It`s white, cotton, standard, basic, dependable-and boring.
It`s men`s underwear.
Until now, shopping for men`s undergarments has been about as exciting as trying out a ”new and improved” brand of laundry detergent.
But things are changing. And this doesn`t just involve the latest printed silk boxers, but rather an evolution of the product and expansion of the market.
Manufacturers and designers such as Calvin Klein, Jockey International, Franco Moschino, Gianni Versace, Gianfranco Ferre and others recently have developed new lines of men`s fashion underwear in a variety of styling, detailing, fabric, pattern and color. A pair of these updated briefs, for example, might be high-waisted in black-and-white stripes with 10 percent Lycra and a button-fly.
Calvin Klein, a front-runner in the market, also has created an 11-piece line of sleek (and sexy) functional athletic underwear. A few of the bodies included in the line are a ”cycling short,” a ”body tank” that looks like a wrestling suit and long-johns style ”sport pants.” All the athletic wear is a blend of cotton and 5 percent Lycra for extra structuring and support.
Are people really ready for all of this?
Take a guess
Apparently, yes. A look at the big fashion picture reveals that acceptance of the new fashion- and body-conscious men`s underwear is part of a larger trend in men`s and women`s fashion.
In women`s fashion, Madonna brought drawers out of the closet (and out of the bedroom) and changed the meaning of lingerie. These days, bustiers, sheer and lacy tops and slip dresses can be found in designers` collections and on the street.
Menswear is becoming more daring as well. The Daily News Record (DNR), a men`s-apparel trade journal, predicts sexy, body-conscious looks such as hot pants (tight short shorts), muscle shirts, mesh tops and skinny knits will be hot men`s fashion trends for spring.
And, says Art Decesaro, senior vice president of sales at Jockey International, women are likely to buy the new styles of men`s underwear-even if the men don`t.
”Seventy-five percent of men`s (Jockey brand) underwear is currently purchased by women (for their husbands, sons, boyfriends, etc.,) so we`re marketing toward them also,” Decesaro says, adding that ”women also already understand the benefits of Lycra.”
The great debate
Last September, DNR reported that some of the very fashion-forward ”in major cities from New York to Milan, are wearing underwear as clubwear, workout-wear and even beachwear.”
However, ”the underwear is absolutely not intended to be worn as outerwear,” says John Kourakos, president of Calvin Klein Underwear for Men. ”But you can`t control or predict what the customer will do with it.”
