Brief Interlude

Since moving to HK a little over a year ago, I've found myself more open to trying new things out. Modifying my "look" was the first step, changing my lifestyle was another, and yesterday, I have added yet another item in my list of "new things to try."

New underwear.

Briefs have always been my underwear of choice. It's comfortable, offers full coverage, goes well with any type of trouser, and lets me move easily. In the past decade or so, i've actually tried different types of briefs: from the classic white Jockeys, Gap body, H&M, then eventually finding the perfect underwear at Penshoppe.

Penshoppe has excellent hipster briefs. After buying and trying one, I had to rush to the store and buy 10 more, fearing that they might run out of these perfect fitting babies. What I love about it is that it falls perfectly on the 2nd hip which makes it ideal for my favorite low-rise jeans. Right now, Penshoppe accounts for about 60% of my underwear drawer, the other 40% split equally among Gap Kids (yup, their XL fits me perfectly), Bench (I love their printed briefs), and a few Bossini whites thrown in for good measure.

Yesterday - thanks to a friend who bought me these cute world cup themed underwear from abroad - i've tried wearing boxer briefs (or trunks, as they're called in the UK). Boxer briefs are essentially made of the same material as briefs, but they extend all the way down to the upper thigh part. Thus, it has the same length as boxer shorts, using the same material as briefs.

The first time I saw them, my first reaction was: "those must be hot to wear." Summer has kicked in here in HK and it's come to that point that people sweat just standing up. Wearing a piece of underwear with that much coverage must be uncomfortable. Second reaction was: "those must restrict movement." Having been used to briefs which keeps the whole leg free, seeing cloth that aims to cover part of the thigh was a bit ominous.

Despite my reluctance, the urge to try them out was strong, primarily because of the design. One piece had the Brazilian flag in front and a big "BRAZIL" emblazoned on the backside. It was so cute that I told myself: "What the heck, i'll try them on."

Surprise, surprise! They feel very comfortable! It's just like wearing regular briefs, albeit a bit of garter clinging around the thigh area.

My inital fears were unfounded:
1. They weren't too hot, despite the fact that I was wearing them under jeans and 30+ temperature outside.
2. They didn't restrict movement. For a moment, I even forgot that I was wearing boxer briefs. That tells a lot about its level of comfort.

Also, there's one big plus when wearing boxer briefs. It actually makes my legs look a bit leaner. My sister often calls me "thunder thighs" (and I call her "daisy duck butt") because she finds my legs too big. The fabric around the leg area actually streamlines the thigh, so it doesn't look as "thunder-y" as it used to be.

Verdict: I can imagine myself wearing boxer briefs more often now. (Thank goodness she gave me 5). After playing it safe for more than 3 decades, I've expanded my underwear repertoire and have decided to be a bit more open to different types in the future. But of course, I will never, never, NEVER EVER, EVER, EVER, EVER, EVER, NEVER EVER, EVER, EVER, EVER, EVER be caught wearing thongs. When I saw one on display at Bench, all I could think of was: OUCH!

Too bad these new boxer briefs of mine go inside the trousers. All those funky designs will definitely go to waste since i'm the only one seeing them.



Then again, with "Superman Returns" showing next week, maybe I should start wearing my underwear outside my pants.