Underwear style & comfort with nudity

[14831591]

Hello everyone,
I may be wrong but I have observed that North American men's (especially white men) choice of underwear is generally longer ones like boxers, long johns, boxer briefs and big briefs (very few though) and most of them are quite fit and muscular but I do not see briefs, skimpy briefs, tanga briefs, or other smaller/sexy underwear styles generally on them however i do see other ethnicity men wearing those. I have also observed in the gym locker room that white men try to cover up or use towel while changing while others mostly really don't care and change without using towel...even on the beaches, i see women comfortably wearing bikinis but i find men in board shorts. I apologize if my knowledge/experience is limited in this regard or if my observation is incorrect but i am curious to hear your experiences and inputs on this phenomenon... and please i am not trying to point out any race but just curious to know if there's a difference in behaviors..

 

[MikeLindell]

Yes, as any American man who traveled outside the US will know, your observations are correct. Great question for ChatGPT, so I'll let him answer this one.

The perception of modesty varies across cultures and individuals, so it's important to recognize that not all American men may be universally modest when it comes to nudity. However, if we consider the general cultural tendencies in the United States, there are a few factors that might contribute to a perceived modesty around nudity:

1. Cultural heritage: The United States has a strong Puritan influence in its early history, which emphasized modesty and sexual restraint. These cultural values have influenced attitudes towards nudity and sexuality over time.
2. Social and religious norms: Many Americans are influenced by Judeo-Christian values, which can promote modesty and the idea of keeping one's body private. Religious beliefs and societal expectations can shape individual attitudes towards nudity.
3. Media and popular culture: The portrayal of nudity and sexuality in American media often tends to be more conservative compared to some other cultures. This can impact societal attitudes and contribute to a perception of modesty.
4. Legal framework: Laws and regulations in the United States often restrict public nudity and enforce modesty in certain contexts. This legal framework may reinforce the cultural norms surrounding nudity and influence individual behavior.

It's important to note that there is diversity within American culture, and not all individuals adhere to or embody these modesty norms. Attitudes towards nudity can also vary greatly among different regions, communities, and individuals within the country.

 

[14831591]

Yes, as any American man who traveled outside the US will know, your observations are correct. Great question for ChatGPT, so I'll let him answer this one.

The perception of modesty varies across cultures and individuals, so it's important to recognize that not all American men may be universally modest when it comes to nudity. However, if we consider the general cultural tendencies in the United States, there are a few factors that might contribute to a perceived modesty around nudity:

1. Cultural heritage: The United States has a strong Puritan influence in its early history, which emphasized modesty and sexual restraint. These cultural values have influenced attitudes towards nudity and sexuality over time.
2. Social and religious norms: Many Americans are influenced by Judeo-Christian values, which can promote modesty and the idea of keeping one's body private. Religious beliefs and societal expectations can shape individual attitudes towards nudity.
3. Media and popular culture: The portrayal of nudity and sexuality in American media often tends to be more conservative compared to some other cultures. This can impact societal attitudes and contribute to a perception of modesty.
4. Legal framework: Laws and regulations in the United States often restrict public nudity and enforce modesty in certain contexts. This legal framework may reinforce the cultural norms surrounding nudity and influence individual behavior.

It's important to note that there is diversity within American culture, and not all individuals adhere to or embody these modesty norms. Attitudes towards nudity can also vary greatly among different regions, communities, and individuals within the country.

thanks for the detailed answer, and i do agree on the cultural and religious and legal aspect of it..... but i am also curious to know how come only north american men follow the modesty aspect in clothing/underwear but not women so much...

 

[MikeLindell]

I would say that is an extension of "Media and popular culture," as explained by ChatGPT. These outlets will show men with more modest clothing while tolerating a lot more nudity for women. Given their dominance, they set the norm, and for most guys conforming to the norm is the most secure and comfortable thing to do.

This video, which has been watched more than a billion times, perfectly sets the current norm of how American men and women should dress at the pool or beach.

To view this content we will need your consent to set third party cookies.
For more detailed information, see our cookies page.

Accept third party cookies

 

[coolestguy]

I live in the US, but I'm not white. I wear board shorts to beaches and pools because I think it looks better on me. I'm not modest. I like nude beach better.

 

[NY2NY]

I wear briefs for underwear and swimwear as an American because I find them more comfortable and look better in them than baggy styles, but it's not that common here.

I think many find briefs feminine or would just feel overexposed in them if wearing them as swimwear. Most guys that wear them as underwear will switch to board shorts for the beach or pool. But for competitive swimming, you're expected to practice in briefs, so depends on context.

As for changing in the locker room, I don't use a towel.

 

[sdbg]

White American guy here.
I wear briefs to work to keep the goods in place.
I wear boxers or freeball when not at work to enjoy the free feeling.
I wear a Speedo to the beach and in the ocean; I like how men look in them compared to board shorts. Less is more for me in the ocean. I like swimming nude best.
In a locker room, I never use a towel when dressing, and carry it (not wear it) to and from the shower.

 

[14831591]

I wear briefs for underwear and swimwear as an American because I find them more comfortable and look better in them than baggy styles, but it's not that common here.

I think many find briefs feminine or would just feel overexposed in them if wearing them as swimwear. Most guys that wear them as underwear will switch to board shorts for the beach or pool. But for competitive swimming, you're expected to practice in briefs, so depends on context.

As for changing in the locker room, I don't use a towel.

thanks for sharing your preferences. i too find briefs more comfortable and better fitting..one question though, you mentioned many find briefs feminine and i also have seen people saying similar comments when they see people in briefs but i find it strange as if i go some years back, small briefs from brands like jockey, etc were quite normal for men and no body would raise eyes at someone for wearing briefs..i think there's a thread here about vintage underwear ads which has lots of briefs ads.. today i see women's underwear and swimwear has gone smaller like bikinis are quite acceptable but how come men's briefs which were very common and acceptable once are getting less and less seen..and becoming less and less acceptable...and in my opinion, its not about body type as even fit men also prefer to wear boxers/trunks/boardshorts etc... in your experience, what percentage of men would you say wear briefs as underwears over longer/bigger underwears?

 

[NY2NY]

thanks for sharing your preferences. i too find briefs more comfortable and better fitting..one question though, you mentioned many find briefs feminine and i also have seen people saying similar comments when they see people in briefs but i find it strange as if i go some years back, small briefs from brands like jockey, etc were quite normal for men and no body would raise eyes at someone for wearing briefs..i think there's a thread here about vintage underwear ads which has lots of briefs ads.. today i see women's underwear and swimwear has gone smaller like bikinis are quite acceptable but how come men's briefs which were very common and acceptable once are getting less and less seen..and becoming less and less acceptable...and in my opinion, its not about body type as even fit men also prefer to wear boxers/trunks/boardshorts etc... in your experience, what percentage of men would you say wear briefs as underwears over longer/bigger underwears?

I'm not sure percentages, but based on locker rooms my guess is maybe close to 30% briefs?

I ran a Google search and found a Statista thing that gives the market value of various underwear types by year, with estimations to 2025 (was made in Oct 2019, so slightly dated).

Men's underwear market value by type U.S. 2015-2025 | Statista

If you assume each type of underwear carries the same average price, it would put briefs at 26% of the US underwear market.

Another story... a few years ago I was in the gym and the men's and women's locker rooms were undergoing renovation. So they had everyone go to the family locker room.

Naturally people would use the rooms they had inside for modesty purposes. Some guys would feel okay being in their boxers or boxer briefs while dressing. Because their underwear was longer they didn't feel weird being dressed like that around the women that were there.

One time I was there and just had on black briefs (bikini style). One lady was checking me out. A female attendant came in the locker room and smiled when she saw me like she had walked in on something private.

Whereas the dudes with the longer underwear, they didn't bat an eyelash.

So yeah, I think the exposure element is part of it – seeing all of the leg, seeing the butt, bulge/penis outline.

Think briefs are more sexualized, which is more expected out of women but not men.

 

[deleted20554871]

For what it's worth, growing up as a younger guy in America, boxer shorts were seen as the only acceptable underwear choice in the locker room. If you wore tight underwear you would be made fun of for it

 

[NY2NY]

For what it's worth, growing up as a younger guy in America, boxer shorts were seen as the only acceptable underwear choice in the locker room. If you wore tight underwear you would be made fun of for it

Especially in urban areas I noticed. When I went to a rural school in the mid-00's every kid wore briefs (usually colored). The next year I went to an urban school and almost every kid was boxers.

I think part of it was that it was common at this point (not allowed to say the age on here) to switch to bigger underwear. Also think pop culture is a bigger influence on style in urban areas. Baggy clothes were just the style at the time whereas the farming kids DGAF to the same extent

 

[deleted20554871]

Especially in urban areas I noticed. When I went to a rural school in the mid-00's every kid wore briefs (usually colored). The next year I went to an urban school and almost every kid was boxers.

I think part of it was that it was common at this point (not allowed to say the age on here) to switch to bigger underwear. Also think pop culture is a bigger influence on style in urban areas. Baggy clothes were just the style at the time whereas the farming kids DGAF to the same extent

Oh this was way later than the mid-00's and baggy clothes weren't really the norm at this time. Everyone just still wore boxers

 

[coolestguy]

I switched to boxers in 00s and I still wear boxers exclusively. Love the freedom it provides.

 

[hrypol9130]

Sorry who the hell is still wearing board shorts up to their knees to go swimming…..it’s not the 2000’s. Get a nice pair of swim shorts above the knees. As well, get a pair of good fitting Calvin Klein briefs because also who wears boxers anymore….very unattractive. Boxers are literally the equivalent of granny underwear for girls. No one wears them.

 

[GeorgiaMan]

Sorry who the hell is still wearing board shorts up to their knees to go swimming…..it’s not the 2000’s. Get a nice pair of swim shorts above the knees. As well, get a pair of good fitting Calvin Klein briefs because also who wears boxers anymore….very unattractive. Boxers are literally the equivalent of granny underwear for girls. No one wears them.

I actually wear boxers but agree they aren't as popular even in my 45 year old age group as they were 20 years ago. I tried boxer briefs and just couldn't.

Over the years I've picked up briefs from time to time and tried them out, only to give up the experiment after a day or so due to my balls feeling strangled. My dick is very average but my balls are decent sized and hang low (what boxers since 18 will do).

I've seen more 20 something guys wearing shorter shorts now and know they must be wearing briefs, otherwise they would show. This is a positive trend.

 

[NY2NY]

Oh this was way later than the mid-00's and baggy clothes weren't really the norm at this time. Everyone just still wore boxers

It's interesting how fashion goes in cycles. I've heard from older guys that in the 70s bikini briefs were in fashion and kids wearing boxers would get made fun of for wearing "baggy grandpa underwear."

When they were young it was the old guys who wore boxers and the young guys wearing briefs. But by the time the next generation came, it was the young guys wearing boxers and old guys in the briefs.

 

[Trevor]

It's interesting how fashion goes in cycles. I've heard from older guys that in the 70s bikini briefs were in fashion and kids wearing boxers would get made fun of for wearing "baggy grandpa underwear."

When they were young it was the old guys who wore boxers and the young guys wearing briefs. But by the time the next generation came, it was the young guys wearing boxers and old guys in the briefs.

I am old enough to remember the 70s and back then shorts were so damn short guys had to wear briefs. Boxers would have hung out of the legs of them by several inches. My silent generation dad who was older than most of my friend's boomer dads by a more than decade didn't like the new "short shorts" as he called them and wasn't about to switch from boxers to briefs so he could wear them hung on to several pairs of longer "Bermuda shorts" he had that were left over from the 1960s.

He also had a pair of vintage swim trunks from circa 1960 that were about as long as modern day board shorts he used to wear to the beach. They were so woefully out of style by the late 70s and early 80s that my sister used constantly to give him shit about wearing his antique "JFK bathing suit" because she had seen a picture of the late president John F. Kennedy wearing very similar beach attire in the 1960s.

 

[deleted20554871]

Sorry who the hell is still wearing board shorts up to their knees to go swimming…..it’s not the 2000’s. Get a nice pair of swim shorts above the knees. As well, get a pair of good fitting Calvin Klein briefs because also who wears boxers anymore….very unattractive. Boxers are literally the equivalent of granny underwear for girls. No one wears them.

What the fuck is your problem?

every single person I know wears boxers and I’m way younger than you, old man.

 

[chasingwaves1980]

White guy here.
I wear boxerbriefs out of the house to keep the goods in place (lately lots of BOXmenswear), sometimes briefs.
I'm usually naked at home or close to it.
I wear a Speedo to swim - beach, pool, wherever.
In a locker room, I never use a towel when dressing, and carry it (not wear it) to and from the shower.

 

[chrisrobin]

thanks for the detailed answer, and i do agree on the cultural and religious and legal aspect of it..... but i am also curious to know how come only north american men follow the modesty aspect in clothing/underwear but not women so much...

For a great many years women were not really respected and looked at as sex objects - things have changed a bit. By the same token that accepting women as being people and not just sex objects men have also, very quietly, been told that flashing their manhood isn't a good idea and so, bigger under and beach wear, the reluctance to have their genitals observed in changing rooms.
Thank goodness the rest of the world has a bit more freedom. I love small underwear and thongs, enjoy the ladies in bikinis - or even topless - and don't car a hoot about who sees me naked in the changing rooms.