When it comes to underwear, men (at least the smart ones) really only care about one thing: Comfort.

I’ve made comfortable underwear my life’s study. Unfortunately, Calvin Klein discontinued my all-time favorite model, which incidentally looked like a sumo wrestler’s diaper, and therein lies my other salient point: if you’re going to undress in front of your S.O., or even in the locker room at the gym, it doesn’t hurt to have your underwear be as stylish as it is comfortable.

My personal picks:

H&M (the discount Swedish retail giant) is great for graphic, comic and otherwise cheeky boxer briefs.

Women have an advantage when it comes to the Italian brand Intimissimi; they can buy it at Victoria’s Secret. For guys, it’s a bit harder to find but worth it. You can buy it online (and if you’re gay, there’s the bonus soft-core porn aspect). Of course, the best way to shop for it is to go to Italy; there’s a store with a decent selection directly behind the Duomo in Milan.

 

For short-waisted guys like me, the Colombian brand Unico makes a comfy nutsack, available at Freshpair.

But by far the most luxurious underpants I ever had came from Sulka, the superlative NY maker of men’s shirts and other things, which is about to launch its new online store. I will undoubtedly be unable to afford it, so sweetheart, if you’re reading this…

Beyond comfort, I have only two other things to say about men’s underwear: 1) D&G has the hottest ads, and 2) by far the funniest catalogue is Nuwear.