The single best ad campaign for boxers without Seams (from apostrophe...9)
The Duke of Windsor's Boxers - Can't see any Seams
The point of comfort
Boxers with a seam - Uncomfortable and very British
Sunspel makes good looking boxers -- but with seams
Derek Rose also makes boxers with seams -- why are men in the UK so unhappy?
Tied boxers from Brooks Brothers - No Seams.
Even the Italians - No Seams -- Loerenzo Uomo boxers - Now made in China
Saks house brand and made in Italy - No Seams - Still available for $28.50
Luxe, John Nordstrom boxers discontinued in 2003 - - Two pair left and No Seams
Regular Nordstrom boxers - - No Seams - Still available for $18.00
Brooks Brothers Makers -- No longer made and No SeamsIf you've never worn seamless boxers then the odds are pretty good you have a Morning Suit. That is, you're from the UK. The US invented the boxer (circa 1927) but they didn't get to the UK until 1947. I assume they were far too comfortable. But English underwear manufacturers fixed that. They created boxers with two seams running the length of the back panel.
This panel seam is a fatal shot to Sunspel's beautiful and expensive (40 pounds) Liberty print boxer made in Turkey. The Sunspel white boxer is a more affordable 20 pounds but those seams are just as deadly. Imagine, walking around with two pieces of string hanging down from the waistband to the crotch and you have a pretty good idea of what these things are like.
These Derek Rose boxers also have seams. Is this is an English phenomenon? Derek Rose, now made in the Czech Republic, sells their boxers in Saks Fifth Avenue for $40 a pair. Little steep considering Saks house brand boxer sells for $28.50 and is made in Italy. It's also seamless.
College girls in the '80s were fond of stealing boyfriend's boxers and sewing velcro closures to the fly. Patch tartan and madras were usually in their sights. It was also popular for men to allow a little boxer to peek out from the legs of their shorts. Some called it 'peacocking' although I'm not sure why.
Here in NYC, the options for boxers have dried up considerably in the last 10 or so years. Brooks Brothers no longer offers anything made in the US although they do offer a German made Golden Fleece boxer for $80. Hanro, which was made in Switzerland, and is now made in Portugal, retail for $70 a pair. These options are the provenance of fur sink money.
I haven't tried shirtmaker David Mercer's boxers yet. Knowing David, I'm guessing they're built pretty tough. He's using shirt fabric and I have no issue with that. At $25 a pair they can be stolen here. I was once described by a relation as someone who would spend his last $50 on a pair of silk monogrammed boxers. To which I replied, "Hunter green with a red monogram." But silk boxers aren't what they used to be and neither is that relation.
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