Son and His Rant

Updated on August 22, 2012
M.M. asks from Fayetteville, GA
22 answers

My son and I were back to school shopping today having a discussion on underwear and I told him "tighty whities" are out of style and most boys his age (13) probably don't wear them. He say's many guys still do. So here is a question for everyone. Tighty Whities or colored??? Briefs or Boxers ??? What is your son's preference? What do you like to see the boys wear in your family?

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H.W.

answers from Portland on

I would defer to my son's preferences, as he is the one who wears them. He is the one who needs to be comfortable in them as well as in the locker room. As long as it isn't something racy, I don't care. Kiddo is five right now and has both Hanna Andersson boxer-briefs and briefs, multi-colored. I think for him, the briefs are easier to deal with.

Personally-- it's underwear. I don't worry about this stuff, so I don't care which style they (son and husband) wear so long as they're clean and covered. :)

5 moms found this helpful
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J.B.

answers from Boston on

Well...given that HE is the 13 year old boy and the one actually IN a locker room with his peers on a regular basis I would defer to my child on what is or is not in style. It's his bottom - let him put on whatever he wants. I can't believe that mother would even argue about this with her son.

I don't have a preference for what my boys wear. THEY have preferences - my little boys like to wear boxer-briefs and my oldest son likes regular boxers. But if the little guys see briefs in a pattern that they like they'll wear those too.

4 moms found this helpful

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V.W.

answers from Jacksonville on

Honestly, I don't like to see what the boys in my family are wearing at all. ;)

But, my 14 year old WAS wearing boxer briefs for the past couple of years. This summer he decided to switch over to plain cotton boxers.

ETA: by the way... what grade is your son in? If his friends aren't wearing what he is, he will figure it out quickly in the locker room at gym time. If you are concerned that he is mistaken, then don't stock up. Just buy him a few of what he wants, and then wait. He might change his tune, as some of his friends might have changed their preferences since last year....
As for what to do if he still wants the white... well, if he still likes them, he still likes them. You might buy a few packs of other varieties to see if he wants to try them out... he might discover he likes something else better. But if not, why make an issue of it? He's the one wearing them. I wouldn't want my mom making me wear THIS bra vs. THAT one, if the one she liked made me feel uncomfortable, even though SHE liked it better.

6 moms found this helpful

T.S.

answers from San Francisco on

Oh my, let him wear what he wants! It's hard enough being a 13 year old boy without your mom debating you on your choice of underwear, lol!
My son and husband both do, and always have, worn boxers, but there must be a whole element of the population wearing the tightie whities, right? Why else would they still be selling them?

4 moms found this helpful
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J.M.

answers from Chattanooga on

I would buy him a small package of whatever he wants for the beginning of school.

After a few weeks, you can ask him if he still wants the whiteys, or if he wants to try colored or boxers. Then get him enough of whatever he wants to last the rest of the year.

They are his undies... he should wear what he wants.

4 moms found this helpful
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R.R.

answers from Dallas on

my son just turned 11 and will only wear boxers, and has for a number of years. Hubby wears boxer briefs.

I'm with you though, I believe tighty whities are out of style.

2 moms found this helpful
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D.T.

answers from Muncie on

They make a cross between boxers and tighties, boxer briefs, no "panty line" or typical wedgies and the legs don't bunch. Just a few of the big draw backs of regular boxers. Also if your son is still uncomfortable about the... spontaneous reactions of his body, he may feel more secure in that area if he's wearing something snug like briefs or boxer briefs. It'a all about his comfort really.

My husband is a convert from tighties to boxers.

2 moms found this helpful

C.M.

answers from Washington DC on

My son is only 5 and he has tight whities, but he also has some boxer briefs so he can be like daddy, lol! But, let your son choose the type of underwear he wants to wear! He is the one who has to wear it and my husband wore tighty whities until we got married and then changed his mind on his own. As long as he is ok with, then why make it a bigger deal than it needs to be. I don't wear thongs just because everyone else is. I honestly hate the feeling of having a wedgie so I do not wear thongs.

2 moms found this helpful

⊱.H.

answers from Spokane on

Both my boys (8 and 4) and my husband wear colored boxer briefs.

1 mom found this helpful

S.L.

answers from New York on

How bout colored briefs?
My husband likes tightie whities, I dont love them so that's a compromise.
(24 yr old boxers only, 7 yr old whatever

1 mom found this helpful
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T.C.

answers from Minneapolis on

my son is 12 and him and my husband wear boxer briefs.

1 mom found this helpful

J.W.

answers from St. Louis on

My older son will only wear boxers, my younger son wears whatever is clean. See with my younger son he is at the whim of parents. Since my idiot ex wears only briefs for some of the strangest reasons I have ever heard, he only buys briefs for the boy. I buy boxers because his big brother notified me that is cool and the kid needs to be less nerdy (in a loving way).

My husband wears briefs, he tried to wear boxers but with his line of work they apparently creep all up in his junk and drive him nuts. They are all black, just making sure I am covering all your data points. :)

Frankly if they are going to wander around the house in just their underwear I insist they must be boxers. Briefs just show too much.

1 mom found this helpful
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☆.A.

answers from Pittsburgh on

My 9 year old and husband wear only boxer briefs. No tighty whieys to be found! Maybe it's a regional thing? No clue.

Oh! Black, grey, white, blue, etc....very few "prints"! Lol

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L.M.

answers from Spartanburg on

At 13 it is up to him what kind and color of underwear he wears. He knows what he likes. I don't see a problem if you want to get him a different kind to see if he likes them, just have him tell you if he wants more like that. If he doesn't ask for more then he likes what he has.

My husband and son both wear tighty whiteis and colored briefs, neither wear boxer or boxer briefs.

N.G.

answers from Dallas on

My husband only wears boxers. He's tried boxer briefs but he hates them. All of the other men in my family are briefs guys. My Dad wears tighty-whiteys, and my brothers both like man-kinis, lol.

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C.G.

answers from Atlanta on

After raising 4 boys aged 5 to 24 I will tell you it's best to let them pick out their own underwear. If it is comfortable to him then let him go with it. One nice thing about Tighty Whities is you can bleach the stripes out of them and get them back to White fairly easy with just a little bleach. With the colored briefs it may take several tries. My husband is 51 and has been an avid fan of Tighty Whities since he was in his 20's. I remember him wearing red and black breifs in high school, (yes we have been together that many years) but since we were in our 20's he has been a white brief man. If the boys in the locker room tease him he may decide to switch it up a bit, but for now let him make up his own mind.

L.B.

answers from Biloxi on

Boxer briefs - you know the brief material, but cut longer in the leg. And never white ones.

My son, at about 13, tried every style of underwear out there before deciding on these. Underwear became a huge issue for him. LOL

At 16 he now pretty much set on his "style".

I don't care what he wears, as long as he wears something. 'Cause, yes, he tried out commando also.

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D.F.

answers from Boston on

Some like tighty whities, some like boxers. Mine are both. My sons boxers and hubby tighty whities. Boxers are all colors.

J.S.

answers from Hartford on

Every guy I know wears boxer briefs. But if your son wants tighty whiteys, then let him get what he wants.

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B.Z.

answers from Minneapolis on

LOL, this reminds me of when my son went into Jr. High and I had bought the "tighty whities." He came home and said that he was not going back to school if I didn't get him boxers. Apparently when they changed for gym this was a big deal. We went that night and bought all new boxers of his choice. I guess if he says people still do wear them I would wait on buying any until he decides for sure. No point spending the money on something that is going to go to waste.

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K.O.

answers from Atlanta on

Both of my boys wear boxer briefs. They are 7 and 5. The 7 year old has worn those for 3 years now and the 5 year old just requested them before school started. My husband wears boxers only. Of all the teens/men I've seen in underwear (between friends, ex boyfriends, brothers friends, brother, etc) they all wore boxers, and 1 wore boxer briefs. No briefts, white or colored.

At 13, I'm highly surprised that many boys are still wearing tighty whities.

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C.B.

answers from San Francisco on

I want them to wear whatever is most comfortable. Most of them are going to the boxer briefs and they are colored.

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