International Jock

Sunday, August 23, 2009

Brand Profile: Dirk Bikkembergs

Remember that crazy bananas movie, “Silence of the Lambs”? Do you also remember that scene when our beloved heroine, Clarice Starling (Jodie Foster) was right on the verge of catching Buffalo Bill? She goes to visit Hannibal Lecter while he’s being held in Tennessee. He taunts her for not being able to put it all together, telling her that all the clues that she needs to catch him are in her case file. She’s flustered, grasping at anything she can get from Dr. Lecter. In his menacing, taunting retort, he tells her how to find him: “He covets. That is his nature. And how do we begin to covet, Clarice?” And we all know how that crazy business ended.

I love that scene, because it speaks to the basic motivation of why we do things. I covet, you covet, we all covet! Let’s say it together! We all covet! I’m also tangential…but anyway.

“What does brflines covet?” you may wonder. How about a sweet pair of Dirk Bikkembergs?

Dirk whozitwhatzit?

Ask yourself the following: which brand is positioned at the interface of sport and couture? Which label fuses football and fashion? If you don't know the answer, I'll tell you: Dirk Bikkembergs.

Dirk Bikkemberg’s sportswear line made its first public appearance in 2001 at a fashion show at San Siro stadium in Milan. For those of you who are athletically inclined, you know this as the home field of the storied Italian football sides, AC Milan and Inter. This is the epitome of Dirk’s vision, one that brings together the sporting culture of European football and haute couture. As the popularity of the brand grew, thanks in part to its ability to deliver high fashion with a sporting edge, the company actually bought a football (soccer) team. Talk about dedication to their art!

The absolute first thing that you need to do after you finish reading this review is to google the name. You’ll be opening up a pandora’s box of guy candy that will keep you busy looking for more for the next hour or so. Seriously though, their ad campaigns are beyond smoking hot, they’re molten! It’s like getting a sneak peek inside an Italian football team’s locker room and discovering that they’re all wearing super sexy underwear. As Rachel Ray would say, Yum-O!

Then, log onto the website (which is very navigable) and enjoy more guy candy. There’s also an e-store that sells items from Dirk Bikkembergs, including (insert sound of feigned shock here) underwear. And let me tell you, there’s so much underwear to covet in the e-store, about a hundred different varieties of briefs, trunks, undershirts, including the awesome golden underwear. Being a proud, briefer, I had to put on a drool bib when I saw their offering of briefs. There’s also a coquettish side to the brand, exemplified by the description of my favorites, the blue football briefs:
Quintessence of virility on and off the field. These briefs prove to be perfect for active men who like the comfort of soft, extra-light microfibres. Better not leave them unattended.”
Cute, right? The e-store site also has some nice touches that make it a joy to navigate, like a coherent English translation, and the cool “get the look” feature. And you know the garments are going to be great quality because of the price point and the care taken just to market them.

So, here’s the rub, boys. The company does not deliver to the U.S. Outrageous! There must be some kind of UN thing we can do, or I should send an appeal to the WTO. I needs me my Dirk Bikkembergs!

So, if you’re lucky enough to live in a country where your flag is just a bunch of colored bars (three or fewer) or has the union jack on it, try Bikkembergs out and let the rest of us covet your new, sporty, sexy underwear.

Saturday, August 22, 2009

Brand Profile: Bend the Rules

Bend the Rules is a Beverly Hills, California based luxury brand that specializes in making men's boxerbriefs and trunks. The brand is designed and owned by Markus Bender. Bend the Rules is all about luxury and comfort. Markus spent over a year perfecting the fabric - a special Tencel blend - so that it would have the perfect feel. This special fabric is more absorbent than cotton in addition to being breathable, antibacterial and eco-friendly. The styling of the line is very timeless with subtle details like dragons, crosses, and skulls on the leg. To me the line has an edgy, street flair while still being classy. It reminds me of the type of clothing that you might find in the Buckle. Many designs incorporate a Swarovski crystal making this the ultimate in luxury underwear. Bend the Rules boasts a large celebrity clientele, and with the attention to luxury and details it's obvious why. You can't get this underwear just anywhere. It's only available at the Bend the Rules site and upscale boutiques around the world. Bend the Rules is on the expensive side ranging from $54 (for a pair without a graphic) to $72 USD. But for the quality you are getting they are worth it. Stay tuned for a review of Bend the Rules and an interview with founder and designer Markus Bender.


Question of the Day: How much would you spend on a pair of luxury underwear? Do you have a limit even if you have unlimited purchasing power?

Friday, August 21, 2009

HUGE Destocking Event at Wyzman

Wyzman is having a huge destocking sale right now to clear the way for new product. They are offering a massive 30% off EVERYTHING until the end of the month. So that gives you just a little over a week to take advantage of this. And when they say everything they mean everything. This really is a great opportunity to get some of the hottest styles out there at a discounted rate. So go check it out now!

Chasing Waterfalls - A Review

In honor of the torrential downpour currently flooding my hometown, Chicago, I decided to wear and review the “waterfall” brief manufactured by Punto Blanco.

I’ll have to admit right off the bat, that I may be a bit biased towards Punto Blanco products because I’ve owned and loved their undergarments for years. My first foray into higher-end underwear was with Punto Blanco, and I’m still buying their stuff.

I attempted to do some background research in advance of writing this review about the company, but there is a dearth of details about Punto Blanco out on the www. What I do know is that a “Mr. Valls” founded a textile concern at the end of the 19th century. His son took over the conglomerate in 1948 and created the company that we know and love today. The garments are made in Spain and are top notch in quality.

So a year or so ago, I was online and one of my underwear chat friends asked me what my favorite brand of underwear was, if I could only name one. I told him right away, “Punto Blanco!”. He asked me why I like Punto Blancos so much. I said that besides the fact that they’re comfortable and fashionable, I feel like I’m wearing a piece of art every time I wear a garment from Punto Blanco. Like high-end fashion houses, Punto Blanco designs new, unique lines of garments twice a year. If you don’t get your hands on a garment that you want in season, chances are you’ll never be able to get it again. Trust me; I’ve learned the hard way!

This is the other great thing about Punto Blanco. It’s affordable luxury made in limited runs. Chances are, you’ll be the only dude in the locker room wearing PBs, so you won’t be caught in that oh-so-embarrassing scenario of detrou-ing, only to find out the guy next to you is wearing the same pair of undies you are. Talk about faux pas!

Like every Punto Blanco garment, the “waterfall” briefs are quite the eye catcher. Navy blue and white horizontal stripes ring the garment, with accents in orange in the front, bringing attention to your goods. The three centimeter waistband echoes the blue and white motif, but adds accent stripes of orange and a lighter blue as well. The company’s name is written in metallic thread on the waistband in very large letters. I find the brief’s aesthetics both fashion forward and masculine. Incidentally, the company’s name means “white dot” in Spanish, so you’ll find that there’s a dot included somewhere on every Punto Blanco garment.

These are made of 97% cotton and 3% elasthene, making for a very comfortable fit that I fully expect to last, especially with the inclusion of the elasthene to snap things back into place after you launder the briefs. All aspects of the construction are sound. Shape-wise, I’d say that they are not a true low rise and definitely not a full cut, but some happy place in between. In addition to a normal pouchal area, there’s pretty full coverage in the back, in case you’re worried about letting everyone know about your crack habit. The leg holes are also as to be expected in fit; not too big, but not too tight either. They are sized according to European standards in the waist, so if you’re in between sizes, you may want to go up one.

I don’t really have any criticisms for these briefs. I even can’t argue over the price point, especially since they're on sale at Undergear right now for $14.99, which believe me (I bought these for full price in Spain) is an unbelievable deal.

So, if you’re the kind of guy, who’s looking to break into the higher end underwear scene or maybe want to try a quality European brand, I’d definitely recommend you try both the “waterfall” brief and Punto Blanco. You’ll never want to go back!


MY RATING:
Overall, I give the Punto Blanco Waterfall Brief a score of 8.4 based on the following criteria:
COOL FACTOR -- 10 (out of 10) - European coolness, modern and fashionable
WEARABILITY
-- 7 (out of 10) - good in between coverage, not too skimpy, not too full
QUALITY -- 9 (out of 10) - very well made garment with great attention to detail
HOTNESS -- 10 (out of 10) - these are eye catching
VALUE -- 5 (out of 10) - if they regularly sold for $14.99, they’d get a higher score
********** 8.4

Thursday, August 20, 2009

Project Runway in Your Pants!

With the Season 6 premiere of hit TV show Project Runway tonight, I thought now would be the perfect time to talk about one of the new designers and his connection to the men's underwear world. Christopher Straub, a Minnesota native, is the man behind the men's underwear brand Cricket Syndicate. You may remember Cricket Syndicate from my review and profile in the past. If not, Cricket Syndicate specializes in creating underwear made from T-shirts. The front panel is cut from recycled t-shirts that Christopher has found. He also has a line (Cricket Clones) that are made from fabrics that he has specially designed. And if you have a t-shirt that you'd like made into undies for you or a loved one you can go the custom route and have a Cricket Custom made. Christopher started selling his underwear out of a bag in the back of bars, and now he's starring on Project Runway. He's come a long way and I'm looking forward to seeing where the future will take him.

Wednesday, August 19, 2009

New Joe Snyder Exclusively at Nuwear

I've just received word that Nuwear just got four new exclusive styles from Joe Snyder. These styles are really fun and are sure to bring out the adventurous side of you. What's unique about these new undies is that they feature a snap pouch that will allow you to be fully covered or fully uncovered - whichever you so desire. And you can change it up really easily. This fun new style is available in a jock, thong, boxerbrief, and bikini brief (shown). They come in red, white, yellow, and blue and feature the signature Joe Snyder logo by the pouch. They also feature a c-ring interior in the pouch so even if you are uncovered you will still be held in place and supported. You can get a pair for $25 - $28 at Nuwear. Right now you can only get these things at Nuwear or Undergear. They will be available at other stores in the future, but for now the availability is limited.

Since Nuwear is a new advertiser on our site they'd like to offer you a special coupon to get 15% off your purchase with them. Just enter promo code UBLOG at checkout. Don't want to do the math for how much these new undies will cost you? Don't worry, I've already done it for you. With the 15% off discount you will only have to pay $21.25 - $23.80 to get yourself into this exclusive new line from Joe Snyder. Not sure if snap pouch undies is your thing? Don't worry. Nuwear has plenty of other undies on their site and you can use this promo code to buy any of them. When it comes to great new underwear, Nuwear's got you covered.

Question of the Day:
Do you like underwear that allows you to show off or do you prefer to be more modest with your underwear choices?

Tuesday, August 18, 2009

Harlequin Bromance - A Review

Today we welcome back Brflines as a full-time contributor to MUB. Here's his review of the new Ginch Gonch low-rise briefs. I reviewed the older version a while ago here. And yes guys, the photo with the guy in the shirt is of Brflines. I tried to convince him to post a shirtless version but he was a little shy. But I'm sure we can convince him in the future. - UMan
A couple of years ago, briefs became cool to wear again. Accompanying this trend was the explosion of colors, patterns, and prints that provided men (and women shopping for their men) with a huge variety of styles and brand names to choose from.

At the vanguard of this move towards more varied patterns and colors was Ginch Gonch. The Canadian company brought a refreshing, tongue-in-cheek take on men’s underwear. True to their motto, “Live Like a Kid”, Ginch Gonch brings a nostalgic and playful aesthetic to garments that tends to be monochromatic and utilitarian.

Today I’m reviewing the “Tiger’s Wood” low rise brief.

Sometimes, I like to fantasize about what it would be like to be one of those New England-Nantucket, pink pant wearing, cable knit sweater thrown over a polo shirt prep. You know the type, the ones that go by names like “Biff” and “Trevor”. That’s what these briefs look like: the underwear version of preppy.

If you’ve never worn a low-rise brief from Ginch Gonch, it’s an experience in itself. True, they can get pretty wild, briefs covered with roosters (“Jolly Cocks”), hot dogs (“Wiener Eaters”), and dirt bikers (“Rim Jobbers”), but with this style you’ll be coming in at the more conservative end of the collection.

Know that Ginch Gonch doesn’t fool around when they categorize these briefs as low rise. They literally cover just enough of your boyzone to be considered decent. The garment fits true to size; the medium fit me just fine and would accommodate what I would consider the waist sizes generally accepted as a medium in North America.

I wore these bad boys all day to work. When I slipped them on in the morning, I was kind of nervous because they barely covered everything. The back coverage was especially stingy, with the waistband struggling to come to the top of my butt. That’s the great thing about these briefs though, the coverage is a constant reminder of how naughty you are being and that there’s a constant party in your pants. I was comfortable sitting in these all day at my desk job in an office, but if you’re shy about not having substantial coverage, or work in a job where you’re bending over all day, you may want to pass on these.

More about the brief: the waistband is super comfortable. The elastic feels substantial and well made. The contrast piping is black, with contrast stitching in white thread. Black, teal, grey, and red diamonds cover the brief in a playful, yet masculine, argyle/harlequin pattern. These are straight up attention getters. Everything about the brief is cool, even the tag in the back is stitched fabric, as to minimize the irritation that paper and other lower quality tags tend to produce.

My biggest beef with the “Tiger’s Wood” low rise brief is that the front is not comfortable at all if you have a lot of junk. Since there is barely enough room to accommodate a normal dude’s anatomy, I can imagine what a challenge it would be for someone more endowed.

I would definitely recommend the “Tiger’s Wood” low rise brief if you’re looking to try Ginch Gonch and want to start on the more conservative end. They’re great for just normal wear, probably awesome if you’re going out to a club with the expectation that someone else is going to be uncovering your man treasure, but probably not so great for a work out or a half marathon.

You can get them for about $22 USD from the company’s website.

MY RATING:
Overall, I give the Ginch Gonch Low-Rise Brief a total score of 8 based on the following criteria:
COOL FACTOR -- 10 (out of 10) - cool, masculine design
WEARABILITY -- 7 (out of 10) - skimpy coverage, pouch can be a problem for "bigger" guys
QUALITY -- 9 (out of 10) - very well made garment with great attention to detail
HOTNESS -- 10 (out of 10) - attention getters; you will get laid
VALUE -- 5 (out of 10) - pricey, but a good first buy if you're looking to try Ginch Gonch

********** 8

Sunday, August 16, 2009

Review: Undergear Ribbed Brief

Undergear has long been a great place to get quality underwear. In addition to selling many different brands of underwear, they also sell their own house brand. The Undergear line is notable for making high-quality, basic underwear.

Today I'm going to review their basic cotton ribbed brief. This brief is all about comfort. It is the perfect go-to brief for days when you just want to be comfortable. If underwear could give you a warm, fuzzy feeling inside this underwear would do it. It is made of soft, cotton ribbing material that conforms perfectly to your body. The underwear stretches just enough to accommodate you but the ribbing holds it tight enough so that you are held in place. After wearing them all day they do get stretched out a little bit and there is a little bit of gaping towards the leg holes. But all you have to do is wash them and throw them in the dryer and they're back to normal and ready to wear. These are one of the few pairs of underwear that I throw in the dryer, usually I just line dry my underwear so it maintains its shape. But this underwear needs to be machine dried to maintain its shape - the white elastic banding prevents the briefs from shrinking too much in the dryer.

The style of these briefs is very reminiscent of American Apparel briefs; they are very basic but still stylish. They have white contrast banding around the legs and fly and a white logo waistband. This makes for a very crisp and classic look while still being hip and stylish. The only major difference between Undergear and American Apparel is that American Apparel makes a much larger array of colors. But I feel that the quality of Undergear's briefs is much better than that of American Apparel therefore making up for the lack of color choices.

As I just mentioned, the quality of these briefs is excellent. They hold their shape and color after repeated washes and machine dries - quite a feat for basic cotton briefs. And at the price of $12.99 each (or $10.99 if you buy two or more) they are well worth it. In fact, select colors are now on sale for $3.99. That's an absolute steal! If you're looking at Undergear's site, don't get confused. These are not the low-rise spandex briefs. Those fit quite differently and are not anywhere near as comfortable in my opinion.

So overall, these are incredibly comfortable briefs. They are basics with no frills, but they do their job well. The colorfulness of the briefs, however, gives them a bit of style and fun. You will definitely get your money's worth out of these briefs, especially if you get one of the pairs for $3.99.

MY RATING:
Overall, I give the Undergear Ribbed Brief a total score of 9.3 based on the following criteria:
FIT -- 8.5 (out of 10) - loses shape during the day
COMFORT -- 10 (out of 10)
STYLE -- 9 (out of 10) - basic
QUALITY -- 10 (out of 10)
VALUE -- 9 (out of 10) - a 10 if you get the ones on sale

********** 9.3


Question of the Day:
What are your thoughts on basic underwear vs. fashion underwear? Do you have a go-to pair when you just want to be comfortable?

It's Raining Men

Friday I had the opportunity to go to Macy's Glamorama, a fundraiser fashion show to benefit the Children's Cancer Research Fund. The show ended with a bang when male models came out in nothing but their Papi underwear. The models danced in the "rain" to the Weather Girl's song "It's Raining Men". They were a big hit. It was a great way to wrap up a great show.

As for the underwear itself. The new Papi collection was a lot more out there than previous collections. I've always thought of Papi as basics with style, but this new collection has made them a fashion underwear brand. There were bold, metallic waistbands (a big trend right now). And metallic foil embellishments on the back and legs of some pairs. It was a little difficult to tell exactly what the underwear looked like because it was all wet. But overall, it looks like a fun new collection and I'm excited to see it in stores.

(Also sorry for the lack of photos, I wasn't expecting to need to take photos so I had to rely on my camera phone and the photos that I could find online. Note: the first photo is from the rehearsal where the models did not wear Papi underwear but Armani.)

Saturday, August 15, 2009

Guest Post: Confessions of a 32 Year Old Brief Addict

Today I'd like to welcome guest poster Brflines. He's got a massive collection of briefs - in fact it rivals my own collection. He has a whole album on Flickr devoted to showing off his undies. The photos in this entry are of Brflines' collection and him in them. Here's what he has to say about it:

I admit it, I’m a brief addict! With close to six hundred pairs of briefs overflowing from dresser drawers and storage boxes, it’s gotten to be a bit of an obsession for me. But, despite my credit card balance, I think it’s a fun and sexy addiction and one that has led to new friends and experiences.

ORIGINS
There's something about briefs that I love. It’s about the shape and the way that they fit. For me, they’re very masculine and very personal at the same time.



I don’t remember exactly when I got into buying briefs. I’ve always worn briefs (except for a short time in college in the late nineties when I experimented with boxers) and can remember my fascination with different colors and patterns whilst amongst my peers in middle school and college. It was the mid-nineties and briefs and bikinis were still going strong, and I remember the plethora of different colors and cuts, styles and designs. Seeing my friends and classmates in their briefs and bikinis made P.E. worth going to.

I don’t have the underwear I wore back then in my possession now. But my current collection is much larger and much more diverse. I know I probably didn’t have the cash to build up as varied and extensive a collection until I had left college. I reckon that my current collection began around 2004, when I started to work at a much better paying job.

ADDING TO THE COLLECTION
As you can imagine, when you have close to six hundred pairs of underwear, you sort of max out on the space that you have to accommodate that kind of volume of clothing. So any new additions have to be unusual in color, cut, or design. Right now, I’m really attracted to things that have fun or cool patterns or prints. As you can see from my Flickr album, I own almost every color imaginable, so anything new has to be different. This search for the unusual has pushed my purchases upscale. I started out with American brands like CK and 2xist, but now look for foreign brands like Nikos A., D&G, and Punto Blanco—which gets expensive.

I’m also a fan of underwear from other countries (I’m in the USA). I travel a lot and love to pick up new and different brands that are not available in the states. It’s fun when a guy unbuttons my pants and compliments my briefs and starts asking questions about them. It really gets him focused on the task on hand, and gets his eyes on the prize. My current favorites are Dolce and Gabbana and Nikos A.

I’m still buying briefs and get very excited when I’m shopping for them or waiting for them to be delivered. I hope that the fashion world never stops coming up with new colors or designs for them.

Having such a large collection of underwear leads to organization issues, like what exactly you have and where they're all located. Brflines keeps his collection organized by using an Excel spreadsheet. In his drawers he organizes them by color. How big is your collection and how do you keep it organized? Do you do it by style, color, brand, or something else?

Thursday, August 13, 2009

Wednesday, August 12, 2009

MANstore Maya

MANstore is a great brand that comes from Germany. They come from the same stable as Olaf Benz. MANstore is known for their super sexy underwear that is perfect for those special occasions. One of their new lines Maya recently caught my eye and I thought I'd share it with you today. The Maya line is made from slate grey Titan fabric that has a metallic silver thread woven through it to give it a glittering effect. The yarn is fine enough that it does not detract from the soft finish of the fabric, as is often the case with metallic threads. I really love the way this fabric looks because it is sexy without looking trashy. It keeps the eye's attention and looks incredibly expensive and luxurious. This line is perfect for the bedroom with it's extra features like quick-release clasps on the strip string or metal ring on the circus string. You can get MANstore at Dead Good Undies.

Monday, August 10, 2009

Bonus Entries for Freshpair Giveaway

So I know that there are plenty of you out there that read this blog, but there seems to be a lack of commenting lately. I want to know what YOU think! So to encourage this I will allow you to get a bonus entry in the Freshpair Giveaway each day by commenting on a post. For the comment to qualify please include the words "I want underwear bonus" at the end of the comment for tracking purposes. Also, in your regular entry for the day please note what your username is on the comment or which comment is yours.

For comments to qualify they must be on a post that is a real post and not one like this that is tagged "blog announcement". The comment must be related to the post and must be somewhat lengthy. A comment that simply says "I like this" will not qualify. You may only do one bonus entry per day - although I encourage you to comment as much as you'd like! For the complete rules of this contest please read this post. Good luck and happy commenting!

Sunday, August 09, 2009

New Trend: Men's Shapewear

For a long time women have had the option to modify their body shape using their underwear. Well it was only a matter of time until this trend made it's way to men as well. Now men who are self conscious about their tummy can use their underwear to achieve that slim, toned stomach that they desire.

The first option out there comes from 2(x)ist and is known as their Form collection. 2(x)ist Form is designed to "make abs out of lovehandles". This is accomplished by extending the elastic waistband six inches above the natural waist. While it may not look incredibly stylish, the 2(x)ist does its job and can cut off up to two inches from your tummy. It comes in both brief (shown) and trunk styles in black and white (but more colors are coming soon). It's hard to tell how effective these undies are because the only photos show them on models who already have perfectly toned bodies and don't need the help that the Form collection offers. 2(x)ist Form just came out this month so the availability is limited. But you can currently get it at Skiviez for $26 and $22 for the trunk and brief respectively. Men's Underwear Store also stocks it for a slightly cheaper rate at $18 and $24 for the brief and trunk respectively.

The next two options on the market are undershirts instead of bottoms. I think this option looks better because it could look a little strange to have shapewear showing above one's pants; an undershirt is less noticeable. However, I feel like the underwear is more likely to stay in place because it is anchored at the bottom whereas an undershirt could ride up. So the effectiveness of these options remains to be seen.

The first undershirt comes from a company called RIPT Fusion. RIPT (pronounced "ripped tee") is designed by Heather Thomson who designed and created Yummie Tummie - a women's shapewear line. She saw the need for men to have shapewear as well so she designed the RIPT. The RIPT is a body-sculpting undershirt designed to support your core. It works off the same principle as compression garments like those used in athletics, the only difference is that this is designed to be worn as everyday wear and not just for sports. The RIPT has a patent-pending design that appears to use a compression panel across the midsection to help achieve the desired look. The chest and the sweep of the shirt are made of lightweight cotton that makes this perfect for wearing under any outfit - or even alone! The RIPT only comes in classic white in either crewneck or v-neck. It retails for $58 and can be purchased at RIPT's site or at RibbedTee. Once again it's hard to say just how effective this shirt is, but from the pictures it does appear to tighten the core a lot better than standard undershirts. Stay tuned for a review.

The final product is actually undershirts and underwear. It is from a fairly new company called Equmen. Although it's not exactly designed to be shapewear - it's more of a performancewear brand - it does have similar capabilities. Equmen uses both Core Technology and Helix-Mapping to achieve a supportive, body-enhancing garment. The Core Technology of the garment is basically all about getting the core aligned properly and ergonomically so that everything in the body is positioned in a comfortable manner that puts the least amount of stress on the body. It is also about temperature control of the body. The Helix-Mapping system is a little more complicated. It was designed in conjunction with physiotherapists, ergonomic consultants, and athletic engineers. Basically it is a built in compression and ventilation system. But unlike other compressionwear it targets specific areas for optimal support that works with the bodies natural systems. I know the science is a little complicated but these things have been getting rave reviews. A lot of the reviews have been saying how much more confident it makes them feel. And so maybe that is the point of this shapewear even if it doesn't alter your shape as much as you would like. Shapewear can boost your confidence which in turn leads to better posture and makes you look better. Confidence is sexy. The Equmen undershirts come in three styles: long sleeve, v-neck, and singlet. The underwear is available for pre-order in briefs, trunks and long trunks. Everything is available in four colors: blue, grey, black and white. The shirts sell for about $100 a piece and the underwear goes for about $50 a piece (they will be shipping to the US at the end of the month). Stay tuned for a review of Equmen and a more thorough brand profile.

So there you have it. The new trend on the men's underwear scene seems to be shapewear. What are your thoughts on shapewear? Would you try it?

Saturday, August 08, 2009

New 2(x)ist Metal Collection

2(x)ist just launched another new collection of men's underwear called Metal. The collection takes its name from the waistband on each piece which is a combination of both gold and silver metallic and makes for a flashy pair. The Metal collection includes a no show brief, a no show trunk, a jockstrap, and a v-neck t-shirt. It comes in four colors: cranberry, navy, white, and black. The collection is made of super soft fabric that is sure to have you wrapped in comfort all day long. It retails between $18 - $28 and can be purchased at Skiviez and Malestrom Online (type "metal" into the search bar).

Review: PIPE brief

PIPE underwear is a fairly new brand on the market. Their underwear is high fashion with lots of details that you won't find elsewhere such as velvet flocking, foil lettering, and rhinestones. This company is truly setting the bar for men's fashion underwear. For more details on the brand read my brand profile.

Today I'd like to review their Wings brief. The style is the first thing I'm going to focus on because that's what you notice first. The entire brief is white except for the lined pouch, the leg bands, and the waistband - they are all black. The pouch is accented with metallic gold outlines of wings and crosses. The back features a large, bold "69" emblem and wings also in metallic gold. It's a bold and sexy look that's sure to attract attention. I personally love the waistband on these. It is tone-on-tone black, so the PIPE logo shows up very faintly with the right light. It is a very classy look that allows these briefs to be the perfect choice for a dressy occasion. I really like the decision to make just the pouch black and the rest white; it draws all the attention to the pouch. And the thin, white sides also put the attention on the pouch area. The style on these and all PIPE underwear is very cool and unique and you're not going to find anything like it elsewhere.

Moving on to the actual cut of these briefs. They are a very low-rise, mini-brief. These briefs are just enough to cover all the crucial areas, although they have the appearance of being slightly bigger than they are because of all the bold detailing. But in reality they are quite small. The side panels are some of the shortest that I have seen on briefs. Not only do these briefs look quite fitted, they are quite fitted. They hug the curves of the male body to a t - the designers clearly understand how the male body works. It has the closest fit in the area between the legs (sometimes called the perineum) that I have ever experienced. This tight fit has both its pros and cons. The pro is that it makes for a very sexy look because it so closely follows the male physique. The con is that it is so tight that it allows for a limited range of motion making these briefs a bad choice for athletic activities or sleeping (I like to curl in strange positions while sleeping and these briefs don't comfortably allow that). But then again, one does not generally want to wear fashion briefs for athletic purposes anyway; there are plenty of suitable athletic briefs for that purpose. The briefs do allow for comfortable every day use though.

As I just mentioned, these briefs are not the most comfortable for athletic wear or sleepwear but they are quite comfortable for day to day use. The fabric of these is incredibly lightweight and soft; they're almost like wearing a second skin. In fact, if you touch the fabric while wearing them it almost feels like you are touching your bare skin.

The quality of these briefs is superb! PIPE pays attention to all the details making for an exquisite pair of underwear. They are well worth the $25 that they will set you back. My only complaint is that they are not incredibly versatile (not comfortable for sports or sleepwear). But since they are perfect for everyday wear they make up for their lack of versatility.


MY RATING:

Overall, I give the PIPE Wings Brief a total score of 9.5 based on the following criteria:
FIT -- 10 (out of 10)
COMFORT -- 8 (out of 10) - not comfortable for athletic wear or sleepwear
STYLE -- 10 (out of 10)
QUALITY -- 10 (out of 10)
VALUE -- 9 (out of 10) - a little pricey, but worth it

********** 9.5

Note: This review should hold true for all other briefs from PIPE. The only section that will vary from style to style is the "style" section.


Question of the Day: What are your thoughts on fashion underwear? Do you prefer it over regular underwear?

Friday, August 07, 2009

Free Shipping at Wyzman

Get free shipping on orders $50 or more at Wyzman until Sunday.

Contest Clarification

I just wanted to clarify something about the Freshpair giveaway. You may enter every day, but for each entry to be valid it must be different (have different content) than the previous entries. Since a lot of you have made this mistake I will validate all duplicate entries (even if I emailed you something saying differently) but from now on to submit another entry you MUST have different content in it.

New from aussieBum: Armour

Australian brand aussieBum has outdone themselves - again. This time with their new line entitled Armour. This new line is based around metallic silver fabrics that are meant to represent the armor that medieval knights used to wear. The Armour series comes in three different metallic prints entitled shield, protect, and defend respectively. And all three prints come in both a brief and hipster design (so there are six different pairs in the collection). The fabric has the appearance of armor but with a sleek modern-day look. As is the trend, this series features a big, bold, metallic waistband. They retail for about $50 USD a pair at aussieBum. Don't be left in the Dark Ages - this collection is available for a limited time only so get your Armour and protect yourself while there's still time.

Thursday, August 06, 2009

Follow us on Twitter

Today I have an exciting new feature to announce. Many of you have been requesting this for a long time and it's a feature that tells you what I'm wearing. Whenever I talk to people one of the first things they ask is what I'm wearing. So I thought I'd take the guess work out of it and answer your questions. I have started a Twitter page that will have updates of what I'm wearing (hopefully) every day. You can follow me and my underwear choices on Twitter @ umanmub. I will try to include links when possible. I have also put my Twitter updates into the sidebar of this site as well. I'm new to Twitter though so cut me some slack if the updates are sparse at first.

Wednesday, August 05, 2009

7th Annual National Underwear Day - Exclusive Giveaway!

Today, August 5, 2009, marks the 7th annual National Underwear Day put on by Freshpair. National Underwear Day is a celebration of everything underwear and includes lots of men running around in their underwear, especially in the Times Square area (stay tuned for photos later in the week). We at MUB have been a part of this celebration since our beginnings in 2005 and this year is no exception. Freshpair has made it clear that this year they intend to celebrate National Underwear Day all month long! To celebrate Freshpair would like to offer 10% off to all MUB readers who make a purchase of $75 or more this month. Use coupon code "MensUnderwearBlog" at checkout.

In addition, we are pleased to announce a special giveaway for Men's Underwear Blog readers that will last for the rest of the month.

Here's the deal. You can win one of three gift certificates from Freshpair. The first prize is a $50 gift certificate and there are two second prizes of $30 gift certificates. All you have to do to win is:

1. Send me an email at underwearblog@gmail.com with the subject "I want underwear"

2. Then in the body of the message mention what underwear from Freshpair you'd like to get with your certificate.


It's that simple! Entry period is from Wednesday August 5, 2009 to midnight August 31, 2009 (CST). The winners will be choosen at random. You may enter once per day. Multiple entries in one day will result in the voiding of all entries. The contest is open to anyone 18 years of age or older (or whatever the legal age is in their country). Contest is void where prohibited. We reserve the right to change the rules if needed without warning and disqualify any entries for whatever reason. Men's Underwear Blog is not liable for any technical issues that may result from the electronic gift card. Men's Underwear Blog is not liable for any taxes. Winners will be announced here on Men's Underwear Blog by first name, last initial and location. By entering you agree to have this information published online. Your entry is the property of Men's Underwear Blog and Freshpair and may be used for promotional purposes. Past or present bloggers of Men's Underwear Blog and past or present employees of the sponsor and their immediate family are prohibited from entering.

Review: Kiniki Mesh Tanga

Kiniki is a brand that was founded in 1976. Their goal is to supply style-conscious men with high quality underwear that is not readily available elsewhere. In 1996 they were one of the first suppliers to go online with men's underwear. Their styles have gotten smaller as time has progressed and they are known for being a good source of sexy underwear for men. All their underwear is designed, manufactured, and dispatched in Staffordshire, England.

Although Kiniki does make more basic, traditional underwear, I decided to review one of their more sexy numbers as I've never really reviewed this type of underwear before. So today I will give you my thoughts on the Kiniki mesh tanga. I just want to start out this review by saying that I'm generally not into this kind of garment. When I first received the mesh tanga from Kiniki I was a little skeptical; in fact, I wasn't even sure I was going to try it on. There was nothing wrong with it, I just didn't feel like mesh was my thing; I'm not into super sexy underwear. But Kiniki has made me a convert!

I had the general misconception that mesh underwear would be uncomfortable and itchy and that all the strings would dig into me and leave red marks (as is the case with the waistbands of cheap underwear brands like Fruit of the Loom or Hanes). But that is not the case at all. On the contrary, this tanga is incredibly comfortable. The mesh has just the right amount of give so that it conforms perfectly to the body while still giving you enough support in all the right areas.

It is clear that lots of thought went into the style of these undies. The waistband is just substantial enough to give it a masculine feel while still being thin enough so that it is sleek and sexy. As with all tangas there are no sides. The design is kind of like that of a thong but with a full back instead of a string; there is a pouch in the front and just waistband connecting the pouch to the back. The mesh fabric is designed so that it allows your assets to be seen while still having the appearance of being covered. My only complaint about the styling on these is that there is a fairly large, white tag on the rear of these that is visible through the mesh when worn. It feels as if it was just put on as an after-thought. In fact, Kiniki removed the tag for the purposes of doing their photoshoot (so it is not visible in the photos). But that's not really a big deal because it can easily be cut out. It doesn't itch, but it just looks bad.

In addition to being sexy these undies are perfect to wear during the heat. They are supportive enough so that they can be worn as everyday wear (plus you'll drive your partner mad having them know that you're wearing this underneath all day). The tanga design in general is a good summer choice because it allows for ventilation while still giving support. But the mesh version is even better because it's almost like you're wearing nothing, which is perfect on those hot sticky days. I took mine for a test run on one such day and I experienced none of the sticking that usually results from wearing underwear on hot days.

The fit on these is excellent. As I already mentioned the fabric conforms perfectly to your body. The only issue is that the pouch is a little on the small side so it can really only accomodate your flaccid member. Which may be a bit of a problem when things heat up later, but then again when it gets to that these probably won't be staying on much longer anyway.

So here's what I've learned: sexy underwear is for everyone and does not just have to be worn in the bedroom; it can make excellent everyday wear as well. So go out there and try on a Kiniki mesh tanga, I think you'll be pleasantly surprised. And if you need any more convincing, they're currently on sale for a about $11 USD. What a steal!

MY RATING:
Overall, I give the Kiniki Mesh Tanga a total score of 9 based on the following criteria:
FIT -- 9 (out of 10) - the pouch should be slightly bigger
COMFORT -- 9 (out of 10) - again the pouch
STYLE -- 8 (out of 10) - only because of the tag
QUALITY -- 10 (out of 10)
VALUE -- 10 (out of 10)

********** 9


Question of the Day: What do you think about wearing sexy underwear? Would/do you wear it as everyday wear?

Tuesday, August 04, 2009

Launch: Oroton Underwear

Oroton is an Australian brand that has been around for over 70 years. They are known for their quality and timeless designs. They do not follow fads but instead rely on classic designs and influences. Their style is simple and up market but still beautiful and attainable. Now after 70 years of being in business, they just launched their line of men's underwear last month. The collection is simple and classic. They have briefs and trunks in navy, white, black, and red. A couple styles have stripes. The overall look and feel of Oroton is one of timeless elegence. There is a certain effortlessness about the collection mixed with everyday comfort. It is classic and simple but still modern and wearable. The collection retails for $30 - $35 AUD a piece ($25 - $30 USD). So be sure to put Oroton on your list. And watch MUB for a review.

7th Annual National Underwear Day

Tomorrow marks the 7th Annual National Underwear Day put on by Freshpair. In honor of the occasion they have a whole site dedicated to giveaways and sales. Including winning Calvin Klein, or 2(x)ist wardrobes. And their sales include buy one get one on Bjorn Borg, 20% off Ginch Gonch, 20% off Go Softwear, and lots more! Even though the National Underwear Day is just one day long, Freshpair will be celebrating for the entire month of August! So go check out their site for more info. Also, stay tuned to MUB for a very special giveaway.

Sunday, August 02, 2009

Tribe now available at His Trunks

I'm sure you remember the fantastic new(ish) brand from Australia Tribe that I recently informed you about. Well now Tribe is available at His Trunks as well. So that is another buying option for this sexy new brand.

Saturday, August 01, 2009

Exclusive Offer from Boomlads: 2eros

Boomlads.com is now the biggest seller of 2eros in Europe and to celebrate that they are offering Men's Underwear Blog readers an exclusive offer, a FREE £5 (around $10) gift voucher for ever pair of 2eros you buy from Boomlads before the August 10th. The voucher is a genuine money voucher, not a 'money off' coupon, so you can spend it as you wish. There is also no limit on the number of vouchers you can claim - get £5 for each pair you buy! 2eros combines great fitting underwear in two perfectly tailored styles (brief and boxer) and 5 vibrant colors. With their 'double zero' logo and support system, 2eros makes sexy underwear that you can be proud of wearing. To take advantage of this offer use coupon code "MUB25" at checkout!