Boqari - New Underwear Brand

I was contacted about two weeks ago by someone at Boqari, asking if I would be interested in trying some of their underwear and reviewing them on my blog. I had a look around their site and picked two different styles to review and couldn't decide on colours for the style I'm wearing today and listed both, and to my absolute surprise, they sent both colours to me.  Three pair, three colours, two styles to review.  This is the first of them.

I knew that I was going to have a crazy busy day and that I would be up and down and on the run alot, so I wanted to test drive these on one of those days and see how well they held up to the punishment, so to speak.  Being a trunk style, meant that I could wear then under shorts or jeans and not have to worry about lines or being seen.  The fact that they are seamless meant I knew I wouldn't have any pinching or rubbing in odd places.  As soon as I got them out of the package, I knew I would enjoy wearing them.  The material is light and soft and felt great on all day.  The slight argyle pattern added to the dimension of fun.

I was a little skeptical about the fit as they offer two sizes S/M and L/XL.  It has been my experience in those circumstances that the fit is never right, but I was extremely surprised and happy that they fit amazingly well when I pulled them on.  They were a great fit - not too tight and falling off in places, just sitting nicely on me.

Throughout the day they wore well, never pulling or binding and never riding up in the legs.  When I took them off at the end of the day, they hadn't stretched out beyond recognition either.  Overall, this is a great pair of underwear and I'm looking forward to wearing the other two pair!

As mentioned, the underwear are seamless, and made of an ulra-soft woven nylon blend.  You can have a look or order here.  I would definitely recommend!  This style (Argyle) is available in grey, blue and purple - definitely colours that pop!  This pair of Bad Boy Blue Argyle was furnished by the folks at Boqari for the purpose of this review. 

Boxer briefs - the crossover of the underwear world!

Quite honestly, I am beginning to wonder how I got the short end of the stick – so to speak in our initial assignments on the types of underwear out there! I got trunks (yet to be posted) boxer briefs and briefs while my co-bulger got bikinis/hip briefs, thongs and jocks. How did that happen?

Regardless, today we are going to talk about boxer briefs. I think the one thing I will always associate with boxer briefs is that they made their meteoric rise to fame while I was growing up. Calvin Klein used Marky Mark to make them famous, and make them something that everyone wanted to have!

I will admit that at one point they were a huge staple in my underwear rotation. There were some great styles and colour selections out there. There were great fabrics. The thing about boxer briefs that made them popular is that they were a crossover between the comfort and support of a brief and the longer coverage of a boxer. When they first hit the scene the legs on boxer briefs were much longer than they are even now, I remember them going down to almost my knees (or maybe I’m just short).

Boxer briefs allowed you the comfort of the soft cotton that you found in briefs, a variety of colours as well as supporting your goods much more than boxers did. They didn’t allow you to flop all over the place the way boxers did, yet they weren’t as restrictive as regular briefs were. You had a little more room to grow and breathe. It seemed like the perfect fit for guys that didn’t like flopping around in boxers but felt too restricted in briefs. It was a perfect marriage that has only improved with time.

You can now get boxer briefs from almost every designer that makes underwear, but I will admit that the pioneer in the effort – Calvin Klein still makes the best in my opinion! Whatever your chose to wear boys – make sure you find the fit that works for you and wear them well and proudly!

Jockstraps - Just for sports or everyday wear?

Of all the types of underwear out there, from the strange styles to bold and florescent colors, the only thing that holds true for me is that jockstraps are the staple of my underwear collection. For the last six years, I have slowly increased my underwear collection and my assortment of jockstraps has been the biggest grower of them all. I have over 60 jocks of various styles and colors in both categories of fashion and athletic jocks. Without a doubt, I can say whole-heartedly that jockstraps are for more than just sports gear. There are several good reasons why I feel jockstraps are great for everyday wear.

First, jocks give you all the support you would find in briefs or boxer-briefs if not more. Actually, I think they give more support than a typical brief or boxer-brief. With a jockstrap, the design is mainly focused on the pouch since a jockstrap is about 95% pouch, where as, with a pair of briefs or boxer-briefs, the pouch isn’t the only thing that has a designers focus. From personal experience while playing numerous high school and college sports, a jock is the best way to go when you want to have the maximum amount of support for your junk.

Second, I believe another great benefit of a jock is that it only has enough material to perform its specific job. There is no excess material like there is with briefs and boxer-briefs. This not only allows for increased freedom of movement but also reduces/eliminates the material from bunching up or riding up on the wearer. I am sure most guys have had to adjust their boxer-briefs when they ride up on them and bunch up around their upper thighs and hips. It’s not comfortable at all. Besides the freedom of movement, there is also the added breathability. When playing any sport at all, you want to be able to stay cool and reduce the amount of material on your body that would soak up and hold onto your perspiration as well as your body heat. While living in both Washington, D.C. and Atlanta, GA I’ve found the less you have on the better when it comes to temperatures that can get up into the hundreds. I think if I had to choose between wearing a jock under a pair of dress slacks and briefs, I would choose the jock hands down. I would stay cooler while going about my daily routine.

The factors I have listed thus far are strong reasons why I believe jockstraps are great for everyday wear. But there is one more I personally think is worth mentioning. It is the hot/sexy factor! I think that jockstraps are sexy and I think there is something hot about having something on that gives you the support you need during daily activity and, at the same time, feeling enticing. The leg straps on a jock do a great job of framing your rear and setting up a great view for the lucky person getting to see you in them.

In the end, it’s a combination of both function and fashion. A jockstrap gives you the maximum amount of support any guy would need during the day, doing any number of activities, and a jock also has a sexy factor to it. It accentuates and leaves things to the imagination if you aren’t wearing one of the jocks available these days made of mesh or sheer material. In that case, you are leaving nothing to the imagination and bearing it all to see.

Let's Be Brief

What goes through a guy’s mind when he’s out shopping for new underwear styles? They’re not shopping much if you believe a recent survey that says 22% of respondents are wearing underwear that is more than a decade old! It’s time for some new underwear guys! This blog will hopefully help you find the style and colours and brands that are right for you!
When I was growing up, most guys were wearing traditional briefs, or tighty whiteys. Some wore briefs that were full of colour, and those were and are still popular, but the majority of underwear worn by guys was hands down, white briefs. I was among the ranks that wore white briefs, until high school, when I started to branch out a little more. I still have a pair or two of white briefs, you never know when the occasion will call for them. My white briefs now are either Calvin Klein or 2xist, so they’re a little more stylish that others, and not as “full,” which is my one complaint about full briefs usually.

When it comes to briefs, there seem to be two schools of thought out there: love or hate. There isn’t much in-between. Guys that love them usually wear them all the time, white or colours. Guys that hate them, don’t even have them in their drawer, and if they do they’d rather go commando if it comes to that or wearing the only pair of clean underwear in their drawer that happens to be briefs.

Briefs offer more coverage than hip/sports briefs and bikinis. They offer less coverage than boxer briefs and boxers, but more support than a boxer does. They typically have full coverage in the rear, which is very important to a lot of guys, and full coverage up front for those that are a little modest when it comes to showing off the goods. They don’t hug as tight as boxer briefs do, so there’s less visible, usually. All of this is usually what makes them appealing to their fans.

I think if you’re an underwear lover, as I’m guess you are since you’re reading this blog, there’s a place for briefs as a part of your collection. They can be novelty briefs, briefs full of colours or patterns that you wouldn’t normally buy. They can be a specific brand that you’ve found that seems to nail the traditional brief and makes you feel amazing.

It can take some trial and error, and some degree of searching, but the right brief can be found. Use your imagination and think outside of the tighty whitey box, underwear has come a long way!

Why are guys scared of thongs?

What is on the mind of the average guy when they think of thongs for men? And why is there some kind of taboo against wearing them. I myself have worn thongs on and off over the past seven years. I have times when I am all about them and times when I am not. I have a pretty decent collection of various styles. Some are very comfortable and some are just the opposite. But obviously I don’t have any of the issues that seem to be floating around out in the general population. Let’s try and see if we can make the thong a bit less scary for all the guys out there.
A thong is not just for women. Men deserve variety in their underwear choices as well. If we are going to have equality, we should have it everywhere, even underneath our clothes. Also, men deserve the chance to be sexy, pure and simple. Being sexy is the really reason thongs were created in the first place. To make a women look sexy to reveal more to their other half without revealing everything. Men should be able to do the same. And as luck would have it there are an increasing number of underwear manufactures that are beginning to see that. They are taking the thong and giving it a bit of a twist so that men can start to see that a thong can be something both sexy and macho. Guys, don’t be afraid to show off a little more. The end result might be more exciting and unexpected then you think.

One of my very first thongs is a great example of a thong meant to appeal to guys. It was the Tactics jock that I picked up from Undergear.com. Now you are probably thinking, “it’s a jock” but it isn’t. The Tactics jock is actually a Y-back thong. It has both a sexy and athletic look and feel to it. The waistband and pouch are made of very comfortable material. I still own this jock and always love to wear it. By the way, I own the Tactics jock in a size medium. The only negative about the Tactics jock is that Undergear.com no longer carries it. I am not sure if that means it has been discontinued. Another great jock that also likes to hide under the name “jock” is the RIPS jock. This thong also has the same characteristics that the Tactics jock has. It is a Y-back thong that has a great pouch made of comfortable material that has an athletic look and feel to it, besides being sexy. I actually picked up several pairs of the RIPS jock back in the day when it was the best thing out there. Unfortunately I bought them in a size medium and I wasn’t able to stay that size. I am currently back in the range to wear the medium but I was able to find the RIPS jock in a large and it fits very well, with a good amount of room. The downside to the RIPS jock is that it has been discontinued and can only be found on a few sites that still have remaining stock.

One thing that you can conclude from my choices is that I have a preference for Y-back thongs. For me, I feel that the best thongs are ones that are so comfortable you don’t know that the rear string is “you know where”. And to make that happen, less material is better. So a Y-back style thong is for me. But I don’t want you guys out there to ignore the other style that is out there, the T-back thong. I have several in my collection that are T-backs. But again for me less material is more comfortable when constructing the rear string. Usually, with a T-back thong there is more material to deal with near the waistband. However, there are a few brands that make a version of the T-back thong that I find suitable. Two brands that have a T-back thong that have the right cut and style are Unico and Sauvage. As I write this article I am actually sporting the Unico thong. I would have to say that it’s very comfortable. There is plenty of room in the pouch and the rear string is barely noticeable. I do like this brand but it does have one flaw. The sizing runs small so you would want to always get at least one size up then what you normally get. My Unico thong is a size extra large.

So gentleman, take the plunge and try on a thong. You never lose anything by trying. If you feel that it might be a waste of $$$ then you just need to check out a few discount stores or website that have one on clearance and pick one up. And after trying it, if you still don’t like it, I will take it off your hands. For me, you can never own too many.

a Q&A with our Bulgers in Chief

Q) What got you into underwear?

We’ve both already had a post that talks about what got us into underwear, feel free to read all about where our interest/fetish came from!

Q)What are your favorite brands?

Wraith - I would have to say that a majority of my underwear is C-IN2, followed by Calvin Klein and 2xist. As of favorites I would say that I love my C-IN2, Dirty Fukker, Ergowear, N2N Bodywear and Cocksox the most.

Undies Boy - I would have to say that Andrew Christian, Obviously, Aussiebum, Ergowear, N2N Bodywear and Underdaks are among my favorites

Q)What’s your favorite style to wear?

Wraith - Style-wise, I would so that what I wear the most are jockstraps. I would say that out of 7 days in a week, I wear a jock 6 of those days. After a jock I would say briefs are the next style I like. On occasion I will sport a thong or a pair of trunks/boxer-briefs.

Undies Boy - in terms of styles, I would say I am all over the board. I have a little of all in my collection. The majority of my collection is trunks and briefs (bikinis, hip briefs, low rise), but I do have a little of everything. I will wear a thong and boxer-briefs at times as well.

Q)Are there any colours or styles that you don’t like to wear?

Wraith - Styles that I don't really like would have to be plain old boxers. I am not a fan of how baggy they are and the not-so great way they look on a guy. I also don't like the old style of briefs. The style where the side panels of the briefs are long and have a great deal of material. Just think of the old style of briefs your father or you wore back in the day. Color-wise I would have to stay that without seeing them I would say that I don't like strips or poke-a-dot. I usually like solid colors or solid colors with some accent color either on the stitching or the elastic waistband. Now there are some patterns that are out there that are geometric that are pretty cool.

Undies Boy - I really don't wear boxers, except to lounge around the apt or to sleep in if there is company around. I'm not a huge fan of old school tighty-whiteys as well, or full briefs in general - no matter what the colour or pattern. I am pretty open when it comes to colours and patterns, so not necessarily an issue there.

Q)Are there fabrics that are better or worse than others for underwear?

Wraith - For sure! There are materials that are great and some that are not-so great. But I think that it also depends on the person. Everyone has a preference. I personally like underwear made out of bamboo. I also think that the blends that work to wick away sweat are very flexible and comfy. Some of the brands that use fabrics that I like are Andrew Christian, Ergowear, N2N Bodywear, C-IN2, and Cocksox.

Undies Boy - Of course there are, but it's a really personal thing sometimes. I love underwear made of natural fibers, cotton, bamboo, etc. And for working out there are some great fabrics that wick away the moisture, which is exactly what you want when you're working out.


Q)How did you find the style that works best for you?

Wraith - I think it’s a combination of styles that work as well as styles that the wearer enjoys. I personally enjoy wearing a jockstrap. I like this style for several reasons. One, I think they look hot on other guys. Two, I think that I look good in them, especially when I wear the right cut of this style in the right size. I also like briefs, but more specifically, I like hip briefs or sports briefs as well as thongs on rare occasions. I figured out what I liked by doing research online and reading websites and blogs. I also just chat with others who are interested in underwear to get their honest opinion. Finally, I took the leap and I bought stuff I wanted to try out. Sometimes you find something that works out great and sometimes you don't. But the fun is in the searching.

Undies Boy - I agree with Wraith, sometimes the fun is in the research and conversations you get to have with other underwear lovers out there. I know that I went through a period of figuring out what looked good on my body, what I liked and felt comfortable versus what I thought looked hot on other guys. I am sort of going through that again right now. As my body is changing from working out regularly, and with the trainer, previous notions of what I thought didn't look good on me are changing. For example, as hot as I thought low-rise/no-show briefs looked on other guys, I never thought they looked good on me, now that most of the love handles have left me, I feel like they look much better, and are actually one of the styles I can pull off now. It's all about knowing what you feel sexy in, what looks and feels good on you and how you feel about your body - see the next question as well.

Q)What about sizing – what’s the best way to know what will fit your body type/shape?

Wraith - First thing first, you have to know and accept your body type. For me, I know that I am a big guy that has broad shoulders, a bubble butt and a bit of a belly. With this in mind I know that crazy skimpy underwear would NOT look good on me. After saying that, I know that I like jockstraps and I know that there are jockstrap cuts out there that work well with my body type so that is what I buy. Besides jocks I know that I can also pull of briefs as well as trunks and boxer-briefs. And for those who like big guys in thongs, I don't mind pulling off the look if I know that it’s appreciated. Size wise I would say that I am either L or XL. Totally depends on the brand and the cut.

Undies Boy - Again, in agreement with Wraith, first you have to know and accept your body type, which might take a little work. As I mentioned previously, I have worked hard to get rid of the bit of belly and love handles that I had and to get the tummy flatter. When they were there, I used to wear bikinis and fuller briefs alot, along with boxerbriefs and trunks. Now that I've lost them, some of the smaller hip brief and low-rise/no-shows look much better on me - not to mention the trunks and bikinis looking better too, but that's just a bonus. I also know that I don't feel great about my ass and thighs right now, so a jockstrap, while comfortable, isn't something I sport often as underwear until I feel better about that area. Some of the crazier, skimpier stuff is hit and miss. If you think you'll look sexy in it and will feel comfortable, give it a try - what have you got to lose? I would caution to read the site or brands sizing information though, and not get hung up on the letters (S, M, L, XL, etc.). For example, given my waist size, in some brands I am an XS/S and in others I am a L. I gave up worrying about what letter was on the waist band, as long as the company told me that that letter would fit my waist-size. Sometimes, it takes trying a brand to see as well. For example, according to Andrew Christian, I am between a M and a L for their stuff. I bought a L and it was too big, so I knew I would be a M. I also tend to add an inch to my waist size to allow for shrinkage in the wash.

Q)What’s the best thing about having a variety of different underwear to pick from?

Wraith - I think the best thing about have a large collection of underwear is the chance to pick my underwear for the day based on my mood as well as what I have on the schedule for the day.

Undies Boy - I think that there's a benefit and a drawback. I love having a bunch of options to work with depending on my mood, activities for the day and what I'll be wearing as well. That, however has lead me a few times to think that I don't have enough time to wear everything I have. I'm currently on a quest to wear every pair of underwear I have at least once before I wear any pair again. I'm almost at 300 days with no end in sight anytime soon.

Q)How do you pick which underwear you’re going to wear everyday?

Wraith - If I know I plan to hit the gym after work then I make sure to sport a jock or sports briefs that are perfect for the gym. But if I am planning to hit up happy hour I will plan to wear something skimpy like a pair of hip briefs or maybe even a hot little y-back thong. But just like my good friend Undies Boy, if I am not feeling so skinny I will wear a stylish pair of trunks or boxer-briefs.

Undies Boy - I think about what else I'm going to be wearing for the day, what I have to do throughout that day, and allow for some spontaneity since my job has me doing anything and everything sometimes and then also my mood for the day. I would be lying to say that my mood and what I was feeling didn't factor into my underwear. If I'm having a "fat day" I tend to revert back to the underwear I wore before I lost some weight and toned up and hide behind my boxerbriefs or fuller cut briefs, and conversely, if I'm having a day where I feel really fit and skinny, I'll tend to branch out and wear something a little skimpier and sexier.

Q)Do you ever worry about being seen in some of your underwear – like thongs in the locker room at the gym or something like that?

Wraith - Well I would like to say that I have the strength of character to say the exact same thing that Undies Boy says but I can't. For starters, I wear jocks about 95% of the time. So I usually don't have much to worry about since a jock is always gym appropriate. But sometimes if I am sporting a thong or a skimpy pair of briefs I can get a bit self conscious, especially when I have a body type that likes to yo-yo with weight.

Undies Boy - If any of my underwear gave me that much cause for concern I doubt they’d be in my collection. I have been in the locker room in thongs and sheer underwear from N2N Bodywear. I live in NYC, I go to a gym that's pretty gay and let's face it, you see it all in NYC, and so I have less of a concern there. I do tend to go conservative on days I know I'll be at the doctors, or someplace like that where I know I'll be down to just my underwear - I don't wear see through there or thongs, I try to keep it a little more traditional on those days.

How I got hooked!

It’s hard to say when I first became interested in underwear. I remember in middle school and high school that I was always wondering what all the other guys were sporting under their pants or shorts. It was something I wanted to find out. So I began taking a few extra looks here and there or stared a bit longer while getting ready before and after gym class. Once I got older, I figure out what was driving me to take a few more looks. Once I figured it out, I slowly started to build a very large collection of underwear which varies from briefs and boxers to jockstraps and thongs.

When it comes to underwear, there are two phrases that come to mind, “I will try anything once, if not twice” and “less is more”. My collection is pretty extensive and ranges from boxer-briefs that give total coverage and thongs that don’t give much of anything. I think the skimpier the better. Of course, having my body type might not lend well to always being able to pull off something very skimpy. For the most part, underwear is for the wearer.

I think my favorite style of underwear is the jockstrap. It blends my need for wearing almost nothing with having support and my desire to still have a masculine feel to my underwear. My jock collection is somewhere around 60 pairs and they range from the traditional athletic jock with the 3 inch waistband to a very revealing sheer jock with a built-in pocket for my junk.

Now the same can be said of a thong when it comes to being revealing but at the same time there is an added factor when it comes to comfort. The right style and fabric is necessary to make sure that an hour after you put it on you are not looking for the closest private area to switch to commando for the day.

Whether it’s a jock, a thong, or a pair of briefs, the most important thing is how it makes me feel. I want something comfortable and, at the same time, fun. For someone who would rather hang out in just underwear or nothing at all, picking out the right pair each day is essential. It gives me the chance to be me under my slacks and tie.