The slip, a wrongly forgotten underwear
Once upon a time there was a noble undergarment, with qualities praised by many men.
It was reliable, practical, comfortable, and the favorite of our ancestors.
But one day Fashion, an inconstant and unpredictable mistress, did what it does best: it changed one fine morning, without warning.
And for many years, the brave underpants found themselves unfairly neglected.
Fortunately for him, the vagaries of Fashion are not always final.
And if it cannot pretend to supplant the boxer, which has become the favorite of men over the last decades, the underpants are gradually restoring their image, thanks to a few advantages that allow them to box in the same category.
Three good reasons to get back to briefs
1 - Good support
The issue of support in men's underwear is very polarizing.
And depending on your preferences, two scenarios are possible:
- Either you are one of those who like “maximum freedom”: we let go of everything. In which case, you will rather find your happiness with boxer shorts, which by definition have no support.
- Either you prefer an undergarment that keeps everything in place. In which case, the boxer is an option but ... The brief fulfills this role even better!
Since it rests on the upper thigh, the brief creates a more stable compartment that is less likely to move throughout the day.
2 - Comfort in all circumstances: no friction, freedom of movement
For some people, the repeated rubbing of underwear is unpleasant, sometimes even leads to irritation
That's why another advantage of keeping the briefs up is that it greatly reduces these kinds of worries. An underwear that does not move is an underwear that does not rub!
Likewise, the slip never lets excess fabric get stuck on the upper leg, due to its shape.
This is particularly common among those who wear boxer briefs or boxers that are a little big, but especially among men with strong thighs, who tend to make the fabric go up as soon as they move.
3 - Discretion (the underpants are invisible through clothing)
The brief is undetectable through your clothes, where a boxer or boxer shorts can leave a "mark" in excess thickness.
It can make the difference if you appreciate very fitted cuts, or on the contrary on pants with very fine or fluid materials.
But it is especially when you wear very light-coloured trousers (white or ecru) that the question arises.
White pants, even in a fairly thick material, will be subject to a certain degree of transparency no matter what.
Manufacturers sometimes compensate for this with linings, and the interior fabric of the pockets helps to hide a little. But when you put on a boxer or underpants, the bottom of the underwear goes lower than the pockets... And is noticeable in transparency!
Not very classy, right?
This forces fans of white pants to pay close attention to the color of the boxers they put on in the morning, and to have a stock of white underwear on purpose.
The slip minimizes the problem: the underwear does not protrude from the lined part.
Our advice for choosing your briefs
Now that you see the point of putting on briefs, you still need to know how to recognize the right one, which depends above all on your choice of material.
Flexible, soft and resistant materials
First of all, make sure that the material has these few essential qualities: softness, flexibility and robustness.
Avoid cotton-synthetic mixes at all costs, which are often found on cheap models. Not only is their contact with the skin unpleasant, but it's also a safe bet that it will get worse over time. For what ?
Quite simply because the addition of synthetic (unpleasant, but robust), is often a means of compensating for the fragility of poor quality cotton fibers. They will therefore continue to deteriorate over the washes, and even if the briefs will not “let go” thanks to the synthetic material, the comfort of use will suffer.
The only synthetic that is required is obviously elastane: a small percentage is enough for your briefs to be flexible and comfortable.
A base of at least 90% cotton is therefore a good start.
But not all cottons are created equal: a high-quality provenance (such as Pima or Supima cottons) will guarantee you a pleasant touch over the long term.
At TALC, we already use Supima cotton for many of our loungewear .
But for our briefs, we opted for an even more suitable solution: Tencel Lyocell . A so-called “artificial” material, obtained from the transformation of plant materials (here bamboo) and not petroleum derivatives, as is the case for so-called “synthetic” materials.
We preferred it to cotton because it is not only more flexible, but also softer.
Healthy materials that prevent bacteria from taking hold.
Softness and suppleness are not the only advantages of Tencel Lyocell: compared to cotton, it is also a “healthier” material.
That is to say that its fibers are not an environment conducive to the development of bacteria, and therefore bad odors.
On this point, artificial materials such as Tencel (but also Modal or Micromodal) are superior to cotton.
Cotton which is itself superior to synthetic, reputed to be a nest of bad odors that never go away.
This anti-bacterial property is also amplified by the faster drying of Tencel Lyocell.
And since it wicks away moisture better, that also goes for the sweat you accumulate throughout the day.
Your briefs stay cool and dry, even when it's hot!
Our FOLLET brief , made of 95% Tencel Lyocell / 5% elastane. Want several? Our model also exists in a pack .
How to choose the right size ?
If you know the size that fits you well in boxers or underpants , you can assume that it will be the same in briefs.
Nothing's easier !
But let's admit that you have a doubt...
Start by buying just one
The first thing to remember is to buy only one pair of briefs to test.
Many shoppers don't know this, but underwear is one of the few product exceptions that can't be returned once opened.
The seller can assume that they have been tried on, and for obvious reasons of hygiene, that they cannot be relisted.
This even applies as an exception to European law on the right of withdrawal, as soon as the brand mentions it somewhere in its conditions of purchase.
Recognize the right fit
Once you try on the briefs, there are a few things to check to make sure they fit.
- First, the waistline. As with any undergarment, the elastic shouldn't be too tight, but should stay in place when you move.
- Next, the thigh. There, it is the particular point of the slip: its bottom will rest somewhere between the groin and the top of the thighs. In general, elastic bands will ensure its maintenance on each side. Check that the briefs fit correctly on your thighs, but that they are not too tight, at the risk of becoming uncomfortable after a few hours of wearing them.
- And finally: the maintenance of the parties. The question is totally subjective, but the comfort of an underwear depends greatly on your satisfaction on this point.
However, a slip is supposed to have a firmer hold than a boxer, and at least comparable to that of a boxer. So if everything roams freely: it's too big.
One last tip for the road!
Compared to other products, underwear brands tend to fit smaller. For example, you will often make an "M", where your pants might have suggested an "S".
But why, exactly?
Rumor has it that, for “self-esteem” reasons, men want at all costs to avoid taking a small size of underwear… Even if this depends much more on the body than on the volume of their parts.
The manufacturers would therefore have, over the decades, done a bit of “vanity sizing”, namely that they would have modified the measurement tables for customer satisfaction.
And over time, this standard has simply been maintained.
So today, if you're blind-testing a new brand and you're hesitating between two sizes, I'd recommend trying the larger one first.
Rest assured: at TALC, we do not do vanity sizing. You can actually choose your usual size.
Nicolo Minchillo, pen for Talc .
