Many men around the world feel a chill run down their spines when they hear the word shopping. While there are a good number of reasons ranging from “shopping is a waste of time, I’d rather hang out with friends instead” to budgets, and more, it seems like one of the most common factors why men dislike shopping so much is a general sense of cluelessness.

To add to it, unlike how shirts, t-shirts, trousers, denims, and just about all form of outerwear come with the option of trying out and returning (especially if bought online), this is a privilege that almost all forms of underwear are exempted from having. In other words, unless you really know how to choose right men's underwear, most of us spend a good time shooting arrows in the dark.

Having been there, done that, we understand how complicated simple things like choosing the right set of mens briefs or mens trunks underwear can be. But having navigated that not so complex system, here are our tips on how to choose the right underwear for your body type. Sit back, and read along, even more so if you’re about to go buy mens briefs or other forms of underwear online or directly from the store.

The first step in our guide to choose underwear is defining the style, and for good reason. Mens briefs today, are no longer the simpletons they used to be. Available in a range of styles that suit the personal tastes and body types of different men, it is necessary that you understand how to choose the right underwear for your body type so that you end up with something you are comfortable and familiar with the next time you go to buy.

The easiest way of doing this is to try the different kinds of underwear out there from the tighty whities to the classic boxers, mens trunks underwear, swimmers underpants, and so on. Yes, it is a little time consuming and could appear to be a waste of time, but we can assure you that it ends up saving both in the long run. And a wise man once said that until you try, you will never know. This holds true for everything, including underwear in life… (Weren’t expecting life lessons on a post about how to pick the right underwear, now, were you?)

If you’re reading up on how to choose right men’s underwear and we leave out talking about fabric, we’re doing a horrid job, because fabric to underwear is like ingredients to food. There are many, many of them available, but you cannot have one without the other.

The only difference between choosing a style and selecting a fabric, however, is that fabrics have their inherent properties as well, that become a small yardstick to measure if one would be the appropriate choice for the occasion. Several other factors also come in play like the weather conditions of where you stay, the level of activity, and your own bodily cycles of sweat and more.

In general, fabrics like good quality cotton go perfectly well with almost all styles of underwear by virtue of being natural, soft, breathable, and comfortable. The fabric is like magic when it comes to undergarments of all sorts actually which is why you’ll see everything from mens trunks underwear to boxer shorts, vests, etc. available in varying qualities of cotton.

Apart from that, popular, richer, and more occasion oriented fabrics like satin and silk are also great options, however, you must keep in mind that these aren’t as comfortable, durable or breathable as cotton, so unless there is a specific occasion, especially if someone else is going to be seeing you in your underwear, cotton is normally the safest bet.

Again, a guide to choose underwear is definitely incomplete without the cliché on size, but the truth is, all jokes apart, when it comes to figuring out how to pick the right underwear you have to first figure out how to choose underwear size for males.

Now of course, there are two ways to look at this: one where we follow the regular Small, Medium, and Large formats to guide us on how to choose underwear size for males just like you would for females as well. However, for those that are a little more particular about fit and size, there is the standard waist measurement as well. These normally range around 28-31 inches, 32-34 inches, and 36-38 inches and so on.

The rule of thumb, however, is to keep in mind that, despite the system of inches being standard around the planet, these sizes tend to vary from brand to brand depending on various customizations that they make to the design and style. Additionally, the type of fabric also plays a role in defining how comfortable you may be in a particular size. The trick, again, is to try a couple of things that you think might fit you, find what suits you best, and then, preferably, stick to it. 

As far-fetched as it sounds, it is important to keep in mind the weather conditions of your area when you are trying to figure how to pick the right underwear, because even if you have got all the other factors right, you have to keep in mind that this one thing is not in your hands – figuratively and literally.

In other words, while deciding how to choose the right underwear for your body type, keep in mind that sunny climates call for looser underwear made from more breathable and lightweight fabrics as opposed to cold climates that would entail underwear made from fabrics like wool or fiber blends.

In general though, the bottom line (see what we did there?), is that when you are out there figuring how to pick the right underwear, you must keep in mind that comfort comes above everything else. At the end of the day, the fabric, the colour, the fit, the size, all of it must feel just right. Everything else can follow.