18 Types Of Men’s Underwear

Men’s underwear is seeing a big hike in terms of its designs, fabrics, durability and finesse. From baggy nappies to G-strings for men, experts have recently started working on some flattering shapes and styles.

And we’re here to tell you all about the different types of men’s underwear because it’s high time your girl starts seeing something other than your hole-istic, dark-coloured, often faded undies.

1. Briefs

Briefs are your everyday, run-of-the-mill underwear. You’ll find a good variety of colours, rises (low, medium, high) and designs in this one.

The design allows briefs to conceal your privates and buttocks, but the coverage is not extended to your thighs or legs. The absence of extra fabric might not make it a good fit for men who need support around the thighs, but it allows briefs to fit under any tightly-fitted piece of clothing.

Briefs are suitable for light sports and day-to-day routines.

To choose the right one, you must understand the 3 rises:

Low-rise briefs: Sit below the waistline over the hips. Wear it with low shorts, low-rise jeans and gym clothes.
Mid-rise briefs: Sit at the waistline. Fit better with board shorts, regular-cut jeans and dress pants.
High-rise briefs: Stops right below the belly button. Designed to conceal love handles and smoothen the appearance of the stomach area. Wear them with high-waisted pants.

Check for price

2. Boxers

Boxers are for the guys who prefer a little freedom down there. The style offers the most breathability, but hardly any support for the intimate area.

So you can enjoy relaxing in boxers at home. They’re excellent for lounging. Even walk around to the nearby areas, but it’s not an appropriate innerwear for the gym, You cannot do jumping jacks wearing boxers.

Stick to a relaxed fit, do not settle for a burlap sack. There’s a huge difference between the two. The fabric should be soft. The fit shouldn’t make you feel like you’ve gone commando. It should rather make your nuggets feel relaxed once they’re out of your super tight jeans.

Check for price

3. Boxer-Briefs

As the name clarifies, boxer-briefs give you the best of both worlds. It is also referred to as “briefs plus” as it extends down to cover half of your thighs. Basically, you get the support and you get the comfort.

Do you know who came up with this brilliant design? Calvin Klein.

In 1992, the designer introduced a line of men’s underwear. The design that’s now popular as boxer-briefs was modelled by rapper Marky Mark.

Made with a blend of comfortable fabrics like cotton and spandex, boxer briefs are fine for everyday use.

Check for price

4. Trunks

Trunks are a cross between a brief and a boxer brief but without too much extra fabric covering your thighs. The slightly different-looking trunks have a square-cut appearance and shorter legs than a boxer brief.

A trunk can either be defined as a shorter boxer brief or a longer brief. Trunks, again, were introduced by Calvin Klein in 1999 to provide just enough coverage for casual wear. So your undies are not peeping out when you’re chilling in your boy shorts.

While trunks are equal parts sexy and comfortable, they’re not the best choice for playing sports.

Check for price

5. Hipsters

Hipsters are for the guys who like their undies to stay hidden under jeans or pants.

This type of men’s underwear sits down the hips—a very flattering look for the ones with a flat stomach.

The only difference between trunks and hipsters is that trunks can have a higher waistband, which sits on the hip.

Check for price

6. Sports Underwear

Sports underwear cannot be like your cotton-tighty whities. It needs to be equally supportive, moveable and breathable. Athletic Boxer Briefs are usually preferred by men who like to play sports due to the extra material down the legs. The underwear is designed to avoid skin-on-skin contact. This allows the material to wick sweat but also helps in avoiding rashes, jock itch and chafing.

You’ll find most sports underwear made in nylon, polyester, Merino wool and bamboo. They are more breathable and sweat-wicking.

Check for price

7. Thongs

Yes, men’s thongs exist! Thongs are basically the minimum of every—coverage, support and fabric. For men, who don’t want the underwear lines to be visible, thongs might be a sensual and erotic choice.

With just a little coverage in the front attached to strings that go around your waist, thongs leave your back bare. You can wear them while relaxing, at beaches, during a spa session and under swimwear.

There are two adaptations of men’s thongs: G-string and T-shape thongs. T-shape thongs have thicker waistbands and provide slightly more coverage at the front.

Check for price

8. Jockstraps

A jockstrap has quite a few names—an athletic supporter, a posing pouch and a jock. It fully protects and supports the front, but not the backside. You can say it’s backless.

The underwear style was invented by C.F. Bennett for delivery men who rode bicycles over the cobblestone streets of London.

But now jockstraps are seen as one of the most appropriate choices for heavy sports activity as it lifts the delicates up and away from the body.

A jockstrap features two leg bands that fall to the sides of the glutes and connect between the legs at the underside of the pouch. A classic jockstrap has a pouch inside the front piece.

Check for price

9. Tanga

Tanga is a pair of briefs that gives coverage to the front area and are connected with fabric bands around the waist. The waistbands are thin but thicker than the G-string. You can wear it under your regular clothes or even when you’re dressing for something special.

Check for price

10. C-String

You might not need this one unless you’re planning to get into modelling but it is our duty to let you know that C-string for men exists.

The C-string has a built-in C-ring that exposes your front part as well as your back with a brief front coverage. It’s mostly available in neon colours and is used in clubs as a sensual tool.

Check for price

11. G-String

G-strings are a type of thongs that provide minimum possible coverage. It’s certainly not the choice of athletes or the faint of heart.

A G-string comes with a thin piece of fabric that connects the front pouch to the waistband. The buttocks are completely exposed.

Consider it the line between bikini briefs and going commando.

Check for price

12. Dual Pouch Underwear

Dual pouch underwear is made from cotton and stretchy material. Most of these are breathable and comfortable. It’s designed to keep man’s intimate areas comfortably separate and fresh, keeping them out of anything sticky.

You can wear it during vigorous activities, cycling, racing or any other gym activity.

Check for price

13. Mankini

They are men’s bikinis, hence the name. Mankinis have more fabric than G-strings and come with a sling that stretches to the neck and comes back leaving the back bare.

Mankini is designed without the waistband. It features a fly for sunbathing and spa purposes. Nowadays you can also find more publicly acceptable varieties of this style.

You can wear it while modelling, sunbathing, swimming, tanning or as beachwear.

Check for price

14. Sissy Panties

Sissy pouch panties for men are new. They’re sexy, often made in silky, lace and stretchy material with insert pockets.

The material is what makes it so popular for intimate moments. Every man might not feel comfortable wearing these but if you are ready, know that you have the option.

Check for price

15. Padded Underwear

Padded underwear has removable silicone pads at the back. But let’s not stop there. They are comfortable and sexy. Padded underwear is designed with perfectly shaped hidden pockets on the front side.

They are used to get bigger rounded booty as well as a better fit. The pads give you lift and extra size without any visible lines.

It’s suitable for gym, cycling, racing and other vigorous activities.

Check for price

16. Bikini Briefs

Men’s bikini bottoms do not feature flys or waistbands. They are mostly used for sunbathing. But you might also see your favourite bodybuilder wearing one as it’s a part of their uniform.

Bikini briefs are not for activities including swimming. They conceal more area than a jockstrap or a G-string which makes them more popular.

Check for price

17. Tights

Tights aka compression shorts for men are often worn at the gym, while cycling racing and vigorous exercises. These babies are made up of fibres. They’re designed to cling to your skin and protect your muscles from any form of a tear.

Check for price

18. Midway Briefs

Midway briefs are basically the undies that provide way more coverage than the regular briefs and the boxer briefs. The legs are longer than boxer briefs.

Check for price

How To Choose A Comfortable Pair Of Underwear

Men’s underwear should fit snug. Not too tight. Not too loose. Underwear too tight can lead to chafing, skin irritation, rashes and discomfort.

So how do you choose the right pair of underwear for yourself then?

Points of focus

Pick a pair of cooling fabrics, moisture-wicking technology, testicular support and good fit. Fabrics like cotton, bamboo cotton and modal underwear are best known for their comfort.

Underwear small in size may also make you look heavier and will be followed by a lot of adjusting and pinching. So avoid the temptation of wearing a smaller size of undies at all costs.

Stick to a style that works for you

Men’s undies come in so many different styles. Not sure if that overwhelms you. But every type of underwear has its pros and cons. Weigh them as per your body’s needs.

Remove tags and labels

They can irritate your skin. Cut them once you’ve read all the care instructions and the size.

Buy what you can take care of

Proper care is essential for ensuring that your undies have a long shelf life. Always read the care labels carefully. Avoid using scented sprays or after washes on your underwear. It may cause discomfort to your nether regions.

Don’t try to mix fashion and comfort

With innerwear, comfort comes first. Fashion is the least of your priority. So do not compromise on the comforting features in the name of fashion.

The Bottomline

Try not to judge an innerwear by its price. Always dig a little deeper and think in terms of materials, seams, colour, fitting, support and comfort.

If you don’t feel good in your intimates when you wear them, you will struggle throughout the day regardless of how expensive or cheap your outfit is. So invest in good quality and comfortable pairs.