Guide
Men's Underwear Styles Guide: Briefs vs Trunks vs Boxer Briefs
The best men's underwear is the pair you forget you're wearing. Cut, coverage and fabric decide that — not price tags or logos. Here's how briefs, trunks and boxer briefs actually compare, and how to pick the right style for your day.
Briefs
Briefs are the classic short cut — no leg, high on the thigh, snug through the seat. They give the most freedom of movement and the least fabric under trousers, which is why they're the go-to under slim tailoring and in hot weather. If you find longer-leg styles ride up, briefs are usually the fix.
- Best for: hot climates, slim trousers, sport, sleep
- Coverage: low leg, full seat
- Watch-outs: visible under thin, light-colored trousers
Trunks
Trunks are the modern middle ground: a short square-cut leg, roughly 3–5 cm below the crotch. They hold shape better than briefs and disappear better under jeans and chinos than boxer briefs. For most men buying one style for everything, trunks are the safest default.
- Best for: everyday wear, jeans, chinos, shorter frames
- Coverage: short leg, full seat
- Watch-outs: can ride up if the fabric lacks stretch
Boxer briefs
Boxer briefs extend the leg down the thigh — usually 15–18 cm. That long leg grips instead of riding up, which is why they're the pick for running, gym work and long days on your feet. They add a little warmth in winter, and can feel bulky under lightweight summer trousers.
- Best for: gym, running, cold weather, taller frames
- Coverage: long leg, full seat
- Watch-outs: too warm for tropical summer days
Fabric matters more than cut
Style decides how underwear looks; fabric decides how it feels after ten hours. Long-staple combed cotton with a touch of elastane is the sweet spot — soft against skin, breathable in heat, and enough stretch to hold shape without pinching. Cheap short-staple cotton pills, loses shape and traps sweat.
Bruno's underwear is cut from premium long-staple cotton with a woven waistband that stays flat under trousers — briefs and trunks built for everyday comfort, not just for the first wash.
Which style should you buy?
- Live somewhere hot, or wear slim trousers → briefs.
- Want one pair for everything → trunks.
- Train hard, run, or want extra coverage → boxer briefs.
When in doubt, buy trunks in premium cotton. It's the style that works under the widest range of clothing, and the fabric is what you'll actually notice.