aside from underwear technologies, you could consider the functional practicalities:

• Hang Free Pouch Underwear - underwear with natural pouches that let you hang free for greater comfort
• Contoured Pouch Underwear - a vertical central pouch seam provides a little definition and support
• Crotchless Underwear - do we need to explain this one?
• Lined Underwear - for a little extra comfort
• Moisure-Wicking Underwear - for the active guys who get a little sweaty
• Underwear with Pockets – somewhere to put your money or iPhone?
• Underwear with a Rear Zipper - you know, for easy access!
• Underwear with Removable Pouches - for front access!
• Seamless Underwear - for extra comfort
• Slimming underwear – softer elastic in the waistband, which pulls less
• Fly Front Underwear – perhaps a personal preference
• Super-Stretchy Underwear - usually made with a ribbed cotton or nylon that stretches as you move
• Tagless Underwear – no itchy labels!
• Transparent Underwear - usually mesh or knitted fabrics that give a subtle hint of what's underneath

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4.   GUIDE TO UNDERWEAR COLOURS

Lastly, another thing to consider is the colour of the underwear. Although largely driven by fashion trends, there are some practical aspects to consider:

• White underwear will likely need to be washed separately and on a hotter wash. It will stain more easily and will generally darken with time.
• Darker underwear is less likely to show stains. However, it would be highly unsuitable under white or partly transparent clothing.

The days of black, white and grey underwear as a choice of colour are over. VOCLA stocks a huge range of colours. Shades of blue are popular. But there are also more unusual colours such as gold, silver, orange and pink.

Furthermore, VOCLA holds a range of multi-coloured men's underwear in several prints and patterns.

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Hopefully, this men’s underwear guide has given you a lot of information to start your search for the best underwear for your needs. But if you have any questions, please contact VOCLA on Chat system.