Men’s Underwear Styles Explained: What You Need to Know

Boxers

One of the most classic types of men’s underwear, boxers are a loose-fitting style that typically hits at mid-thigh and fits kind of like a pair of shorts. Picture gym shorts, but without the drawstring at the waistband, and probably shorter. More often than not, they’re made of cotton or stretch cotton. Many guys like the airy fit and freedom of motion that boxers provide.

Boxers are best under loose-fitting pants and, now that those are coming back in style, it might be a good time to say goodbye to skinny jeans and invest in some boxers. But if you like the length of boxers, just not the loose fit, keep scrolling to learn about the difference between these and boxer briefs.

Boxer Briefs

One of our most popular men’s underwear types, boxer briefs really are the best of both worlds. Whereas regular boxers have a loose fit, which can ride up or get scrunched under your jeans, boxer briefs have the length of a boxer with a form-fitting silhouette more reminiscent of a brief. This beneficial design is the main cause of the style’s everlasting popularity. Our boxer briefs have comfortable, elasticated waistbands for a perfect fit.

The length of the legs can prevent chafing, leading to comfortable all-day wear. A lot of our boxer briefs also have breathable mesh cutouts for a cool feel and extra airflow, and some feature ergonomically designed pouches for comfortable support where you need it. So if you haven’t tried on a boxer brief by Leo yet, check them out and choose your next favorite style.

The outline of boxer briefs may still show under tighter pants and more fitted trousers, so you may want to think about investing in some briefs if you’re really looking for that no-show look. Regardless, boxer briefs are a little tighter than regular boxers, making them basically invisible under loose-fitting trousers and shorts.

Briefs

Alright, we’ll say it: briefs are underrated. Boxer briefs have been the darling of the men’s underwear world for a long time, which is completely fair, but we think it’s time for briefs to have their day and to gain more recognition.

A brief is a style that offers full coverage in the front and back, just not the thighs. This classic silhouette is often referred to as “tighty whities”, especially when they’re, well, tight and white in color. Just like the other styles we’ve mentioned, briefs have an elasticated waistband and leg bands, it’s just that the leg bands fall right under the hips.

For completely no-show underwear, something that won’t even show under your tightest trousers, you gotta try briefs. Our styles take it even further, as they’re made of materials that are specially engineered for a no-feel effect. These breathable briefs allow for extra airflow and have a design so light, you’ll forget you even have them on.

Trunks

If you’re looking for a boxer brief in a shorter style, one that just covers the top of the thighs, briefs may be the perfect option for you. They cover more than a brief, but less than a boxer brief, while having a similar fit to either one. So that’s the best of both worlds, right?

Trunks are great to wear under shorts because there’s no risk of them showing underneath (unless you’re wearing short shorts? We don’t judge.) At least, there’s less risk of them showing than, say, a boxer brief. So if you want a no-show effect, but you’re still not feeling briefs, trunks might be the perfect option for you.

And you’re in luck, too, because Leo has a bunch of different trunk styles to choose from. Each one is made using our high-tech materials and specially designed to support you where you need it the most.

Now, we’ll explore some styles that Leo doesn’t offer, but that you may want to learn about anyway.

Thermal underwear / Long johns

Thermal underwear, long johns, long underwear…whatever you want to call it, this is a perfect option for cooler weather. These underwear are designed to be worn as a light but warming inner layer under long pants. They’re great for going outside on winter days and wearing under your pajama pants when sleeping during cold nights.

These underwear tend to be available in multiple materials, all of which keep you warm without making you uncomfortably hot. As we said earlier, they’re also a lighter design than, say, sweat pants or pajama pants, but they’ll give you a little extra warmth compared to regular underwear.

Jockstraps and thongs

For the absolute minimal coverage, even less than a brief, you may want to invest in jockstraps and thongs. These tend to be lumped into the same category, and they are pretty similar, but there are a couple of notable differences.

Jockstraps were originally designed to be “athletic supporters”, engineered to protect and support under sports clothing, shorts, and sweats. However, these aren’t as popular as they used to be, a change which is often attributed to the idea that most guys nowadays feel uncomfortable having their cheeks exposed.

The main difference between a jockstrap and a thong is the back. A thong has a triangular piece of fabric at the top, whereas jockstraps have straps along the sides. Both of them offer minimal coverage, but a jockstrap is likely to have an elasticated waistband whereas a thong is not.

Conclusion

So, now you know everything there is to know about men’s underwear. But we still haven’t answered the question: which style of men’s underwear is the best?

Well, that answer is surprisingly simple: the best type of underwear for men is the kind you like the best. In other words, the best underwear for you is going to be different than the best underwear for any other guy. We’re all built differently, have different needs, and have different comfort levels.

That being said, in the modern day, we have more options available than ever, so you might as well try something new. Just because your dad liked boxer briefs doesn’t mean you have to carry on the tradition. Don’t be afraid to try something new and see if it works better for you. You might be surprised.