Underwear: it’s one of those things that you either take really, really seriously or perhaps you don’t really care about at all. Some people care so little about underwear that they don’t wear any (but that’s an entirely different story altogether). Based on it all, it’s pretty safe to say that many women are downright picky about the specificity of their undergarments, while men have only really recently begun to pick up on style selections and adding to their collective repertoire. To sum it up, it’s something that’s omnipresent in the world of clothes-wearers (i.e. the vast majority of the world’s population), and for such a great amount of people that would take on the opportunity to sport their undergarments, well, under their garments, there are a myriad of companies/clothiers that have been looking out for your private interests (pun intended). In any case, here is a look at some of the higher-end underwear producers and also a brief look at the lower-priced undie companies, as well as what each company makes best, with a focus on the men’s lines.
Calvin Klein Known for decades as the premier maker of upscale garb for both Americans and Europeans, Calvin Klein has really been a staple in the underwear industry. While CK’s promotional ads have been provocative and controversial in the past, what can’t be disputed is their focus on comfort, detail, design and fit. While all of their specialty lines have been successful in varying degrees, you can’t go wrong with their Body, Ribbed, and XT lines. While Body is basically a sleeker version of their Basic line with smoother lines and stitching, the CK Ribbed collections offers great comfort with deep grooves in the cotton. XT is a sport line that offers the wearer the luxury of exercising while staying relatively moisture-free with Coolmax material. If you’re looking for great comfort, support and a nice silhouette for the lower-body, go for the standard trunk from the CK Ribbed collection.
2xist Known for its departure from the classic styling of the Calvin Klein brand, 2xist has created a buzz from its exploratory use of tank top designs, synthetic materials, and an emphasis on low-cut trends. With celebrity endorsements from boxer Winky Wright and actor Rob Brown (of “Finding Forrester” and “Coach Carter” fame), as well as rap icon 50 Cent, 2xist is up with the big boys. Among other lines, the Contrast and Original divisions are most popular. For the man wanting a good fitting brief that sits high on the hips and low on the waist, any of 2xist’s No Show Briefs are winners.
C-IN2 Created by defectors from the 2xist company, C-IN2 qualifies as both an upstart and major player in men’s underwear fashion. Sharing similar cuts and styles as 2xist, what sets C-IN2 apart are bright hues (or what they call “pop colors”) and their patented Sling Support technology, which help to better present certain part of the male anatomy; also, with avant-garde prints and new takes on the jock strap as a daily undergarment piece, much fanfare has been generated. While most C-IN2 products fit decently, they don’t always measure up the level of comfort in their traditional underwear cuts as other brands offer-in a way, for certain styles of certain in-house lines, there seems to be a “fashion over fit” initiative, but all of C-IN2’s products are still good wears. If you want something unique and genuinely different on your skin and under your jeans, get the best of both worlds of color and fit with the Pop Color No Show Army Trunk with Sling Support.
Hanes Cheap, reliable, and hey, Michael Jordan wears them, so why not? While the Hanes company is not going to blow you away with special luxurious materials, super low cut designs or more room in the crotch (although Hanes did introduce the No-Tag feature, which is a Godsend), what you will get from Hanes is good overall fit and comfort for a really decent piece. They do have “fashion” styles, like their Low Rise Briefs and String Bikinis for an athletic cut, but going with any of the styles and cuts are generally a winner. For the best reliable piece in the Hanes Collection, go for the basic Bikini Brief.
Fruit Of The Loom FTL is basically in the same category as Hanes-cost-effective, relatively sturdy in construction, and pretty much every man in America has owned a pair of Fruit Of The Loom white briefs as a kid, not unlike that with Hanes. A very close competitor of Hanes, Fruit Of The Loom has a great ad campaign, and if nothing else, if you like the color blue, you can find all your underwear needs in a quartet of varying shades of the hue. If you want a quality boxer that is streamlined to the body and isn’t annoyingly baggy, the FTL Boxer is the best choice.
