Ask! Tell!

Saturday the 18th of December 2010 will go down in history as the day the Senate took the steps needed to end the “Don’t Ask Don’t Tell” legislation that basically permitted military discrimination toward gay and lesbians in the armed forces. This is definitely a step in the right direction! Now all it needs is approval from President Obama who already has said “it’s time to close this chapter in our history”. This victory occurred despite huge opposition led by Senator John McCain, who sadly despite one time being a respected Captain in the U.S Navy will go down in the history books as a fighter against human freedom and as a villain. Congratulations to those who have fought for this day and those who will now have the freedom they put their lives on the line for.

So what does this have to do with underwear? Nothing and yet everything. Sometimes as men we don’t think about the freedoms we have and take them for granted. There was a time when we as men had no freedom in underwear. There was no style, no color, and no fun. Underwear was boring! That is not the case anymore. Celebrate the fact that we have freedom of style and fashion. We can express ourselves starting with our underwear. So remember there are still fights in freedom to be had but don’t forget the freedoms we have. Wear your hot trendsetting underwear with pride because you can now serve your country with freedom!

UMan asks: Since we're asking and telling, why not tell us what you all are wearing today?

The Green Lantern Wears Briefs

I was just at the movie theater and I couldn't help but notice hunky actor Ryan Reynold's briefs prominently on display in the beginning of the trailer for the Green Lantern.  Reynolds can be seen in the trailer jumping out of bed in his white briefs.  No brand is visible, but they are very well fitting and he wears them well.  He is seen again later in his even skimpier superhero outfit in which he wears what looks to be a thong.  Or is it just a trick of the lighting?  It's hard to tell. Whatever he's wearing it's tight and it's hot.  Looking forward for the movie to come out in June. 

Packing for Vacation

Winter vacation season is upon us.  I'm just packing up to head on my vacation tonight (don't worry I'll still be blogging).  Here's a little peek at some of what I'm taking along.  What are you bringing with you for winter vacation?

Tony's Gift Guide

Fa la la la ladies. It’s that time of year again to get the man in your life something that will light up his tree.  What better way to spark that yuletide spirit than to give the gift of love in a pair of sexy men’s boxers or briefs?  The boxer and brief argument stops here. Both have their benefits but the old stodgy image of B&Bs is a thing of the past and belongs in an old black and white movie, something Jimmy Stewart might have worn in “It’s a Wonderful Life.”

Ginch Gonch Blue-Ball Berry.

You can make your man’s life wonderful with a whimsical pair of sport brief underwear from the Ginch Gonch collection. With colorful refreshing styles, like Fruit Juice / Banan-Appeal, Blue-Ball Berry and Melon Balls, your man will have a hard time resisting squeezing into a pair. Designed with 4-way stretch cotton, your man will walk sprightly in comfort, while you smile at his swagger in an enticingly vibrant pair of underwear that is quenching to the eye.

Poor Scrooge was a cranky old sod with “his knickers in a twist” up the arse. If only his secret Santa gave him a pair of Timoteo Red Boxer Brief Quakes, it might have been enough to shake that sourpuss look from his face and avoid a night of soul searching through the cosmos with the three ghosts of Christmas past.  

Timoteo Red Quake Boxerbriefs.

Timoteo Red Boxer Brief Quakes will make your guy tremble with joy at the comfortable feel of this low-rise boxer brief, available in Red-White-Black Logo Waist Band with Red Boxer Brief. Your Christmas will be merry once your man slips into a sharp looking pair of cotton spandex boxer briefs. I won’t even talk about starting the New Year with a bang. 

The Grinch turned green with envy because he didn’t find a pair of Pipe Gold-Boxers last year under the tree. But your man won’t feel underwear envy this Christmas when he receives a trendy pair of Pipe black and gold boxers. Despite the state of his 401K, your man will feel like a million bucks while downhill skiing or shooting hoops. He’ll always be in his comfort zone in a pair of Pipe Gold-Boxers. The pipe dream lives on.  Not sure what to put under the tree. Give your man a Pipe Gift Card, which comes in various amounts.

Safe Sex Underwear

In the fight for awareness and promotion of safe sex we are always looking for new methods to get the word out. Well one man has found a great way to do this through underwear. And when you think about it what better place to put a reminder to wear a condom, since your underwear may be the only thing you’re wearing just before you get to that point with a sexual partner. The design is very fun with patterns of either cows or turtles in eight different sexual positions. And the best part is it comes with a small condom holding pocket!

Thomas Toros showing
off his boXXXers.

Thomas Toros came up with the idea based on his own frustrations scrambling for a condom. And the inspiration for the images came from having seen a pair of cows mating and having a good laugh with his friends. At the 2009 Everything To Do With Sex trade show in Toronto he sold several hundred pairs of the shorts he then named boXXXers. In the beginning he even had his mother making the underwear in her basement which was actually his way of helping her out with employment during a rough period of time. Now after getting help with promotion from a Canadian Television program Toros has a hit! The underwear will soon come in monkey and pig designs and he’s even created a safe sex alphabet series and has a boXXXers blog. You can order the underwear from his website boxxxers.com which also has a cool history of underwear.

This is a great way to build a safer community. The only downside to this line of underwear is that although they carry three different styles for women, panty, lady shorts and thongs, men only have the option of a plain old cotton boxer. Come on Thomas at least give us a brief! But none the less this is a great idea. I am actually very surprised we haven’t seen similar products from more underwear brands. Several companies have designed lines with pockets geared toward phones or MP3 players but I haven’t seen another one with a condom pocket. So kudos to you Thomas and not to take business away from you my friend but I hope your idea inspires others to do the same in working toward a safer world.

UMan says: Actually Dr. NutHut, there are quite a few products before this that have had condom pockets.  Baskit, I believe, was the first to start this trend (although they no longer do this).  You can also get some from 2wink. Dirty Fukker also did this.  Nevertheless, this is a fun new find and definitely worth sharing. 

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.   

Opinion: Did Diesel Go Too Far?

Today we bring you a new contributor Dr. NutHut.  He will be writing all sorts of opinion pieces for us.  Be sure to let us know your thoughts on our newest addition to the MUB force. 

Advertising is an art and in the world of art you’re given an endless supply of freedom. It’s hard to judge art because really there is no wrong way to produce it. However in the world of advertising this art has to be formulated to fit an audience. And in the process of it’s creation it must follow certain marketing, commercial and legal obligations along the way. Sometime ads come out that shock and even disgust individuals, which often is the intent. Or perhaps the endorsement was aimed at the audience drawn to that particular subject matter. Whatever the case the advertiser got your attention, even if you didn‘t want that. This happened recently with a particular promotion for Diesel Underwear shot at the Brooklyn Law School.

The Dean of Brooklyn Law School Michael Gerber called the shots for Diesels Underwear ads inappropriate advertising that caused discomfort and embarrassment for the school. The Dean sent an email out to students apologizing for the ad campaign that was shot on the schools campus. “That’s how much respect they have for the school” said a local woman to the New York Post. Michael from Brooklyn NY said “I see nothing positive about this”. Jordan Hersch a student at the school said “I thought the ad was disgusting”. Some other students were not happy that the behavior in the ads was happening in their library.

After taking this criticism Diesel released more photos from the same campaign except this time the pictures where taken at the New York City Transit Museum. It featured models in Diesel underwear flashing imaginary passengers. However as opposed to the Law School's reaction, Aaron Donovan the Museums spokesman said “this photo shoot was closed to the public, and it provided revenue need to help keep the museum operating”. And even with the Brooklyn Law School shoot not everyone was upset. A lot of students had no problem with the campaign. One man named David from Brooklyn told the New York Post “It’s not inappropriate, it’s clothes, it’s fashion, it’s what Diesels known for”.

So did Diesel go to far? Although the School and many other individuals strongly feel they did, they have to admit legally Diesel did nothing wrong. The fashion company went through all the right channels and received full permission from the school to do the shoot. They went in, did their shoot, paid the school and went on their way. The school agreed to this. The school should have done their research if they were honestly worried about their reputation. A quick Google search of Diesel ads would have told them that they weren’t dealing with L.L. Bean. And Diesel has the full right to advertise this way directing their marketing to a more off-the-beaten-path demographic. Some may not agree with their style nor their grubby slogans and they don’t have to support the company. However we do want to support freedom and diversity. So it’s too bad the Brooklyn Law School had to undergo this discomfort but maybe now they know to do a little investigation before signing a contract. And Diesel well keep being Diesel.

Trevor's Favorite Day

Here's another one of the winning entries.  This one's from Trevor K. from Ontario, Canada.  His favorite day is Friday.  Here's what he has to say about it: "Friday is my favorite day of the week because it means I get a fresh selection of what to wear for the day after the laundry is done!"

Check-In at RibbedTee for Big Savings and a $300 Shopping Spree!

RibbedTee, maker of my personal favorite undershirts, is running a little promotion right now where you can win a $300 shopping spree.  All you have to do is go to their site a couple times a day and check-in with your email address.  Every time you check-in it will be tracked and the more times you check-in the more savings you get.  After 28 check-ins, you get a 30% off coupon, after 42 you get a 40% off coupon, and after 56 check-ins you get a generous 50% off coupon. You can check-in up to 2 times per day (in six hour increments).  I know it sounds like a lot, but if you just remember to do it you can have some big savings.  Just check-in once before you go to bed and then again when you wake up.  It's just like checking your email.  Also, pay attention.  With some of the check-ins they will give you little bits of trivia about their company.  Save these and remember them because you'll need them to enter the grand prize giveaway of $300.  And just FYI, that's a lot of undershirts, so you'll be set for life.  Further details will be given out later as to how to enter to win the grand prize, but in the mean time take advantage of the great savings they're offering just for checking in!  Check out this link for more details. 

Goodnight Eye Candy

Here's a little goodnight eye candy from 2wink.  Hope your bed looks something like this.  Sleep well guys!

Underwear Prose: Wikileaks Exposed, Like Mens Silk Sheer Underwear

Unloading classified men’s sheer underwear into the hands of our allies’ subsequently revealed what lies beneath the austere facade of diplomats.

The Wikileaks dump exposed the bare facts of foreign affairs and required a glib tongue by America’s diplomats and negotiations as smooth as the silk underwear they wore beneath their suits.

Behind closed doors, the conversation lingered into the night showing cracks in the tighty whitey foreign contingency where they shouldn’t be seen. The strain in relations was evident between the tighty whitey band of diplomats, who were high strung and cranky, while their counterparts clad in silky men’s sheers, were always in their comfort zone. At one point, Hillary stepped out of the room to allow the silk clad diplomats to brief the tighty whitey crew on the benefits of being comfortable in their skin.

For the bearers of men’s silk underwear, the long meetings ran without an adjustment or a hitch. The opposite was true for the tighty whitey crew with sweat-stained shirts and dripping brows. They couldn’t seem to find peace in their briefs or in the Middle East. They squirmed and swiveled in their seats, changing positions often while the ambassadors of men’s silk stayed the course.

Damage control efforts were successful. The tighty whitey diplomats saw the superficiality of the Wikileaks. Nothing bobbed to the surface about their subterranean missiles stashed away in secret pouch location points. Only their credit card numbers found their way onto the Intertubes with a salacious hit list of expensive self-indulgent gifts, such vices such as two hundred dollar bottles of the world’s finest champagnes and exquisite gold Chantilly Lace bags filled with chocolate covered nuts.

It seems the Wikileaks site was eradicated from the universe, as the Wikileaks founder is on the run, escaping in a silk suit and tighty whitey underpants. His biggest mistake of all. He’ll be easy to find. Security won’t need a full body scan to see the lines beneath his pants.

To read more stories on mens sheer underwear visit http://www.underwear-addict.com!

Trip for Two to Australia from Sloggi

Sloggi underwear is sponsoring a competition to win a two week trip to Australia for two.  All you have to do is buy any Sloggi underwear from Dead Good Undies and you will receive an entry card with your order that you can fill out and send in to Sloggi to enter.  Athlete Linford Christie's favorite underwear is Sloggi so you know this is good stuff.