boyz ii men, abc, bvd’s
9 05 2007My girlfriend asked me awhile back why guys bother wearing underwear if they’re just wearing boxers, and I honestly don’t know. I’ve been a boxer dude since shortly after I left high school. I like the extra room and breathability afforded by boxers instead of briefs. It’s like living in a studio apartment and moving into a townhouse.
But given that boxer shorts really don’t provide any support whatsoever, why do I bother wearing them in the first place? Every now and then it’s nice to go out with an “unfurnished basment,” which feels only slightly different than going out with boxers on. I’ve only been able to come up with a few reasons so far. In no particular order:
- they offer privacy protection in the event that I were to get de-pantsed
- the offer physical protection between one’s genitals and the zipper of one’s pants
- they are often somewhat stylish, which could be an important factor when disrobing in mixed company
As Tony Kornheiser would say, “THAT’S IT! THAT’S THE LIST!”
Let’s not forget about boxer briefs, the semi-ridiculous amalgamation of two radically different styles of underwear. I’m pretty sure the only reason these exist is to keep you from looking like an idiot if you want to wear briefs. They might also help prevent wedgies (but not zwedgies).
So I guess to answer my own question (or my girlfriend’s, as the case would seem to be), I don’t know why I wear them. For some people, such self-realization might spark a change in behavior, and in this instance such an act would not be entirely without benefit. I’d spend less on clothes and would have less laundry to do. However, I tend to subscribe to the “if it ain’t broke don’t fix it” when it comes to a lot of things, so I shall be changing nothing.
Except my undies on a regular basis.
Here are the words of wisdom you offered me on June 26, 2006 when I posed the underwear question:
“I enjoy the feeling of an unfurnished basement as much as the next chap, but underwear has its place. When it’s hot out and things get a bit swampy below the equator, underwear aids in soaking up moisture that would otherwise find its way to your pants, and no one wants to walk around looking their rear end peed itself. Also, if you are like me and have trouble find pants that are long enough, sometimes you have to get pants with a bigger waist size than you need so they hang a bit lower than you might like (I don’t like to sag my pants) so that you don’t appear to be wearing flood pants. In these instances, the underwear keeps from displaying things no one wants to see.”
So there ya go, you answered your girlfriend’s question to go along with the reasons you stated above.
The bad news for you though, is that my lawyers are looking into a plagarism suit for this blatant rip-of of my blog posted 11 months ago on this matter. Ok I will drop the lawsuit since this comment is obscenely too long.
Oh and I get the whole bvd’s joke thingie in the title but to call them “boys ii men” is absolute disrespect. Even if your shift key doesn’t work you should at least figure out a way to make it boys II men even if you have to use lower case L’s. Some people just go out of their way to disgrace 90’s R&B icons and it sickens me. Way out of line Zesty, WAY OUT OF LINE!
Well I’ll be dipped. Don’t I look like a horse’s ass?
Well in the zestmeister’s defense, I don’t read your blog CA, and the I have always found the men’s underwear thing puzzling. Most recently I have dated a guy who is completely against them, of any kind breif or otherwise, which I don’t know if that is gross or not. Strange anyway, to always be commando. He said he wears them if he has khaki’s on or dress pants but that’s it.
Zesty you have posed some good reasoning.
I would like to discuss chicks underwear a little; me being a girl I have a hundred options; bikini, bikini brief, hipsters, boy cut shorts (kind of like boxer briefs, think hanes), scoop back, thongs just to name some, and a vast array of materials to go along with all different styles (silk, lace, cotton, printed or not, a combination, flowers etc etc).
I wonder if at the end of the day men really care what kind of underwear a chick has on? I don’t know very many women who care what men are wearing, only IF they are wearing them because a gentlemen would, but I can also say I hardly ever see men wearing tighty whitey’s these days (of what few men I see in their undergarments).
Weigh in on this people…inquiring minds need to know about undies!
I must argue against Steph. I am one of those ladies that “care what men are wearing” at the end of the day. If a man chooses to wear the same type of skivvies that his mother purchased for his as a child there may be many other remains left of childhood that I may not want to deal with at this time. Ladies, do we really want to go to bed with a gentleman that has Spiderman plastered across his backside?????
As for what ladies wear… I’ve never heard of a man complaining if a lady has on a thong of any variety.
recently i bought some boxer briefs for my bf. he never wore them before nor do i think he really liked them. he doesn’t want to wear them anymore. i think he’ll end up keeping them around in case he doesn’t bring an extra pair when he comes for a sleep over. i think they are sizzle sizzle hot. boxers are just boxers - everybody wears them… and they just aren’t that special…unless you need them of course… you know…severe case of flat or flabby ass. Briefs are just not hot, almost creepy in a way, but boxer briefs are very sexy to me…especially if he has a nice bum…which my bf happens to have…so i like them. *sigh* i wish he did too…
I would think that any undies could prevent zwedgies. If they rode high enough.
I dunno, SAH. I think a man wearing Spider-Man Underoos to bed could be sort of hot.
That may just be me.
@Steph: I would not base a dating decision on what kind of panties a woman wears (unless they were dirty and disgusting, in which case she needs to hit the bricks and I need to furiously clean anything she may have sat on), certain combinations can be highly appealing. So yes, some guys do care what kind of unmentionables you have on.
@Alyx: I have been told that I have a nice booty, so maybe I need to start transitioning more heavily to the boxer briefs instead of plain old unflattering boxers. If you’ve got it, flaunt it, right?
@Halsted: I believe it has already been established that you have excellent taste. I should look for some Spider-Man 3 boxer briefs and see if I can get my gf to appreciate them.
I think chafing, style, and air conditioning have been overlooked. In line with the zipper theory, boxers do add that extra layer of protection from something more abbrasive like a pair of jeans.
Boxers come in way more styles and shapes then traditional undies. Even see a rapper with his pants down around his knees sporting tighty whities? No and thank God!
Boxer allow for better air circulation resulting in lower temperatures. Low temperature = more sperm. Peter North wears boxers. On this note: Erections are also more visible while wearing boxers. A note on this note: They are highly accessable and a must on a “third” date
The only real con that I can think of is also a pro in my book and it’s the lack of restriction. This pro becomes a con when engaged in some athletic activities. When suiting up for some hockey I’d switch over to something like underwear or another similar fashion suitable for athletics.