When it comes to men’s underwear, the question is almost always the same: boxers or briefs? There is no answer that suits everyone. It depends on your body, the trousers you wear, what you do during the day and, in the end, on what makes you feel most comfortable.
In this guide we compare the two styles: how they are made, when they work best and how to choose fabric and size. That way you can decide calmly, or keep a bit of both in your drawer.
Briefs: compact and classic
Briefs are the most classic men’s underwear. They cover the pelvis, leave the thigh free and give support at the front without pinching. The cut is compact, so they take up little room under trousers and don’t bunch on the legs.
Briefs are a good choice if you like to feel supported, if you wear trousers that are tight on the thigh or if you play sport and want underwear that stays put. Among our men’s briefs you will find classic, low-rise and seamless cuts, in cotton, silk-effect microfibre, modal and bamboo.
Boxers: more coverage, in many versions
Boxers also cover part of the thigh. But “boxers” is a broad word that covers styles that are very different from one another:
- Fitted short-leg boxers: they follow your body and stay put under your trousers, without bunching. This is the most versatile style for every day.
- Long-leg boxers: they cover more of the thigh, don’t ride up when you walk or train and reduce chafing between the thighs.
- Loose American-style boxers: they don’t touch the thigh, let air through and stay up thanks to the waistband. Many people also wear them to sleep.
Our men’s boxers selection includes all these versions, in cotton, bamboo, silk-effect microfibre and seamless.
Boxers or briefs: the differences in practice
Let’s put the two styles side by side, situation by situation.
- Under skinny jeans: briefs and fitted boxers work well. Loose boxers tend to bunch.
- Under suit trousers: fitted boxers avoid waistband lines on the thigh; briefs are discreet if the fabric is smooth.
- Sport and gym: sports briefs or long-leg boxers stay in place while you move.
- Hot weather and free time: loose cotton boxers let air through; briefs in light fabrics are a compact alternative.
- For sleeping: loose boxers are the most popular, because they don’t pinch anywhere.
The fabric matters as much as the cut
For the same style, the fabric makes a big difference to how it feels on your skin. Here is a simple overview:
- Cotton: soft, pleasant and easy to wash. Ribbed cotton is a little more structured.
- Silk-effect microfibre: smooth and slippery, it dries quickly and does not show under trousers.
- Bamboo fibre and modal: soft and smooth to the touch, cool on warm days.
- Seamless: no raised edges, ideal under close-fitting clothes.
The right size for boxers and briefs
Whether you choose boxers or briefs, the size is the difference between underwear you forget you are wearing and underwear you keep adjusting. Take two measurements with a tailor’s tape measure: your waist, where you wear the waistband, and your hips, at the widest point of the pelvis. Then open the size guide of the style you like, because each style has its own.
It can happen that the label sewn into the garment shows a different letter from the one you ordered: what counts is the table in centimetres. If you are between two sizes, for fitted boxers and briefs go for the larger one if the fabric has little stretch.
Why not choose both
In the end many men keep a bit of everything in their drawer: fitted boxers for the office, briefs for sport, loose boxers for home and for the night. Multipacks in the same size make it easy to always have a change ready for every occasion.
Whichever style you choose, look after it: follow the label, wash in cold or lukewarm water with similar colours, use a mesh laundry bag for more delicate fabrics and let it air-dry. Avoid fabric softener on microfibre and technical fabrics. That way the waistband stays soft and your underwear keeps its shape for longer.
If you want to see everything at a glance, on the men’s underwear page you will find boxers, briefs and the other styles together, in cotton, bamboo and microfibre, with sizes up to plus sizes.