Man grapples with whether to keep his ex boyfriend’s very old, very used underwear

Talk about hanging by a thread...

Mark Mark
Sep 16, 2025 - 20:00
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Man grapples with whether to keep his ex boyfriend’s very old, very used underwear

The debate over boxers or briefs has divided men for generations. But does the equation change when the undergarment is nearly a decade old and hanging on by a literal thread?

A gay man on X recently posed the question to his more than 43,000 followers, complete with a picture of the shredded Calvins in question. “Do you guys think it’s time to retire these boxer briefs I kept from an ex 8 years ago?” he asked.

The answers were divided and predictably risqué…

How about we take this to the next level?

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It was a pivotal summer in the world of gay underwear, with Andrew Christian shuttering his iconic brand after 25 years. The legendary designer told Queerty‘s Johnny Lopez the ascent of fast fashion companies where consumers can purchase itty bitty jocks and briefs “for $3” has rendered it impossible for him to compete.

In recent years, mainstream fashion labels have also started producing their own underwear for the male gaze. It comes as little surprise that Calvin Klein, which revolutionized men’s underwear with its sleek branding and design, is leading the charge.

Prior to the 1980s, men’s underwear was largely viewed as a functional accessory meant for support. Calvin changed the game with the launch of its men’s collection, grossing $70 million in a single year (in ’80s dollars nonetheless).

Today, Calvins are undeniably hot. They represent a rarified, masculine sort of promiscuity. The number of campaigns that have caused mouths to water in recent years is too large to count.

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Of course, Calvins, or any sort of underwear, don’t breed sexiness on their own. Their wearer factors into the presentation, as well as the garment’s condition.

Those variables are prevalent in the long-running discourse about tighty-whities. Seemingly invented for gays and theys–the original designer of Jockey® briefs was inspired when a friend sent him a postcard of a bikini-clad man in the French Riviera–the style has a branding problem.

Tighty-whity skeptics often reference ill-fitting styles, dirty briefs and loose fabric. Those criticisms indicate the problem lies with problems that inanimate garment can’t control.

That brings us back to the aforementioned ripped blue Calvins. They are not seductive in any way.

But they could be sentimental; and most importantly, comfortable.

https://twitter.com/Blackenedlodge/status/1965097889547649201

While we doubt many of the respondents actually keep underwear for eight years or more–that’s a lot of wash cycles!–the number of people who don’t think there’s anything wrong with ripped and wrinkled undies are propelling us to reevaluate. Maybe the gays who flock out for new boxers or briefs are in the minority, despite what the sale figures say.

Besides, keeping an ex’s underwear is a kind of triumph. Once they’re tossed, he slips away forever

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