In today's newsletter:

​— The Underwear Questionnaire

— Funky fisherman sandals

— Funny socks to go with 'em

— A see-through wallet 

FIXATION OF THE WEEK

There has been much cultural analysis dedicated to women's underwear — how it commodifies and politicizes the female body, how it reflects and refracts the variety of consumer needs it must fulfill. The same can’t be said of men's underwear and the space it occupies in our culture just yet — for all kinds of reasons, we simply don’t take men’s undergarments quite as seriously.  

In terms of the garment business, though, this has led to a women's market that is diverse at best and fractured at worst, split into classes that range from mainstream lingerie to bland-but-functional basics to downright fashion products (often disguised as either of the former). Imagine a spectrum, if you will, that locates the performative, male gaze-y labels like Victoria's Secret and Agent Provocateur on one end, Hanes and its ilk on the other, and a middle area to represent those feminist-sexy-but-also-everyday-comfy upstarts à la Cou Cou Intimates or even Skims. Meanwhile, the men’s category offers very little material (ha) to work with, which is why I felt compelled to investigate further.

​Bringing up the topic of men's trunks in conversation rarely ever amounts to anything other than crude jokes or anecdotes about crotch holes, fraying waistbands, cartoon character-prints, or, God forbid… discoloration. My usual method of just up-and-DMing my colleagues to learn what lurks beneath their jeans — as casually as when I asked them to share their skin care regimens — also didn't seem like quite the right methodology. So instead, I opted to set up a quick and easy survey for my peers to anonymously dish on their habits and preferences regarding undies, in what I proudly billed my Underwear Questionnaire. 

Apparently, even to this day, nothing comes between men and their Calvins. Across all ages and paygrades, the guys made sure to communicate their unwavering trust in the classic 3-pack set of cotton stretch Calvin Klein skivvies. But there was another strong contender in the race: Uniqlo landed a close second place, clocking in well ahead of options from  Nike, adidas and Under Armour, as well as still slightly niche-er activewear labels like Alo, Lululemon, and yes, Ms. Kardashian's Skims. 

​On the lifestyle-ier side, answers ranged across price points, from Muji to H&M to Supreme, with cameos from dedicated undergarment labels CDLP and Falke. One particularly fancy fella even attested to having bought his briefs at Tom f*cking Ford. That said, considering everyone owns underpants and uses them daily, and the vast majority of respondents claimed to only purchase new batches once or twice a year, there's not that much spending going on: For the most part, budgets cap at around $50 for a multipack — or $35 for a single pair, though barely anyone even purchases lone units. By certain metrics, the logic should hold that underwear is the exact kind of good we can, should splurge on, re: cost-per-wear and such. What I also learned from my research is that no matter cost or cut, the reign of tighty whities is no more. The dominant preference is for black underwear and, less commonly, neutral tones, stripes, or plaids. Silhouette-wise, the boxer brief is, in fact, the favored go-to, with regular briefs and the (currently extra trendy) boxer short not all that far behind.

While this peek into the rather un-mysterious male underwear drawer is accompanied by something adjacent to relief — no one's been secretly reinventing the wheel when we weren't looking — it also lays bare an opportunity. In paying closer attention to the category, one wonders if there's space for, say, a Merz b. Schwanen or Zimmerli of underwear. What is the perfect white t-shirt or the fool- proof blue jeans of briefs that can get people buzzing around this most mundane of products? As my highly scientific Underwear Questionnaire shows, underwear preferences are less driven by strong opinions than they are by an individual commitment to something one is already familiar with. Where is the brand that will corrupt that loyalty? Who comes after Calvin?

EVERYTHING WE'VE GOT OUR EYES ON RIGHT NOW:

From the underwear to the sock drawer, these comically crocheted KAPITALs will put a smile on your face and your feet.

The Crocs Yukon fisherman sandal is a nice alternative for anti-open-toe folk. 

COMME des GARÇONS made an X-ray version of their classic wallet.

These bug-eyed Thistles shades entered the shopping cart as quickly as their “Speedy” moniker would suggest.

For a designer famously averse to logos, this Jil Sander logo sweatshirt is pretty darn cool.

On LU’U DAN’s polo, you'll find embroidery that’s very different from usual chest insignia.

It's the current rollout of fall/winter pieces like this electric blue Celine parka that've got me wishing for colder weather, sorry to say.

Same goes for this dark red cashmere coat by A. Presse.

Until then, Stone Island's could pass as a cooler summer night's throw-over.

Hot or cold, someone commented to me that Satisfy's innovative activewear fabrics — as put to use in this suave jacket — are “what we're gonna survive global warming in.” At least the apocalypse will have great outfits?