Will the Real Lowrise Please Stand Up?

I’m baaacccckkkkk! Damn! It’s been a long time. But you can’t keep a good contributor down.

Now, I consider myself a men’s briefs expert. I’ve tried them and own a large variety of them. And much to the chagrin of my dad, I’ve touched them on other boys. I love the variety of cuts, prints, and colors that are now available to men nowadays. We ARE living in the age of underwear.

But above all else, I love a good low-rise brief. I think my unexplainable adoration of the low-rise stems from the way they provide the support of a brief, but allow for greater freedom of movement than your average tighty whitey (not that I have anything against those). To me, the skimpier cut says a lot about the wearer; it says that you’re sporty and need just the barest of coverage for you to move in for the score. It could be that they say that you’re naughty, and that the brief coverage is just a promissory note for what’s to come.

In the hierarchy of underwear I think “low-rise” gets confused at times with “bikini” or “hi-cut”. In my opinion, these three terms refer to three distinct garments. The rise refers to where the waistband stops on your body. Bikinis do not have waistbands and hi-cut briefs are pretty much bikinis with a waistband.

To qualify as low-rise (to me) the brief has to be cut in a way so that when one slips them on, they provide coverage so low riding in the front and back that it barely covers your red zones…basically, you need to see bush and crack Sadly, manufacturers and designers don’t have a consistent vision as to what constitutes a low-rise, a hi-cut, and a bikini. This lack of consensus is frustrating for consumers; imagine rushing home after thinking you purchased an uber hot low-rider and unwrap something that is not lowrise at all. It’s definitely happened to me a couple of times, ergo, this article.

Luckily for you, dear readers, I have gone into my vast underwear drawers to dredge up a couple of tried and true lowrise briefs that I heartily recommend for your wearing pleasure:

C-in 2: C-in2 lowrise are dependable low rise. They come in a bunch of fun colors and prints. Their lowrise briefs are called no-show.

2(x)ist: These are from the contrast line. 2xist lowrise briefs are notoriously inconsistent from line to line. For example, their Optic line no shows are pretty full cut so much so that I wouldn’t consider them lowrise. But this contrast brief…love it!

Go Softwear: Remember the super low cotton-lycra contrast briefs? They really are super low. Here, I’m rockin’ the camouflage version. These are one of the original super lowrise briefs.

Emporio Armani: These were advertised as a Macy*s anniversary edition hip brief. But when I pulled these suckers on, well, Happy Anniversary!

So my little chickadees, now that you know the difference go out and get them lowrise and don’t be afraid to fancy up all that junk up in your trunk.

Under Underwear: Cock Rings

Now that you've unwrapped all the packages under the tree, it's time to unwrap your package in our new series called under underwear. That's right, I'm talking about the package in your pants. This is where we will talk about things related to your cock, dick, little man, tool, rod, meat, baby maker, disco stick, pecker, wiener, wood, schlong, or whatever you want to call the protrusion of flesh between your legs sometimes known as your penis. What is under your underwear can often be as important as your underwear itself. It dictates what kind of underwear is comfortable and how it looks.

Today we're going to talk about cock rings. Cock rings are a very popular accessory to the male anatomy, they can be used to add emphasis to your penis as well as to keep you looking a little more filled out in your underwear. They can also be used to prolong your erection, but they can also be worn just as another piece of jewelry to be found by a select few.



Cock rings are everywhere, and they range in quality as well. They are commonly found as simple, black rubber bands that encircle your penis and testicles. But for those of you into spending a little more money, you can get a true work of art and bedeck your family jewels with real jewels.

Esculpta is a company that specializes in making luxury jewelry items for men, including luxury cock rings. Nikias, the designer of Le Cock Ring (Esculpta's line of cock rings), chose to design these luxury cock rings because "[He] found that the options on the market, were very cheap and un-imaginative and contributed to making the whole thing a little tacky. This created the need for [him] as a designer to prove that a cock ring can be a piece of jewelry made with the same quality and finesse as an Elizabeth Taylor emerald necklace."

Esculpta has three different styles of cock rings ranging in price from $165 to $475. These gorgeous cock rings are truly pieces of jewelry and are handmade of sterling silver. Le Cock Ring III also includes gold accents and precious stones. My personal favorite is Le Cock Ring II which features two sterling silver lion heads to safely guard your previous bits. All of their styles are adjustable (a unique feature among cock rings) so you should have no problem fitting into them no matter what your size.

The cock ring is not for the modest man, it is meant for those who like to strut their stuff with confidence. Whether you wear the cock ring out and about, or just for special occasions with your partner, it is sure to make a statement and give you that extra dose of confidence and sexiness.

Question of the Day: Have you ever worn a cock ring before? If so, what did you think? If not, would you?

Also, what do you think of the under underwear series?

Merry Christmas - Eye Candy Part 3

"Merry Christmas to all and to all a good night!" This concludes the Christmas eye candy series from artist Paul Richmond. Be sure to check out his site and shop!

Holiday Eye Candy Part 2

Here's to hoping that you find some great packages under the tree this year :) Art by Paul Richmond. I'm really loving the holly and polka dot briefs here, I wish that you could actually buy them. You can, however, buy his art in greeting card form and prints here.

Piado: Winning Entry

Piado winner Michael H. from Atlanta Georgia was cold before he got his Piados. All he had to wear was these jocks.

But now Michael is super warm, one might even say hot, with his Piados on.

Holiday Eye Candy Part 1

Here's a little Christmas eye candy from artist Paul Richmond. Paul Richmond uses his paintings as a way of exploring his own sexuality and life, often depicting cute pin-up boys like the one above. His paintings have been displayed at venues including the World of Wonder Gallery, A Bitchin' Space, Gallery Arcane, the Columbus Museum of Art, and OAL Gallery, and have been licensed for concert merchandise, novel cover publication, and a greeting card line. Richmond's work can be seen in the gay erotic art anthology Stripped Uncensored, published by Bruno Gmünder, as well as on novel covers by MLR Press and Dreamspinner. He is currently preparing for a solo exhibition, Gay Day at Paulyworld, scheduled for June 2010 at the Center on Halsted Gallery in Chicago. Be sure to check out Paul's website and shop where you can get prints of his wonderful work, and stay tuned for more Christmas-themed eye candy from Paul Richmond.

Above is artist Paul Richmond caught in pin-up boy style.

Exclusive MUB Discount from Stonemen

Stonemen recently has launched a new collection. The new collection includes a new "boxer fit" to supplement the squarecut. The "boxer fit" is basically a boxerbrief or trunk style so the legs are slightly longer than the original Stonemens. The new collection also includes new prints, including the Asian-inspired "koi" print and the "sunset" print.

And now for a limited time, Stonemen is offering MUB readers an exclusive discount of 20% off your purchase. All you have to do is enter the coupon code "MUB20". And if you spend more than $100 AUD (about $90 USD) you'll get a free gift valued at $25 AUD! With these deals you'll be able to get a few for yourself and some for your friends!

Piado Winners

The Piado contest is now closed, the winners have been chosen and the prizes have been sent out. In case you are interested, here's a list of who won. Each of the winners won a pair of Piado underwear! Stay tuned because some of the clever winning entries will be posted on the site. If you didn't win, don't worry! Another contest will be starting very soon!

• Matthew R. from Massachusetts.
• Nathan W. from Minnesota.
• Alex B. from Portland, Oregon.
• Sean H. from Ohio.
• Michael H. from Atlanta, Georgia.
• Bryce H. from New Hampshire.
• Shaun S. from Nova Scotia, Canada.
• Andrew B. from Georgia.
• Michael L. from Florida.
• Tommy M. from California.

Eye Candy: Craig Malozzi

The folks over at YVY magazine have sent us some pics of model Craig Malozzi in his underwear shot by photographer Kristopher Kelly. The long johns are from Hugo Boss. Enjoy.

Guest Review: Cue Underwear

The following is a guest review from Ryan. He also reviewed the Tactics thong and Magic silk thong for MUB a while back. Let us know what you think of his guest review. And yes, the photos are of Ryan.

It isn't often that I get free undies simply for asking, so I was pretty excited to get some recently from a relatively new company based in Malaysia called Cue Underwear. They make a "hip brief" style, and a "trunk" style, both in a 90/10 cotton/elastane blend fabric, and were gracious enough to send me a sample of each.

First, the brief. The first thing you notice when you take either style out of the box is the V-shaped waistband. The waistband is a generic bare elastic waistband, printed with www.cueUwear.com around and around. However, the interesting thing is that it comes together in a V pointing toward your assets. Maybe it would look better on someone more in shape, with that enviable V that leads your eye into the depths, but it didn't do anything for me. So I proceeded to put them on, and the fabric is thin, but very comfortable. The rear on this brief is maybe what one would call a 3/4 back -- definitely not full coverage, but not too exposing. The only really strange thing is how the pouch is designed. They allow quite a bit of room in the front, calling it the "Cockpit". However, that room is all at the bottom of the pouch. Not being overly well-endowed myself, I ended up with a "wattle" of fabric under my assets, which was not uncomfortable, but not flattering either. All-in-all, a decent design, but not the best execution. Grade - solid B+ Would I buy more? I might consider it.

Overall Grade: B+ based on the following
Design: B-
Fit: A-
Fabric: A+
Construction: A

Next, the trunk. Like the brief, the trunk has a bare waistband in the same V shape. However, the big difference is the pouch. Whereas the brief's pouch was over-generous, this trunk's pouch fit me like a glove. It was very comfortable, and rather flattering, if I may say so. The trunk looks very small coming out of the box, but the fabric is amazingly stretchy, and fits nicely. While not specifically designed for it, this cut also made my butt look good, too. Aside from the slightly goofy waistband, this is definitely an A-grade trunk. Would I buy more? - definitely.

Overall Grade: A, based on the following:
Design: A- (just 'cuz of the odd waistband)
Fit: A+
Fabric: A+
Construction: A

So there you have it. Stay tuned for my thoughts on Cue Underwear.

Piado Contest now Closed

The Piado contest closed last night at midnight. We got lots of fantastic entries, it's going to be difficult choosing all the winners. If you didn't get a chance to enter, don't worry. There will be a few more contest throughout this holiday season, so stay tuned for your next chance to win! Some of them will require that you submit photos of yourself in your favorite undies, so get those ready in the meantime!

Last day to enter...

Today is the last day to enter to win the Piado giveaway. If you haven't already entered (or even if you have) make sure you do it now because today is your last chance. Contest closes tonight at midnight EST. We already have quite a number of entries, so make sure you make yours creative so it stands out and you might just win yourself some Piado. You can find more details here. Good luck!

New Christmas Range from aussieBum + Free DVD with purchase

aussieBum just released their Christmas line featuring fun holiday prints like Frosty (shown in brief style above) and Rudolph (shown in hip style below). The styles include briefs, hipsters, and long legs so take your pick and gear up for this holiday season with holiday-inspired undies from aussieBum. Also, for a limited time only while supplies last you can get a free DVD with footage from photo shoots, etc. with any purchase from aussieBum. Just another reason to celebrate this holiday season!

Reduced prices and free condoms at Smuggling Duds!

For a limited time the Stash Pocket boxer shorts will be available for just £9.99 - that's £5 savings. In USD that's about $16. Smuggling Duds is also giving away free Durex condom packs with every underwear order in their new promotion to help encourage safe sex in a fun manner. So go check it out, this offer won't last forever.

EXCLUSIVE: Piado Underwear Giveaway!

EDIT 12/22/09: CONTEST NOW CLOSED. NO MORE ENTRIES WILL BE ACCEPTED.
As a way of kicking off the holiday shopping season, MUB and Piado will be giving away 10 pairs of Piado underwear in the next week. All you have to do to win is send an email to MUB (underwearblog-at-gmail.com) with the subject line "I want a pair". It is very important that you enter the subject line exactly as stated otherwise the automatic system may not count your entry. You don't have to do anything except for send an email. However, if you do send your size and address that will expedite the process if you win. Also remember, clever entries will receive stronger consideration. The entry period is one week and ends midnight EST 12/4/09. You may enter once per day. Entries become the property of MUB and Piado and may be used for publication. Good luck and happy shopping!

Piado: Review

Piado is a great new brand of underwear that focuses on underwear as style and fashion. Their products are eco-friendly with fabric made from a bamboo lycra blend (94% bamboo/6% lycra). Piado makes two styles, a boxerbrief and a brief. You can purchase Piado boxerbriefs at His Trunks for $24.

Today I'm going to be reviewing the boxerbrief from Piado. I own them in red although they come in an array of fun colors. I want to start by talking about the fit. These aren't your average boxerbriefs; they have a unique fit that I haven't seen before. When not being worn they look almost like a very full-rise pair of briefs - but once you put them on they are definitely not briefs. I would describe the fit as more of a trunk fit - the legs come to just above the package (depending on how large it is), but they do not cut up like briefs. Upon close inspection you realize that these boxerbriefs have quite minimal coverage - something I really like about them. They have no fly to make for a streamlined look. The streamlining continues on the back with minimal seams on either side of the butt. The waist is low-rise, but not unbearably so. It's not what your grandfather wore, but it's not scandalous by any stretch of the imagination. The fit is designed so that it fits you, but it doesn't squeeze you, it just gently conforms around your body in a very pleasing manner.

The bamboo cotton fabric is oh-so-soft and I really didn't even notice that I was wearing anything all day. They are very touchable and breathable and are a great illustration of the benefits of using natural fibers for your underwear. And, as is becoming standard, these undies are tagless so you won't have anything irritating your butt all day. The styling of these boxerbriefs is very modern with bold, bright colors. But the design is very simple so that even the most conservative man would feel comfortable wearing these. It has just enough detail to be fashionable while not going overboard. There is contrast piping around the legs and at the waistband. And the bold Piado waistband will be sure to be a conversation starter (if you choose to show it off).

Because of the low lycra percentage these undies do stretch out a little bit during the day - but it's nothing uncomfortable and nothing that a quick spin through the washer won't fix (although be careful you don't put them in for too long). At $24 a piece at His Trunks, these undies are worth the price. They are moderately expensive, but for the natural fibers and the fun, but not over the top, comfort it's money well spent.

MY RATING:
Overall, I give the Piado boxerbriefs a total score of 9 based on the following criteria:
FIT -- 8 (out of 10) - Small and sexy, but can get a little loose during the day.
COMFORT -- 10 (out of 10) - Incredibly comfortable natural fibers make for superb comfort all day long.
STYLE -- 9 (out of 10) - Very edgy style, but still wearable.
QUALITY -- 9 (out of 10) - Stretch out a tad during the day, but easily shrink back to size.
VALUE -- 8 (out of 10) - Moderately priced, but worth it.

********** 9

25% off at Ginch Gonch

This Black Friday weekend get 25% off your purchase at Ginch Gonch by using coupon code "gobblegobble2009". Sale ends Sunday the 29th. This graphic came to me by email and I thought it was cute so I included it, sorry for the poor quality.

Happy Thanksgiving Everyone!

Hello everyone. I just wanted to wish you all a very happy Turkey Day. On this day of thanks, let's all be sure to take the time out from our busy lives to think about what it is that we are thankful for. I'm thankful for all of you who have continually supported MUB through the years and kept this thing running. You've encouraged me to make this blog the best and you call me out when I'm slacking. You guys are the best!

The photos with this piece are from a special Under Gear photo shoot with model Jason Vendryes shot by photographer Duc Nguyen. The underwear featured in the shoot is all Body Tech.
Question of the Day: What are YOU thankful for?

Save 20% at WildmanT

Get 20% off at WildmanT using coupon code Gobble at checkout. Turn heads this Thanksgiving with the ball lifter; your friends won't know what hit them!

3 for 2 at Smuggling Duds

Smuggling Duds Stash Pants is currently running a fantastic deal where you can get 3 pairs of undies for the price of 2. It's good for any color combination, just specify what color you want free in the comments box at checkout. You'll save about $25 USD with this deal, so check it out now!

Exclusive: 10% off Modus Vivendi at Boomlads

Boomlads is offering Men's Underwear Blog readers an exclusive discount on Modus Vivendi underwear from now until the end of the month. Modus Vivendi is a fantastic new range of men's underwear. Boomlads has over 30 designs on their site that incorporate drawstrings, zippers, and other fun details. With inspiration from swimwear and high-end fashion, Modus Vivendi is different to the run-of-the-mill underwear, no crazy patterns, more classic, sexy designs with traditonal tailoring. Modus Vivendi regularly shows their designs on catwalks around the world. Boomlads exclusively has their entire line and it's going fast! And you can have it too with an exclusive discount from MUB, just enter 'MUB10 at checkout' for 10% off your purchase!

Undergear's Angels

Can't get enough of Halloween? Well check out Undergear's angels who took part in the Halloween parade in New York City. Models Ryan, Danny, and Alex sported fanciful black feather wings, mesh shirts, and of course Undergear gear in black. These boys really know how to work those bodies and wings and were among the most photographed people at the party. Enjoy!

50% off EVERYTHING at His Trunks

For a limited time His Trunks is offering 50% off everything in stock! This is HUGE! Everything has to go to make room for new stock so check it out. Use discount code 50 at checkout.

New Range from aussieBum: Cottonsoft!

aussieBum has just released a new range of underwear called Cottonsoft. This new collection is all about the basics. It comes in brief and hipster styles in 3 basic solid colors: heather grey, white, and black. It sports a trendy, logo waistband and promises incredible comfort. Although this line is not nearly as fun and funky as some of aussieBum's other ranges, the difference here is the price point. The Cottonsoft collection is much more reasonable at $20 and $22 USD for the brief and hipster respectively. These new prices will ensure that everyone can get into some aussieBums. So you'll be getting the legendary aussieBum quality and attention to detail for a not-so-aussieBum price. These basic undies are sure to make a great stable to any man's underwear drawer. It's a win-win situation. Check it out!

How to Look Good Naked (TV Show Clip)

Here's a fun clip from a UK TV show called "How to Look Good Naked". In this segment they discuss men's underwear and how one can update their underwear to be more sexy and functional. The men profiled also make for some good eye candy. A lot of the undies featured can be found at Dead Good Undies.

All Full of Piss & Vinegar - New Brand

Today we bring you a new brand, Piss & Vinegar. The brand is a take off on the expression "full of piss and vinegar"; the brand is all about following your passion. Piss and Vinegar is the brain child of Jason Sutherland, the man who brought you Ginch Gonch in 2003 (the brand has since been sold). And he's back again to bring you more "fun-derwear".

Piss & Vinegar is more grown-up than Sutherland's past creations. The underlying message is to encourage guys to live life to its fullest and appreciate all that it has to offer. The idea is to "grab life by the balls".

The first collection that they will introduce is the "I Love..." collection which includes the "I Love Jesus" design (shown above) and the "I love girls" and "I love boys" (shown below) designs. In the words of Sutherland, "When living life with Piss & Vinegar, it doesn't matter who you love, only that you love with everything you've got."

Designs will be available at major department stores, select independent retailers, and online in briefs, boxer briefs, low-rise briefs, and jockstraps. Stay tuned for more info on this hot new brand.

It's Electric! - A Review

Mid-priced underwear is dominated by names associated with ubiquitous American designers: Polo/Ralph Lauren, Calvin Klein, Kenneth Cole, and Donna Karan New York (DKNY). A stroll into mid to high end department stores will yield aisles of socks, T’s, boxers, briefs, and even boxer briefs from these venerable design houses. One such dalliance through a store’s underwear aisle yielded the “electric” hip brief by DKNY.

Donna Karan’s design house is the essence of New York city. Her designs are inspired by it: the architectural forms, its chic sense of style, and the go-go lifestyle of a city that never sleeps. I would describe DKNY’s overall design aesthetic as modern and minimalist. There’s a “safe” aspect to the brand, one that appeals more to the mass market but doesn’t do enough to differentiate it from peers. While my own personal tastes have evolved to include the more off-beat labels, it’s not lost upon me that a sizable portion of the male population gravitates toward the aforementioned brands when they go shopping for their underwear.

If you’re like me, you impulsively go through the underwear aisle of stores that sell it to see if they have any good sales. On a lark, I dropped into “the Basement” (Filene’s Basement) a couple of weeks ago in the Loop and saw a pair of blue “electric” hip briefs by DKNY that were marked down. I knew I didn’t own any of those so I asked myself “why not?” and picked them up on my way out.

So what happened? The answer: you guys get a review.

They’re not revolutionary in any way, design or construction—just a pair of briefs with a designer label. At least they’re masculine, though.

The blue is moderately saturated and is not dissimilar to royal blue. A soft, pewter colored waistband, measuring about four centimeters, crowns the brief. The company’s word mark defaces the front of the garment in bold, yellow letters. I guess that’s a nod to the name of the style. A close inspection of the garment revealed it to be well made with clean seams and no loose threads or pulls anywhere.

In terms of fabric, the brief is about 48% cotton and 52% soft man made material (modal and lyrca). I’m a natural fiber kind of guy, and when you get below a certain percentage of cotton, the material starts feeling synthetic. These briefs are no exception. You won’t ever mistake these for being all or close to all cotton briefs. I do understand that synthetics make colors more vibrant, but for me, the blue isn’t vibrant enough to warrant a trade-off for less cotton.

I will say that they are comfortable. I put them on to go to work in and I haven’t had to pull or adjust the briefs. They stayed put and felt good and dependable, like the one good friend that won’t let your plants die when you’re on vacation. One super annoying thing is that the briefs aren’t as brief as they seem on the picture on the box. That always makes me monkey crazy when something isn’t like it appeared in a picture. The picture on the box makes it seem like the garment is much more low-rise, perhaps like the low-rise cut of 2xist or C-in2 brief. It is, in fact, much fuller cut than the picture would suggest. They fit true to size.

And talk about ubiquitous! You can get these at many different stores and sites that sell undies, but I’d highly recommend International Jock because the way they look on the model is the most accurate representation of how they really fit. (Plus, you get to check out all of the other spectacular pictures on the site).

Would I suggest the brief? Well, it depends. If you’re currently rockin’ the CKs (the original tighty whitie style), sure. It’s a great lateral step that will let you branch out and experiment a little bit. If you’re looking for a true low rise brief, I probably wouldn’t recommend it.

OVERALL, I give the DKNY “electric” brief a score of 6.6 based on the following criteria:

COOL FACTOR -- 5 (out of 10) – masculine, but not unique
WEARABILITY -- 7 (out of 10) – good in between coverage; not too skimpy, not too full. The material was a little too synthetic feeling for me.

QUALITY -- 8 (out of 10) - very well made garment with great attention to detail

HOTNESS -- 6 (out of 10) – the word mark in yellow is an attention getter, but the blue is a little subdued

VALUE -- 7 (out of 10) – a little more costly then CKs, which I consider a similar brand in terms of aesthetic and exclusivity

********** 6.6

Key Largo Reviewed

Today I'd like to introduce you to a new brand of underwear called Key Largo. Key Largo prides itself in being the first underwear brand designed for Baby Boomer men and women. The styles are full cut and conservative and are all about the comfort. Their goal is to provide quality full-coverage, comfortable underwear at a reasonable price. Key Largo for men comes in three styles: a low-rise brief, a mid-cut brief, and a boxerbrief. All styles come in black, white, and heather gray and are sized small - xx-large. Key Largo is the brainchild of Lea Holder; you can read her blog about the industry here.

Today I'm going to review the mid-rise brief. My sample was in black. I have to start off by saying that I'm not by any stretch of the imagination a Baby Boomer and therefore am not really part of Kay Largo's target market. That said, I still really like these undies and can appreciate their comfort and coverage even though they are not what I normally would wear.

Key Largo really is all about the comfort, that's the first thing I notice when I put these things on - they're incredibly comfortable and oh-so-soft. You really can't argue with that. There's no tag in the back to cause itching and irritation and the waistband is covered to provide optimal comfort. The 100% cotton brief feels like it has been washed a hundred times (in a good way) right out of the box. I don't know if I've ever experienced the likes of it before.

In terms of fit, the mid-rise is much higher than I am accustomed to wearing. Today when I pulled on my pants as high as they would go (low-rise jeans), I still had about an inch of the brief showing above the pants (I suppose I could've switched to a different pair of pants). That said, the rise is probably just fine for the target audience who most likely will be wearing higher rise pants than I wear. When I first looked at these briefs I felt like there was a ton of fabric and that there was no way these would fit me without being baggy, but I was wrong. They fit like a charm. Even around the legs, where I often experience gaping, was snug in a comfortable way that still allows for movement (although they did stretch out a bit during the day). Another great feature of these briefs is that they have a functional fly on the front that... wait for it... actually functions! This is an anomaly among briefs where even though there is often a functional fly it really is too cumbersome to bother using. This fly actually easily opens without being too constrictive but also pops back into place when you're done using it. I was quite impressed.

These briefs will not be winning any style awards. But then again, they aren't trying to. They are a very basic, classic brief that does the job. They are unpretentious with a simple off-set logo label in the front. They are well priced at $12 a piece and promise to keep you in comfort for years to come. So in short, Key Largo accomplished their goals of making quality, comfortable, affordable underwear with full coverage.

MY RATING:
Overall, I give the Key Largo Mid-Rise Briefs a total score of 8.8 based on the following criteria:
FIT -- 8 (out of 10) - they do loosen up a bit during the day
COMFORT -- 10 (out of 10) - really can't be beat
STYLE -- 7 (out of 10) - there really isn't too much style, they are just simple and basic
QUALITY -- 10 (out of 10)
VALUE -- 9 (out of 10)

********** 8.8

International Jock's Annual Halloween Giveaway is Back!

International Jock's biggest, most exciting and most popular event of the year is happening NOW. They're giving away men's underwear, men's swimwear, jockstraps, t-shirts, wrestling singlets, men's boxers and more with every order placed from now until Halloween. It's International Jock's way of thanking their customers and celebrating one of the world's most popular holidays.

Throughout the year, IJ hangs on to one-of-a-kind manufacturer's samples, overstocked items, discontinued items, items received for photo shoots and more and then gives them away with every order placed during the Halloween season.

Just place an order of any size for any items and International Jock will include a Halloween Trick or Treat item with your order ABSOLUTELY FREE!

Pumpkin Ball Lifter from WildmanT

As a special for Halloween WildmanT will be selling pumpkin colored (orange and black) ball lifters for only $10! That's a great deal since they're normally $17 a piece. These things are sure to do the trick for your package; they'll be a treat!

International Jock Offers 20% off

International Jock is offering a special discount code to the readers of their favorite blogs and websites, that's you! Just enter the code BLOG20 during checkout and receive 20% OFF on your order. Chose anything from International Jock's huge selection of mens underwear and swimwear that includes briefs, trunks, t-shirts, jockstraps, tank tops and more.

And, just in case you're wondering, depicted here is International Jock's newest model, Tyler Lough, another handsome addition to their long tradition of photographing the hottest models in the business.

Great Expectations - A Review

I bet you guys can relate to this feeling: you have exceedingly high expectations for something and then when you get it; it’s either meh or worse, a total letdown.

For example, remember the Fashion Show on Bravo like two months ago? It was supposed to be a replacement for Project Runway, since PR bolted for movie of the week lady television (aka, Lifetime). In place of the venerable Tim Gunn, FS gave us Isaac Mizrahi. In place of Hedi, we got Kelly Rowland (can somebody explain to me what makes her a fashion expert?). Despite the suspect casting, I was super psyched for it. And then, on the first episode to discover that undie design wunderkind Andrew Christian was on the show, well that was the cherry on top of the sundae.

But then I watched the show and compared it to Project Runway, I was like; Fashion Show is kind of a hot mess. There were reasons to set your expectations high before a single episode even aired. It was on Bravo, and Bravo is a brand that usually produces really great shows with good production value, like Top Chef. Everything about Fashion Show felt cheap, cheap, cheap. I felt somewhat betrayed.

Enter the D&G Combat Slip Brando Brief.

D&G is part of the Dolce & Gabbana brand family. Dolce and Gabbana is an omnipresent Italian design house known for its modern, luxurious designs with a classic feel. The D&G label debuted in 1994 offering a urban and youthful label in the brand family. D&G garments are usually at a lower price point than the parent brand though it is still definitely designer clothing and priced as such.

This is where expectations start to set in. D&G is a prestigious brand and I expect things from underwear that set you back $30 per. When I received them, I was super excited. They’re an olive green color and very stretchy and somewhat soft. The tag says that they are 95% cotton and 5% elasthene, a pretty standard fabric composition these days for underwear. Unfortunately, my first impression when touching the briefs were that they were slightly synthetic feeling, which made me wonder if the fabric content was really 95% cotton. Now, I’m all for synthetic fabric, but I do like the feel of cotton and I feel like I get super sweaty down there when I wear something super synthetic feeling.

Since I own other D&G and Dolce and Gabbana underwear this facet of the garment is kind of a letdown because the other stuff I own is super soft, super fine cotton. They feel like expensive bits of luxury. This brief fell somewhat short.

Though, am I the only one who thinks camouflage is totally hot? I love the juxtaposition of hard and soft with the military motif playing against the sexiness of the briefs. I’m just sayin….

I decided to wear these while, as my friend John would say, lazing about on a Sunday. I put them on and noticed that they were cut fuller than briefs I usually wear, probably due to the massive waistband, which measures almost two inches in height.

The waistband is the distinguishing design element. It’s actually two fully elasticized waistbands connected at the waist seam to the rest of the garment. Since they are only connected at the waist seam, you can actually peel the outer waistband (camouflage) away from the inner waistband (tan). While the two waistbands are kind of cool, they serve no practical purpose other than to act like a tourniquet, totally squeezing your waist in. There’s also like five tags on the back of it, including one that’s holographic for authenticity. But, outside of the embellished waistband, it’s a pretty standard brief.

In the front, the pouch is neither roomy nor constrictive. Three contrast stitched seams add a little design to the pouchal area. Since the fabric is a little stretchy, you won’t crush the boys as there is a significant amount of give in the front. There’s full coverage in the seat and the leg holes are ringed with the same fabric, only ribbed. Due to the tightness of the waistband, I’d say that these would run a little smaller than the standard North American understanding of medium, more like a European medium, so maybe you’d size up if you ordered a pair of these.

I’d definitely say that for a hot night out (or in), these are worth a whirl. They’re a nice way to package your combat zone and maybe attract some friendly fire (naughty!). I wouldn’t say that they’d be a good thing to work out in (would you really want to do a bunch of cardio in expensive designer underwear?) or spend all day in the office with this kind of restrictive waistband.

These can be had on sale at His Room for about $30.

OVERALL, I give the D&G camo slip brando brief a score of 6.0 based on the following criteria:

COOL FACTOR -- 6 (out of 10) – waistband will get people’s attention, otherwise, a pretty standard brief

WEARABILITY -- 4 (out of 10) – too synthetic feeling to me, double waistband too restrictive, too many tags

QUALITY -- 8 (out of 10) - very well made garment

HOTNESS -- 8 (out of 10) – overall look is cool, fabric has sheen that will make people want to feel it

VALUE -- 4 (out of 10) – on the high end of the range, expected more luxurious fabric at the price point

********** 6.0

Question of the Day: Has the high-end underwear you've tried out lived up to your expectations?