The Complete Guide to Buying Men’s Underwear (2026)

What Counts as Sexy Men’s Underwear?

Sexy men’s underwear is any pair designed to show off rather than just cover up — lower rises, sharper cuts, contoured pouches and fabrics like mesh, wetlook and lace that regular department-store jocks wouldn’t dare. Same job as your everyday pair, twice the intent.

The category runs from briefs and bikinis through jockstraps, open-back styles, trunks and thongs, from labels like Envy, Prowler, Cut4Men, Male Power and Andrew Christian. Some pairs are everyday-wearable with a wink; others are strictly for an audience. Have a look through the full mens underwear range to see how wide it goes.

Is It Time to Upgrade Your Underwear Drawer?

If every pair you own is grey, saggy and older than your phone — yes, it’s time. Good underwear is the cheapest upgrade a bloke can make to how he looks and feels undressed.

Blokes buy statement underwear for honest reasons. It photographs well. It makes date night land properly. A contoured pouch genuinely flatters, a low rise lengthens your torso, and a bold print says you don’t take yourself too seriously — which is its own kind of attractive.

Straight talk on the trade-offs: fine mesh and lace need gentler washing than cotton, thongs take a session or two to stop noticing, and a jock is a commitment to your rear being the headline. None of it is a dealbreaker — just know which dial setting you’re buying. Pairing it with a look? A costume takes the same energy further.

Types of Men’s Underwear: Which Cut Suits You?

Men’s underwear splits into four main cuts — briefs, jockstraps, trunks and thongs. The right one comes down to how much you want to show and how long you’ll be wearing it.

Briefs & bikinis

The classic, sharpened. A sexy brief sits low on the hip with a contoured pouch and high-cut legs; a bikini cut goes lower and briefer again. The Prowler Open Back Brief takes the idea further with a full pouch up front and nothing but straps behind — brief in name, jock in spirit.

Jockstraps & open-backs

The cut that made cheeky an art form: full support in the pouch, open air behind. Once locker-room gear, now the go-to for pride, parties and anyone whose best asset faces backwards. The Prowler Paw Open Back Jock is the flagship look, and the Envy Magic Unicorn Bubble Butt Jock proves it doesn’t have to be serious.

Trunks & boxer briefs

The most wearable cut in the category — a square-cut leg that flatters almost every build, which is why it’s our beginner pick. The Cut4Men Athletic Trunk is the sporty benchmark, and the Envy Snap Down Mesh Boxer Brief adds see-through fabric and snap-open sides for after dark.

Thongs & G-strings

Minimal fabric, maximum statement. A thong keeps the pouch and trades the back for a strap; a G-string barely keeps the pouch. Party tricks exist too — the Male Power Rip Off Thong tears away with one tug, which is exactly as fun as it sounds.

How to Choose Your First Pair of Statement Underwear

Choose your first pair on four points: the occasion, the fit, the fabric and the budget. Get those right and the confidence part takes care of itself.

Occasion first

Be honest about where it’s going. Every day under work clothes? Trunk or brief. Date night? A low-rise brief or mesh boxer brief hits the sweet spot between suggestive and try-hard. Festival, pride or a night that ends late? That’s jock and thong territory.

Fit & size

Snug, never tight. The waistband should sit flat without digging, the pouch should hold everything forward without squeezing, and leg openings shouldn’t leave marks. If it’s cutting in, it’s working against you — the sexiest fit is the one you forget you’re wearing.

Fabric & feel

Microfibre and cotton blends wear all day; mesh and wetlook are for showing off; lace is the plot twist nobody sees coming. Anything with stretch (elastane in the blend) will fit better and last longer than a rigid weave.

Budget

Solid statement pairs start around $20 on promotion and the premium European cuts top out near $64. Start with one or two pairs to find your cut, then build the drawer — nobody’s first thong should cost more than dinner.

Fabrics, Comfort & Feel

Fabric decides whether a pair is a keeper or a drawer ornament. Microfibre is the workhorse — silky, breathable and stretchy; cotton blends are the everyday soft option; mesh and wetlook are pure show; lace is softer than it looks and bolder than it sounds.

Check the blend before you buy: a touch of elastane means the pouch keeps its shape wash after wash. Sheer fabrics are lighter and cooler than they appear — a mesh trunk in an Australian summer is honestly a practical choice that happens to look filthy.

How to Wear It with Confidence

Wear it like it’s no big deal — that’s the entire trick. A jock worn casually beats a brief worn nervously, every time.

Practical pointers: wear a new pair around the house first so the reveal isn’t also the fitting; match the cut to your outfit so nothing peeks out at work; and build up the dial — trunk, then brief, then jock, then thong. By the thong, the confidence is already installed.

Care, Washing & Making It Last

Wash statement underwear cold and gentle, and never tumble-dry it — heat is what kills elastic, and elastic is what makes the pouch work.

• Mesh, lace and wetlook go in a wash bag on a delicate cycle, or a quick hand wash.
• Skip fabric softener on stretch fabrics — it coats the fibres and slackens the fit.
• Line-dry in the shade; sun bleaches bold prints and cooks elastane.

Our Top 7 Men’s Underwear Picks for 2026

These are the seven pairs we rate most highly this year — ranked, in stock and priced in Australian dollars. Every pick is a real product on our shelves, chosen on cut, fabric quality and value.

Still weighing it up? Browse the full range of men’s underwear and filter by cut, brand and size.

Men’s Underwear FAQ