Ristefsky Macheda - A New Brand Reviewed

Ristefsky Macheda is a relatively new brand hailing from Australia.  You may remember that I put them on my holiday buying guide.  It gets its name from its two designers: Stephen Ristefsky and Vincent Macheda.  Both Ristefsky and Macheda have European backgrounds, but have fully embraced the Australian lifestyle making for a unique feel to the brand.  RM entered onto the underwear scene last year sometime, but it wasn't until this past holiday season that they really got going.  They make great products and their undies are quickly becoming some of my favorite go-to pairs.  Today I want to review one of my favorites, the RM Retro Low Rise Brief. 

As far as the fit of these go. They're what I would call a modest low-rise.  They do sit lower than your standard full-rise briefs, but they aren't quite as skimpy as your average low-rise brief.  They're a nice compromise between the full and low rises, a sort of in-between brief if you will.  The waistband is low like low-rise, but the sides and back have more coverage like a full-rise.  The back fits smoothly over your butt making for a nice, streamlined fit.  The front pouch is a little loose to allow for movement and comfort.  

Speaking of comfort, these are some of the comfiest briefs I've tried in a long time.  Like I already said, these have definitely become some of my go-to briefs.  The soft 95% cotton/5% elastane blend makes for great all-day comfort.  You can really wear these things anywhere.  So no matter what your day has in store, these things will keep you covered and comfy.  The waistband and leg bands are snug enough to make you feel secure, but not too tight to be restrictive.  

These things are simple, but they have style.  The body is a dark, heathered charcoal color.  So even though they appear to be solid-colored in the picture, they are actually slightly mottled in shades of grey.  The waistband is in a contrast white and black.  And the ribbing around the pouch and legbands is in your choice of four colors: yellow, dark blue, red, or sky blue.  I tried yellow.  They are basic with a little retro fun to them.  These things definitely have a little panache to them.  

As for quality, these things are excellent.  As I said, they are one of my current favorites so they get quite a bit of wear and tear.  And they've held up excellently.  As always with quality undies, wash them in cold water and line dry them and you should be fine.  The waistband is triple-seamed, while the other important seams are double-seamed.  So these things should hold up well for quite a while.  At $25 a pair they are on the pricey side for something that is so plain.  But as I said, they're super comfy and they're gonna hold up well.  They're really great for anything.  Buy them, you won't regret it.  

MY RATING:
Overall, I give the Ristefsky Macheda Retro Low Rise Brief a total score of 10 based on the following criteria:
FIT -- 10 (out of 10) - Modest low-rise;  low-rise waist with full-rise coverage. 
COMFORT -- 10 (out of 10) - Super soft fabric.  Room to move. 
STYLE -- 10 (out of 10) - Basic with some retro flair. 
QUALITY -- 10 (out of 10) - Made well.  Triple and double-seamed stitches. 
VALUE -- 9 (out of 10) - Expensive but they'll last you. 

**********10

Holiday Underwear Buying Guide

Buying underwear for someone is a very personal matter. Especially for guys, because (as much as I'd like to argue otherwise) they don't get new underwear all that often, so when they do it's important that it works for them and their body.  That being said, many guys have a strong preference for what style (boxers, briefs, trunks, etc) of underwear they wear.  Some don't care that much or may be happy with a number of different styles, but others care a lot.  So make sure you know your man well before buying.  Also, it is very important for you to make sure you know your man's size.  What he wears in pants may not be the same as his underwear, so make sure you check.  Also, snooping in his underwear drawer may not tell you the completely correct size as it's possible he may have some old undies lying around that no longer fit or never fit.  If you aren't going to ask him outright, make sure you look at a pair that you know fits him well.  It's important you get the right size because most places won't let you return it.

That being said, underwear is a great gift for the holidays and many people love to give and receive it!  So once you've figured out what style and size of underwear your man needs, there's still a whole lot to choose from.  I've broken it down for you based on the personality/type of man who might like to wear each pair.  Use this holiday underwear buying guide as a jumping off point for what to get your man.  While some of these undies may seem a little expensive to you, you're paying for quality so they're worth it.  

And finally, make sure you check shipping times and order early so it arrives in time!

 

For the Classic Man:

Ristefsky Macheda low-rise brief.

• This category is for the guy who likes to keep it simple.  He's not opposed to something with style, but he likes his comfort first.  
• Jockey has some great selections this holiday season for the man who likes to keep it simple.  The Jockey Classics briefs are simple and affordable.  And if your man's a little more adventurous you can get him them in some different colors.  I'm also loving the looks of the Jockey Echelon bikini brief.  Super modern and hip, but still classic and simple.  
• Another one of my new favorites in Ristefsky Macheda.  Their underwear is all about being simple and understated but still body conscious.  I really like some of the briefs they have for their retro flair.   I also love their low-rise brief (shown). 
• Another great option for the classic guy is /baskit/.  I would especially recommend (read my review) something from their Snugfit Seamless collection. 

For the Lover/Boyfriend: 

Embossment Boxer from Intymen.

• This is the category for that special someone in your life or just that guy who you know will love and appreciate some sexy undies.
• Some of my favorites are Good Devil and Intymen.  I personally love the Embossment boxer from Intymen (shown).  Once he's done unwrapping them you can unwrap him.  
• Another good option is Doreanse, a French brand that is newly available to the American market exclusively through Audace.   The name literally means "golden bay".  They have all sorts of sexy undies including my favorite Jungle Brief.  Stay tuned for an upcoming brand profile of Doreanse. EDIT 12/16/10: Doreanse is NOT a French brand, it is just a French name.  The brand is actually from Turkey. 
• Another great new-comer on the market is Croota.  They stock some super sexy bikinis (which are basically thongs) called second skin.   I'm also really digging their WW-III collection, which has military-inspired cargo pockets on the sides. 
• For the super daring and open guy, there's the new K'Mando brand of underwear.  This is just a pouch for his goods and nothing more.  They are quite comfy, but not for everyone. 

The Fun Guy:

Lick brand Check Brief.

• This category is for the guy who likes to have fun.  He's adventurous and not afraid to take risks.  That goes for his fashion choices as well.  He's daring and confident in his appearance.  There's a lot of great new styles out there for this guy.
• Grundies is a great new brand from Australia.  I especially like their aussie collection like the trunk with the Austrlia flag or the trunk with a cock (rooster) printed across the pouch. 
• Another great new brand is Lick, which has four collections: Leisure, Individual, Classic, and Kinky (thus their name Lick).  I personally really like the Individual collection, especially the Union brief and the Check brief (shown).   
• Stonemen has also just released some great new beach-inspired styles, a great way to feel like you're on a vacation this holiday season.  Read what I have to say about them here. 
• And another one of my favorites is Popduds.  These are screen-printed undies with original artworks on them.  You can read my review here.  

The Fashionable Man:

James Tudor retro boxer.

• This category is for the guy that's all about style.  He's all about refinement but also isn't afraid to have a little fun with his fashion choices.  
• James Tudor just released some great new retro-inspired undies.  I personally love this brand with all it's funky details like the fully functional button flies (great for easy access).  I'm particularly loving the new retro boxer (shown).    
• Another great brand for the stylish guy is 2eros.  They're underwear is all about refined style that is still very form flattering and original.  I really like the looks of their newest Icon 3 series. 
• And finally there's the habitual favorite aussieBum.  This brand offers a lot of great stuff.  Some fits into fashion, some is more fun.  All in all aussieBum is just a great brand.  But their stuff is very personal, so make sure you know your man well before buying. 

The Sporty Guy:

• This is for the guy who is athletic and likes to do sports.  He is very body conscious and keeps in good shape and is proud of it.
• My favorite underwear for working out is Equmen brand briefs because they support and wick well.  Check out my review here.