By Chris
Prepare to have your senses assaulted. Walk through the wide-open doors and wait for your eyes to adjust to the darkness. Forget about smelling anything but the signature scent of fresh citrus and warm musk. Take in the pounding dance music as you make your way through the depths of the multi-layered store. Once you’ve arrived, appreciate where you are: Abercrombie Fitch.
This is a brand with an unmistakable identity. Marketed towards hip teens living a relaxed but rugged lifestyle, Abercrombie Fitch has gained international fame in the fashion world (although it definitely didn’t start that way back in the late 1800s). Sure, their jeans are well constructed and their shirts exude Ivy League class, but do these traits carry over to their underwear?
Almost nothing you can purchase at Abercrombie could be described as over the top or wacky, and their underwear is no exception. In fact, scrolling through the selection on their website may have you thinking your computer is set to gray scale, but don’t let their lack of color dissuade you. Abercrombie underwear, I’m here to say, is actually very good.
The brand offers boxers, performance boxer-briefs and trunks, and cotton boxer-briefs and trunks—no briefs, unfortunately. I own a pair of boxers, a performance trunk, and a cotton trunk, so I can tell you about my experience with each style.
I am not, nor have I ever been, a boxer fan. That’s not to say they’re not great for some things or some people, but I typically find that they ride up and don’t provide enough support. Abercrombie boxers, in my experience, are an extreme of the former. I had to adjust them every ten minutes. Maybe it was just the pair I had, but I believe the waistband wasn’t made with enough elastic.
The cotton trunk is a pair I have had for quite a while and still to this day, it is one that I wear almost every week (and that’s saying something when I have enough underwear to last for several months). Made of 95% Pima cotton, 5% spandex, this pair has stood the test of time. Unlike cotton tends to, the Abercrombie cotton trunk hasn’t lost any of its shape or stretchiness; it has maintained its perfectly low rise, body hugging fit. It features a slightly contoured pouch that isn’t especially tight, so if you’re looking for something to highlight the goods, this pair isn’t for you. The Pima cotton/spandex blend is comfortable enough to wear all day (and all night, if you sleep in underwear).
The “performance” trunk differs only slightly from its cotton brother. It is much more stretchy as it is made from 87% nylon, 13% elastane. A very interesting design feature of this pair is the waistband: the clever way the fabric is woven creates an extremely soft inner texture. Many nylon/elastane products tend to have tight, sometimes itchy waistband, but the Abercrombie Fitch performance series is a definite exception. I have had this pair for about half the time of the cotton version, but it shows no signs of aging yet.
For all three types of underwear, a small (my usual size) fit like a glove. No need to size up or down.
As I already said, this particular brand of underwear isn’t necessarily one to wear if you’re looking for a sexy or unique style, but they are absolutely perfect for everyday use. Although the underwear isn’t inherently cheap (one pair costs $22), you can get two of any style for $30! Boxers change seasonally, but the average price is about $18 a pair.
If you’re in the market for a couple of pairs of plain ol’ underwear that offers style in the form of quiet elegance along with high comfort, then consider heading over to Abercrombie Fitch (you just have to conquer the sensory overload). Or, you could always point your browser to abercrombie.com instead. Unlike Burberry, Abercrombie doesn’t resell, so you won’t find these in department stores, unfortunately.
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