How to Buy Men's Underwear

I have a few tips that I picked up in the military that’ll come in handy the next time you’re out shopping for men’s underwear. 

First I’d like to tell you why I think this is important. Choosing what underwear to wear everyday should not be a chore. Underwear should be clean; your underwear should not be cause for consternation between you and your significant other.  Underwear should be functional; it should keep you dry and comfortable. That’s why the US Army invented the T-shirt in the first place.

Undershirt:  Keep it simple. Ninety-five percent of your undershirts should be white, T-type, 100% cotton name brand. They look great under most shirts and they’ll keep perspiration away from your shirts. Nothing like a big old nasty yellow underarm stain distracting your manager at the next Performance Appraisal meeting. Buy enough shirts to allow for daily changes. Another benefit for all white 100% cotton is you don’t have to sort anything on laundry day. Just put them all in the same load.

Briefs:  Again keep it simple. Ninety-five percent of your briefs should be of the boxer brief variety. Remember I said your underwear should always be clean. Well, sometimes things happen over the course of a long, hot day and you’ve been sitting down a lot, and well…you get the picture. Your boxer briefs should all be dark, period. Buy enough to allow for daily changes. They should also be 100% cotton and manufactured under a well known brand name. Again, easy to sort and wash.

Socks:  When it comes to socks you’re going to have a bit more latitude depending on your situation but you still want to keep it simple. If you wear athletic shoes a lot (gym teachers and nurses for example) the majority of your socks will be white.  If you’re a construction worker you probably depend on a heavy duty type of sock with reinforced toes and heels. If you wear a suit and tie everyday you more than likely prefer nylon dress socks. And for everyone else (the Dockers crowd; office workers, teachers, salesmen, engineers, etc.) I’d recommend 100% cotton Docker style socks. Dark if you’re wearing dark slacks, lighter if you’re wearing lighter, either one if you’re wearing jeans. Same rules from above apply here; purchase enough to allow for daily changes and (if you have teenagers) pilferage. As far as the laundry is concerned, white socks can go with the white undershirts. The colored Docker style socks can be washed with the boxer briefs. The nylon dress socks, they can be washed with your wife’s or girlfriend’s delicates.

Remember, no one can see your underwear so keep it simple. It’s okay to have a few novelty shirts, a muscle shirt, a pair of boxers and a pair of bikini briefs…just don’t go over board. For normal everyday activities the basic under garments can’t be beat. Follow these tips and you’ll have more time for the important things in life.

About the Author  

RC Bonay is an engineer with a passion for writing and drawing. He started reading comic books at an early age and soon discovered he had a flair for telling stories of his own. As he grew, he dreamed of following in the footsteps of comic book legend, Stan Lee. His passion ebbed and his dream faded as it became necessary to pursue a more traditional lifestyle in order to raise his growing family. The dream was rekindled as the youngest of his four children blossomed into young adulthood. 

RC’s vision is best summed up by his mottos; 

“The world would be a better place if we all just learned to draw.” 

“Learn from the best, forget it all, and just write.”