A Guide to Types of Men's Underwear

Will start with the handy dandy boxers, which have been around since, well, forever really. Also commonly referred to as boxer shorts due to their inseam length, boxers have been around since 1944. Their ultimate purpose you ask? To keep you comfortable by promoting free-flowing movements and airflow. Over the decades, boxers have quickly become one of the most popular underwear types for men. They also work well with a number of pants options as they don't bunch or show underwear lines/markings. However, you do have to keep in mind the overall fit of certain pants types as an awkward fit could cause the underwear to bunch up (which obviously is a no bueno).

Check out some boxer brief selections below.

In short, boxer briefs are essentially a shorter version of boxer shorts. While you can attribute the rise of boxer briefs in the 1990s to Calvin Klein, boxer briefs have technically been around much longer than that as men have been altering boxer shorts since basically the inception of the boxer short. From an official standpoint, however, the 1990s is recognized as the start of the brief. What separates boxer briefs from shorts is that briefs still keep the longer length of boxer shorts, but are more slim-fitting and "tight" in their construction. Due to their tight-fitting nature, boxer briefs work great for taller men that are on the slim/muscular side due to the way they fit. That said, the boxer brief isn't just limited to that demographic as they can work for everyone. It's just a matter of personal preference.

Check out some boxer brief selections below.

Men's briefs are basically modern man essential in popular culture (think a good percentage of the men's underwear ads you've seen over the course of your life). Described as being form-fitting with the material of the underwear extending ever-so-slightly into the thigh area, briefs are responsible for covering the area between the waist and top of the legs/thighs. Briefs are also responsible for keeping your manly parts secure, which is why they are the designated choice for athletes and workout enthusiasts. While briefs can come in a variety of different cuts, they'll always be identifiable by how they sit at the top of the leg (and the label on the package/item you're looking at of course).

If there's any one pair of underwear that's pretty much automatically guaranteed to be a perfect fit, it's briefs—which is why they are great investment. Check out some great brief selections below.

While similar to boxer briefs in their cut, styling, and fit, the major difference between boxer briefs and trunks are within the support each one offers. Boxer briefs are known for their slightly longer legs and looser crotch area, whereas trunks feature a shorter inseam and an overall tighter fit. The choice between whether or not to get boxer briefs or trunks comes down to how you personally like your underwear to fit. If you need a looser crotch region than boxer briefs are the way to go. On the flip side, if you prefer a tighter crotch region, then trunks are probably the best option for you.

You can view some of our top selections below.

Some call them thongs, other's call them jockstraps, and some choose to refer to them as g-strings. While thongs, jockstraps, and g-strings are in the same family with many similarities, there are some subtle difference between them. Thongs are renowned for their super thin almost flimsy-like appearance. While thongs are designed to give you plenty of support, there's still some that maintain the support given from thongs still aren't good enough. If that's the case with you, then a jockstrap might work. Jockstraps are more of an "athletic thong" so to speak as it comes with a stronger built-in undergarment supporter that holds your man area in place. You could also opt for g-string in that regard as g-strings also have that built-in undergarment supporter. The only difference is that g-strings have a very flimsy/thin string in the back area of the underwear. Just something to keep in mind as you browse.

Check out some selections below.

Bikini briefs aka the bikini cut underwear is an undergarment that gives you full protection in the front and back, and is defined by its high cut in the thigh area. While there's also similarities between bikini briefs and briefs, the former differs from the latter as they are cut in a more low-rise style that offers up a "sexier" look. Simply put, bikini briefs reveal a lot more than traditional briefs so they have to be acquired taste fashion wise. Some guys like bikini briefs whereas it isn't the personal style taste of others. If you fall into the category of liking bikini briefs, we've selected a few of our favorite options for you to check out below.

The name is pretty much self-explanatory here. Long underwear aka long johns are underwear with long legs and sleeves that can be worn during the wintertime for extra warmth. There are definitely elements of long underwear that are similar to pajama pants, so you definitely don't need to wear pajama pants over top (unless you want to of course). Otherwise, long johns get the job done during the winter season in terms giving you an underwear option that also technically qualifies as lounge pants.

Check out some of our favorites below.