Decoding men's underwear

The most overused yet least thought-of garment of all time is underwear. It’s said that good underwear can be a real game-changer as if you are not comfortable from within, nothing feels comfortable. This sentiment has been on a rise for the past few years and is changing how men and the fashion brands look at men’s underwear. Gone are the days when the ‘one size and one type fits all’ mentality resulted in the same old boring briefs and trunks for men. Innerwear is no longer something just worn merely for functionality, it is now a sign of your personal style.
Today, there are different designs, fabrics, and shapes of underwear to choose from; which begs the question: how does one decode men’s underwear and strip it down to the factors are most important for an unforgettable innerwear experience.

Fabric
For decades, cotton innerwear has been the first and only choice of men for everyday use. The past few years has seen an increase in men shifting to innerwear made from fabrics like Tencel Modal, bamboo, combed cotton amongst others. These new-age fabrics are softer, more breathable and comfortable than cotton. They’re also more moisture absorbent, gentler on the skin and better suited for the diverse climate of the Indian subcontinent. In essence, these newer fabrics are worth trying to make your everyday use a more wholesome experience.

Size and Fit

Each brand usually defines its own parameters for sizing and thus there is no one-fit-for-all formula. Hence, finding an underwear that’s a perfect fit meant searching for a needle in a haystack and once it was found, you never let go of it. But what does a perfect fit underwear mean? It means an underwear that isn’t too loose or too snug, doesn’t ride up or dig into your skin and never constricts your movement.

Performance

The basic rule of innerwear : an underwear is not doing its job properly if you can feel it. If you are athletic or have an active lifestyle, you don’t want to be reminded that you are wearing a pair every time you go for a run or jump. Moisture-wicking, breathability, no-marks elastic bands and close but comfortable fit are a few features that will help you get the most out of your underwear and support your lifestyle, no matter what it might be.

Variety

It’s almost as if it is Candyland! Briefs, trunks, boxers, boxer briefs, midway briefs, jockstraps, strings – the possibilities are endless. And when you throw in the colours, designs and prints, it is a party down there. There are underwear for daily wear, underwear for athletic use and even underwear specifically for the bedroom! Not every cut or style works for every man, but it is heartening to know men’s underwear is no longer restricted to just the plain ol’ tighty-whities.

Bottom line is simple – what’s on the inside matters, and not just on a spiritual level, but also on a ‘what-you-wear-under-your-clothes’ level. The world seems to be realising this and is catching up to ensure men don’t miss out on a class-apart underwear experience, no matter their personalities, body shapes and fashion choices. So next time you’re out to get a new pair, just know, while there’s plenty of fish in the sea- but there’s a perfect one out there for you too!



With inputs from Yogesh Kabra, Founder - XYXX.