NZ Guys Fess-Up About Their Undie Habits

Monday 5 July 2004

NZ Guys Fess-Up About Their Undie Habits

New Zealand males really do care about what they wear down under. That's the verdict from the Great Revealing Undie Debate - a survey run by Bendon Man to get to the bottom of what guys really think when they pull on their undies in the morning.

Forget metro and retro sexuals - there's a new breed of New Zealand male - the retro-metro-undie-sexual. That's a guy who likes to think he doesn't care about what undies he wears, but really he does. While he doesn't like shopping for undies, he knows exactly what style he wants and usually buys them himself rather than entrusting a girlfriend or mother.

The G.R.U.D ran on the Bendon Man website for three weeks from 8 June to 29 June and attracted more than 300 entries. Suzanne Walters, Bendon Man brand manager says they were pleased with the number of responses received.

"Especially considering guys don't normally like to talk about this kind of thing," says Suzanne.

And what is the retro-metro-undie-sexual wearing? The overall results from the G.R.U.D show that if you stop your average punter on the street, he's likely to be sporting a black, fitted trunk or boxer-brief in stretch cotton.

While five years ago it would have been a safe bet to say that loose boxers were the undie-of-choice, guys are now opting for fitted trunk and boxer-brief styles, which basically looks like a close-fitting short.

"A fitted trunk or boxer brief fits close to the skin with usually a shorter leg, and provides a smooth line under clothing. Loose cotton boxers are increasingly popular with younger guys particularly as youth outerwear trends just keep getting baggier. But the fitted trunk has been the hot favourite for a while now and the trend shows no signs of abating," says Suzanne.

The survey also hinted that girls don't understand the delicate nature of what's down under, with 76% of New Zealand guys saying they buy their own underwear. This goes against the age-old myth that men gladly leave it up to their Mum or girlfriend to purchase. However the survey has shown that some guys still like to relinquish control, with 14% of replies admitting their girlfriend still buys their undies, and 8% their Mum.

While some guys might consider it a piece of machinery down there, they still don't get the same enjoyment from undie shopping as they do from buying boys toys like stereos. Close to half of the guys go shopping for underwear every six months, while 22% shop only once a year. They are more likely to go to a 'good old department store' like Farmers, with 65% of opting for this destination over men's apparel stores.

"Shopping will always be a chore for guys. Department stores offer a comfortable destination for them. They know there will be a defined area for them to look in and they can browse in relative privacy," Suzanne says.

A staggering 17% of guys shop when their underwear is too holey to know which one to put their leg through. Also, the All Blacks might not realise that winning is not only good for the nation's morale, it can also affect underwear purchases with 1% saying they buy underwear when the All Blacks win.

The NZ bloke is a clean one - with 90% changing their underwear every day. However a small portion of men choose to change only when there's the possibility of a hot date seeing them in their underwear.

Black is the favourite choice of colour accounting for 49% of replies, while Navy Blue runs second at 26%. Grey, red and white trail behind, with grey at 9%, red at 8% and white at 6%.

TYPICAL NZ BLOKE AND HIS UNDIES

Buys his own undies from a department store every six months. Prefers a black fitted trunk in stretch cotton, which they change every day.

ENDS

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