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Boxers Or ? Neither. It’s Trunks. By Deborah Weinswig for Forbes August 15, 2016

We recently teamed up Gen X: “Boxers Or Millennials: Defined By with First Insight, which Briefs?” Leads To “The The Trunk offers companies a platform Boxer Brief” for consumer testing of products, to analyze According to First Insight consumer tests of men’s In 1994, a high school data, prices of men’s trunk apparel conducted since student at an MTV - underwear have risen by 2013. The findings show sponsored town hall 44% over the past three that, although men’s apparel famously asked Bill Clinton, years, and the volume of prices overall have fallen by “Is it boxers or briefs?” He trunks tested via the 27.8% over the period, laughed and answered, company’s platform has men’s underwear prices “Usually briefs.” The fact boosted tests in the entire have, in fact, increased by that he answered at all men’s underwear category 34%. We also found that the endeared him to Gen Xers. by 34% over the same number of tests conducted on Around the same time, John period. In 2013, trunks men’s accessories via First Varvatos cut off a pair of accounted for just 8% of the Insight has grown by 681% long johns and called them total men’s underwear tests over the past three years. “.” Now, conducted via First Insight’s The popular BPOP according to data from The platform; in 2016 to date, +0.70% category, NPD Group, boxer briefs are they have represented 56% where the number of tests the dominant form of men’s of the total. conducted has grown by underwear, with 40% market 587% from 2013 to 2016, share. So, what is the deal with has seen a marginal price trunks? By strict definition, increase. But, based on First Insight’s survey results, the prices of trunks are a hybrid brief and boxers and boxer briefs have boxer brief that use less In the last few days, we took fallen—boxers are down fabric. According to Michael a deeper dive into the data 28% and boxer briefs are Kleinmann, Editor-in-Chief for both men’s underwear down 2%. So, what accounts of The Underwear Expert, a and to get a better for the 34% increase in site covering the men’s understanding of what is men’s underwear prices? underwear industry, trunks driving sales of these popular The answer lies in a relative are becoming a favorite cut categories. newcomer to the category: of underwear among men trunks. who are “in the know.” Trunks are versatile—they

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Boxers Or Briefs? Neither. It’s Trunks. By Deborah Weinswig for Forbes August 15, 2016 are great for everyday wear, For example, Sunspel’s Low because it is lightweight, dressing up and even playing Trunks were ranked made of 77 % nylon mesh moderate sports. one of the 15 men’s and 23% . The Our research shows that this underwear brands trunks can be rinsed in a term is being used much onFaveable, a site that hotel sink, and then worn more broadly across the covers products in a number again. They retail for $45 category to refer to other of categories. They retail for and come in lake blue and high-end underwear styles. $55 per pair and are teal green. In fact, a quick look described on Faveable as at Google GOOGL - having “the fit of a boxer 0.03% Trends from 2006 to with the support of a brief.” Joe Ferrara, a Tommy John today shows that searches for They received rave reviews investor and board member, “trunks” have outpaced on the site, such as said to us during a recent searches for “briefs” by 2.5 “Luxurious to wear and offer industry panel discussion,“If times, and have outpaced a snug, but not too tight, fit; you think of men’s searches for “boxer briefs” made of fine for underwear, it’s black, gray by 4.5 times. Trunks’ unparalleled lightness, and white. We need stars and popularity could also comfort, and luxury.” stripes, we need colors, account for the expanded performance fabrics, like definition of the category, to wicking, for example, which include higher-end boxer The 2(x)ist Men’s Stretch is a premium offering. Doing briefs, with popular high-end Core No-Show Trunk were those things, you can brands such as Frigo helping voted “Sexiest Men’s maintain that premium to push that envelope. Underwear” in Faveable’s price.” The price point for trunks is survey of top underwear brands and they retail for running higher than that of The Crazy Sock Trend: A other men’s underwear $42.00. This award-winning trunk is made from modal Flash In The Pan Or Here categories, perhaps due to To Stay? trunks’ combination of and elastane-blend fabric, functionality and and is offered in a variety of fusion. Some trunks combine colors. As with underwear, socks higher-quality fabrics for are a way for men to splurge moisture wicking and odor Tommy John’s new Air Icon on themselves, pamper prevention, some incorporate Trunk is targeted to frequent themselves with extra mesh, and some boast fliers and road warriors comfort, and show off their “double-panel coverage.” personality in subtle and not-

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Boxers Or Briefs? Neither. It’s Trunks. By Deborah Weinswig for Forbes August 15, 2016 so-subtle ways. Since 2013, While sock prices are up just to $65 per pair—well above First Insight has seen the 2% over the last three years, the price of your average number of companies the colorful sock trend is still Men’s 10-pack. requesting consumer tests of relevant, as socks allow men men’s socks increase by 3.5 to express their fashion style times—but sock testing via without being too risky or So, is the crazy sock trend its platform is actually down “out there.” here to stay? We’ll tell you 50% from 2014, when the after the holiday season. “crazy sock” craze hit its Each year since peak. Men can experiment with 2004, Google searches for fun colors and prints to “crazy socks” have peaked express themselves, and even during the holidays, with The number of all men’s get a little bit of positive searches for the term up 12% accessories tested via First attention at the office. in 2015 over the previous Insight’s platform has Popular brands year. increased by four times over include Happy Socks, which the past three years. This offers men’s socks in every reflects data from color, pattern and style. We’ll be watching these Euromonitor International trends closely in 2016, and that show that men’s will try not to get our trunks accessories sales grew by Another brand, Quiet in a twist while doing so. 12% from 2010 to 2015. It Rebellion, is targeted to the also speaks to the “wild on the inside, mundane on the outside” consumer, casualization of menswear, a topic that Greg Petro, CEO and features a sock that is a of First Insight, recently sedate navy above the wrote about in his line but wildly patterned own Forbes blog, which below. The socks shout, “I’m described how men mix and fun, I promise!” when the match casual pieces with come off. higher-end pieces, and also how men want to express Online pure play Mr. themselves through their Porter sells many brands, clothing. including Thom Browne, and Missoni, with prices ranging from $13

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