Men's Issues & Solutions
Issue: Perspiration stains on your shirt.
Solution: Wear short sleeve
undershirts. Thinner
does not mean less absorbent. The thinner the shirt - the higher
the quality.
Issue: Undershirts are being used for both underwear
and outerwear.
Solution: You should not do this. Each has its
own characteristics. An undershirt is used to catch perspiration
under a dress shirt. Undershirts should be form-fitting, not too
thick, and have the appropriate neckline to hide under your outer
shirt. Underwear
t-shirts should be bleached to be kept clean -
then thrown away when they become dingy. Outerwear t-shirts are
more about fashion. Their sleeves can be longer, and they can be
thicker. They're usually made out of performance fabrics and have
extra detailing. You should have two wardrobes of t-shirts - undershirts
and outershirts.
Issue: Hairy back and hairy chest show through
shirts.
Solution: Wear an undershirt,
tank or
sleeveless.
However, it's important to note that hairy chests have now become
acceptable and no longer need to be waxed away or hidden. Some chest
hair showing at the neckline is now acceptable.
Issue: Undershirt is not absorbent enough.
Solution: Be sure your undershirt is made of
100%
cotton. If your undershirt is made in one of the wicking fabrics
like coolmax, the perspiration is moved away from your body, but
deposited on the outer shirt.
Issue:
Undershirt keeps untucking from your pants.
Solution: You probably need a smaller size undershirt.
If your undershirt is too big, so is the depth of the armhole. When
you reach up, this pulls your side seam up as well, and the shirt
hem comes up from your pants. An
undershirt should be at least 3"
longer than the top of your pants.
Issue: The legs on
boxer briefs creep up your leg
during the day.
Solution: Your leg binding is too tight, or the
legs on your boxer brief are too long. Leg edges should be 100%
cotton and worn loosely around your leg. As the day wears on, these
cotton leg edges will loosen and not ride up. If this is a continual
problem, consider the trunk style. It has all the benefits of a
boxer brief, but the leg inseam is much shorter and stays in place.
Issue: Boxers limit leg movement.
Solution: Look for a boxer with side vents and
a shorter inseam. Or, consider knit boxers that stretch. The right
boxer for you should allow you to lift your knee to your chest,
sit, and squat without strain.
Issue: You don't know how your undershirt should
properly fit.
Solution: Most men wear t-shirts that are one to
two sizes too large. Most likely, their reasoning is that since
the
t-shirts are cotton, they will shrink. Well, most t-shirts on
the market are pre-shrunk. James Dean's t-shirt is the quintessential
fit for an undershirt. The sleeve comes to the middle of the biceps
and is form fitting. It fits across the chest without binding, is
cut straight down the sides and made long enough to stay tucked
in. Basically, the goal of an undershirt is to not interfere with
the dress shirt. To that end, your undershirt should have as few
wrinkles as possible.
Issue: Boxers give you a wedgie.
Solution: The center back seam may be too short
on the boxer, or you are wearing your boxer too high on your hips.
There are boxers on the market designed without a center back seam.
This design is called the 3 panel back. There are 2 back seams that
run down the center back of the leg. This prevents any binding or
wedgy feeling. At HisRoom, we provide back views of all our garments.
Boxers with this detail will be easy to locate.
Issue: Don't know what is the best color for your
underwear.
Solution: Undershirts should probably be white.
That way they can be bleached and you'll know that when they are
dingy or yellow, it's time to replace them. Bottoms are another
story. Black is a great color for all men. You look thinner, they
are sexy, and they don't show stains. If you are the one doing your
laundry, black underwear can be thrown in with all your colors and
doesn't need special treatments.
Issue: You don't use your front fly.
Solution: You are not alone. It's estimated that
only about 20% of men navigate through the maze of flaps and zippers.
The percentage goes a little higher for
boxers - the fly is usually
longer. Most men simply go up and over. This is why
briefs with
contour pouches have been so popular. They look sleek and most men
know they're not using the fly anyway.
Issue: You have wide thighs and most underwear
tends to be binding.
Solution: Buy a bigger size. Things shrink with
multiple washings. The waistband is made of
elastic so it probably
won't be an issue. Larger sizes are cut with wider legs.
Issue: Your
briefs make you look flat in front.
Solution: The very design of a traditional brief
will flatten you. Look for briefs with a contour pouch for more
definition. There are also briefs with built-in enhancers. HisRoom
offers several.
Issue: You don't know what a quality t-shirt is.
Solution: A quality t-shirt is thin, soft to the
hand, and lightweight. The lighter and softer the t-shirt - the
higher the quality. It's all about the gauge of cotton used.
Pima
cotton is higher quality because its fibers are longer so the threads
are thinner. Consequently, a pima cotton t-shirt will be thinner
and softer. Stop buying those cheap 3-packs. You deserve quality
t-shirts.
Issue:
Most waistbands are simply a wide logo'd elastic.
Solution: There's a very good reason for this.
Before, most waistbands were made with elastic threaded through
a channel at the waist. This caused the fabric to gather, and the
results were vertical red imprints around your waist at the end
of the day. With today's
microfiber waistbands, there are no imprints
and they are softer and more comfortable to wear. If you find yourself
with imprints, you need to go up a size or two.
Issue: Seams are not all sewn the same way on your
briefs.
1.

2.

3.
Solution: There are basically three ways to sew
seams on briefs: 1. Lockstitch, 2. Double Needle stitch or 3. Taped.
Lockstitch sewing gives a sportier look and lies very flat.
Double needle stitching, where there is stitching on each side of
the seam, gives a very clean and sophisticated look. Seam tape adds
some bulk, but gives incredible strength and durability to the seam.
Issue:
You are not sure what
underwear
to wear in the gym.
Solution: This is a little tricky. There are many
garments made with high performance fabrics that wick moisture away
from the body to keep you cool and dry. However, the reality is
that you wouldn't want to be next to a guy wearing this stuff because
he is constantly dripping and flinging sweat everywhere. Garments
like these really work best outdoors where there is airflow to evaporate
the moisture. Alternatively, 100% cotton will be very absorbent
and contain much of your sweat, but will also feel heavy. Courtesy
dictates that you account for your sweat in a gym.
Issue: You don't know how long your underwear should
last.
Solution: Men should have new underwear twice a
year. You should have at least as many pairs of underwear as there
are days of the week. Signs that your underwear needs to be thrown
out are yellowing under the arms, any stains, elastic is shot and/or
it's no longer fitting due to bagging.
Issue: You don't know whether your underwear is
sexy.
Solution: All men should have at least one set
of sexy underwear. Here's what's sexy. Black underwear. It's also
more slimming. After that, it's all in the eye of the beholder.
So ask your partner what they like. Generally, if you're in good
shape, the tighter and skimpier the better. If you're not in such
great shape, keep it black, but look at
boxers or
boxer briefs.
Men with no butt will always look better in a baggy boxer. The reality
is that sexy underwear doesn't stay on that long, so get what looks
good for the moment.
Issue: You don't understand the wide range of pricing
for men's underwear.
Solution: Prices vary for a very good reason. It's
all in the fabric. Higher quality cottons cost more, but they are
also lighter weight, and last longer. If you're getting a bargain,
remember, you'll be getting what you pay for - shoddy workmanship,
bargain fabric, no shape, limited life, and very little softness.
You deserve better.
Issue: You don't need to buy
t-shirts. You get
them free all the time.
Solution: Listen, people don't give away quality.
Free t-shirts have no fit, and probably have polyester in them which
makes them hot. Spend a little for quality t-shirts, both as innerwear
and outerwear.