Choosing between the styles of Men’s Underwear; the brief, boxer short and boxer brief

Underwear for men can be cool, a real fashion item. The latest Emporio Armani advertising campaign featuring the iconic David Beckham is evidence of this. Too often though men do not pay enough attention to the underwear they wear. In this article I will compare the different styles; the brief, the boxer short and the boxer brief (or trunk) on the basis of fashion, comfort and health.

The brief, more commonly known as the ‘Y-Front’, is a type of tight and short Y-shaped underwear with elastic around the legs. Boxer shorts (also known as loose boxers or as simply ‘boxers’), are longer in the leg and are made from non stretch fabric that hangs loosely over the body. The term has been in use since 1944, named after the shorts worn by boxers for whom easy leg movement was vital. The boxer brief, or the trunk, is the newest of men’s underwear, although similar to the bottom half of the two-part union suits or thermals worn in the 1910s. The boxer brief uses tight fitting fabric like a brief but is longer in the leg like a boxer short.

In terms of popularity, the balance has shifted over time, but in the millennium it is the boxer brief that wins hands-down. If you look at the major designer underwear brands such as Calvin Klein, Emporio Armani and D&G they have a very limited range of boxer shorts compared to trunks and briefs, and it is the trunk that outsells the brief.

Men’s Underwear is a fashion item, and as such can look cool and flatter the physique. The brief has long been associated with the negative term ‘Y fronts’, and is thus perceived as being unfashionable. The brief works very well on an athletic or muscled physique, but is not flattering for the rest of us. The boxer short is made from loose fabric, and therefore does not show off the physique and in my opinion is the least fashionable of men’s underwear. It was in the mid 1980s that the boxer short was perceived as fashionable due to the ‘Launderette’ Levis commercial which starred English model and musician Nick Kamen who stripped to his blue boxers. The boxer brief is in my opinion the most fashionable because it benefits from a body hugging fit, whilst also featuring the flattering longer leg. The most important aspect of tight fitting underwear is that they are good quality, such as Calvin Klein or Emporio Armani, because if they lose their shape the result is truly awful.

For most men the vital characteristic of underwear is the comfort factor. Briefs provide the most support, which some men find comfortable and is best suited to sport. The downside is that they contain tight elastic around the legs, and for many men can feel too restrictive. Unlike briefs though, the boxer brief does not have tight elastic around the legs. Instead they rely on the elasticity of the fabric to provide enough support, making them more comfortable. Boxer shorts provide the most freedom, which some men find comfortable but others find provide too little support. Although boxer shorts are loose, they are not made from stretchy fabric, which means that they do not allow extreme movements. In addition, boxer shorts have a rather nasty tendency to ride upwards which is most unwelcome.

A more scientific approach is the effect of underwear on male fertility. Some studies suggest that tight underwear negatively affects sperm production because of the increased temperature. On the flip side, a study in the October 1998 Journal of Urology concluded that underwear type is unlikely to have a significant effect on male fertility. So by way of a conclusion, the brief is ideal for sport and toned bodies, the boxer brief provides all round comfort and fashion whilst the boxer short is only for the die hard fans.