The long, tight belt that wraps around you while you’re trying to get comfortable getting ready for the day. Your waistband is thick, and it’s suffocating, or maybe you prefer it. It’s got a tight grip and doesn’t allow your underwear, under any circumstances, to fall.
But Why the Thick Waistband on Underwear? Underwear waistbands are thick to provide extra support for the weight of your pants. This is necessary because when you put anything in your pockets, it pulls on your pants. This thick waistband helps keep your pants in place and provide support.
More commonly seen since thongs and G-strings aren’t apart of a male’s wardrobes, thick waistbands are prominent through every brand of underwear; Calvin Kleins, Fruit of the Loom, Hanes, they all have different types, but the most common one is thick waistband that rests just along your waist, is usually black and can sometimes leave marks on your skin afterward.
The elastic waistband that compresses against your skin is there by design, even if your underwear is of fitting size it’s always nice to have that extra leeway in the form of elasticity. Just as sweatpants have drawstrings that you’re able to pull and tighten for maximum comfort, some underwear hones in on the “one-size-fits-all” routine.
The thick waistband is there to promote a clean and concise fit that sticks to your skin and doesn’t sag. Too often do we see people with saggy pants, but never with saggy underwear; by design, as I say.
To think of it in a more conventional sense, the thick waistband has saved plenty of people from the plights of spills and bad moments due to the thick waistband acting as a dam to any inconveniences that happen in the day. A dribble of spill rolling down your stomach’s path is blocked the second they hit the absorbency of the waistband.
Despite conventions, people still have their problems with the design. It can be suffocating, some people’s skin is less inclined to enjoy being suffocated on the daily—just due to their choice of undergarments.
There are three commonly referred to “types” of underwear: Encased Elastic Waistband, Sewn Inside (woven into the underwear) Waistband, and the most commonly seen, the Sewn on Logoed Elastic Waistband.
The thick waistband that wraps around your hips is a commonality found across all types of underwear, some fitting, some too tight, it’s all up to you and your personal preference. You’ll be hard pressed to find more fitting underwear at a department store that doesn’t adhere to one of those three guidelines.
Finding loose fitting underwear, or underwear that is more your style (and speed) is as simple as doing some light research online, going to a clothing warehouse, and just broadening your horizon. Just because you’ve been wearing Fruit of the Loom or Hanes for your entire life doesn’t mean you need to stick to it.
Sometimes breaking through the comfortable barrier and trying something new can get exciting; try lesser known brands, brands you’ve never heard of. They could bring something to the table that you’ve been missing.
Just know whatever underwear you choose to wear, it should fit comfortably snug on your body, not tug or pull at your waist, and not have you itching at it for the rest of your day.
