What Are Boy Shorts and What Makes Them Unique?
When you hear the term “boy shorts,” there may be some confusion. While there certainly are shorts for young men, that’s not quite what we’re talking about. We’re referring to underwear.
If you don’t know much about boy shorts, then you’ve come to the right place. Just like how boy shorts have got your tush covered, we’ve got you covered with the 411. We’ll explain the whole tush bit in a second.
So let’s start to dig into how boy shorts came to be, how they should fit on you for maximum comfort, and when you should wear them.
Full Coverage Hip Huggers
Boy shorts are a type of underwear that offers more coverage than traditional underwear does. Most will completely cover every part of your private area, from your hips to your cheeks and the highest portion of your legs. You’ll be able to find boy shorts in varying lengths, but they can reach several inches down the leg.
If you need help picturing them, try to think of them like tight shorts. In fact, if you’re familiar with boxer briefs, then you can think of boy shorts as boxer briefs’ close relative. They have lots of similarities between the two.
But one of the main differences between the two of them is the fit. The most common fit for boxer briefs is going to be the mid-rise fit. This fit will likely sit between your hips and navel, right below your natural waistline.
On the other hand (apart from some exceptions), boy shorts tend to have a low-rise fit. These are going to sit pretty far from your waist. They may sit right above your hips.
That said, boy shorts are a more fun take on boxer briefs. With these, you can still have just enough coverage to be modest while feeling flirty.
Why Do We Call Them Boy Shorts?
Let’s take a dive back into history, shall we? Women first began wearing what we recognize as underwear during the Renaissance period. This was for two reasons: function and purity.
As far as their function, underwear was meant to protect them from bacteria to keep their parts clean. Without the medicine or medical knowledge that we have now, the mortality rate was extremely high, so it was even more important to prevent sickness. Underwear was also seen as another layer to help keep warm during the winter months.
Fast Forward to Today
Underwear then was typically as long as their skirts would allow them to be. So, they were pretty long, reaching down to their ankles. But once the Roaring Twenties came around and skirts started to shorten in length, underwear would become smaller too.
If we fast forward, we can see how as fashion departed from conservatism and took a risque turn, underwear was swept right along with the movement. New styles of underwear started to make waves on the fashion scene.
People started opting for tighter, more supportive underwear like briefs and bikini briefs. In the 80s and 90s, the thong phenomenon was all the rage, especially when peeking out from low-rise jeans in a whale tail. Soon after, boy shorts would follow.
Feminine underwear would usually follow what was trending with masculine underwear, and that’s exactly what happened with boy shorts, and it’s why they have their name. Although that’s their designated title, we can’t help but acknowledge the irony of it in today’s age.
We’re thankful for the growth and progress our society has made in breaking down norms that have to do with gender. So although we do use the name “boy shorts,” we think that they’re a great set of underwear for anyone who likes their fit and feel.
How Should Boy Shorts Fit?
With boyshorts underwear, you should expect a snug fit and full coverage. That makes them great for people of every shape and size as long as they want a more supportive feel from their underwear.
We’ve covered this a bit already, but typically boy shorts have a low-rise fit. Though, it isn’t uncommon to find boy shorts that are mid-rise or high-rise to fit the diverse needs of the people that love them.
One of the most important factors to consider is how comfortable you feel in them. Shorter inseams will give you just enough coverage that your cheeks shouldn’t be hanging out of them, and longer inseams should reach as far as a couple of inches down the leg. Try on boy shorts of different lengths to find the fit that makes you most comfy, and always double-check related size charts.
When To Wear Them
Like with any style of underwear, there are specific occasions that are better than others for wearing them. The first we want to talk about is when you want to avoid visible lines from your underwear.
One of the best parts about their fit is that because they’re usually made with smooth material that reaches past your butt, there’s no line cutting across the cheeks that you’ll be able to see underneath tight-fitting clothes. That means you don’t have to go commando or wear a thong to avoid this problem.
Another occasion you’ll want to wear them for is when you want to enhance the shape of your cheeks. Boy shorts aren’t fitted without reason. You can use them for contour when you want to add a lift to your cheeks. Now that we think about it, that would make every day an occasion for boy shorts. A round, lifted butt could never do you wrong.
Boy Shorts Galore
By now, you’ve got to be interested in owning a pair of your own boy shorts. If so, check out the TomboyX Boy Short Collection for all the boy shorts you could ask for. There are so many to choose from; we’ll point one out for you that we feel confident you’re going to adore.
These TomboyX Boy Shorts have every great quality we’ve talked about. They are full coverage to hide those cheeks of yours and are made with a blend of OEKO-TEX certified cotton and Spandex. They’re soft to the touch and have the elasticity to give some support and lift to that area.
Not only does it do that, but the blend also gives these boy shorts just the right amount of stretch so that you can be comfy all day long. You could be doing somersaults, and these boy shorts would support you every turn of the way.
Supportive Waistbands
We would be remiss not to talk about the special waistband in our boyshorts (and more). Our Signature stay-put silky soft waistband does wonders as far as making sure that it keeps the fabric from riding up or pinching.
Fun Colors, Iconic Prints
And we can’t forget to mention our design with Progress Pride Stripes. We love what these colors stand for and how they look!
Check out our Boy Shorts 5-Pack for a perfect example: The solid black and their signature waistband has a Rainbow Pride design. It’s all the comfort and pride you could ask for.
Short and Sweet
Once you have a pair of your own, you’ll be able to experience all their splendor. Before you know it, you’ll be finding excuses to wear them as often as you can.
Boy shorts are for everyone — which is awesome. All you need to do is pick the print or neutral that calls your name, and it’s time to walk with comfy confidence.
Sources:
History of Panties | LoveToKnow
A Brief Evolution of Underwear | Good Housekeeping
Testing of Organic Cotton in STANDARD 100 by OEKO-TEX | OEKO-TEX