Be Better Guys

There is a new movement in men’s clothing: structural underwear. If you’re scratching your head right now, try this:  Men can buy briefs that lift their butts or package, even men’s panyhose to tone their legs (Be Better Guys isn’t advocating either of these). Or t-shirts to give you that V that crunches and pull-ups haven’t quite gotten you. Sounds crazy, but Spanx, a company that makes shape wear for women (over $750 million in sales in 2008), essentially heavy-duty control pantyhose and girdles, has figured out that there is a portion of the male demographic that wants a bit more definition without the extra hours in the gym or time dieting.  Spanx developed undershirts to do for men what shape wear had been doing for women for over a century: smooth out the lumpy parts. I gave one a try–for the sake of our readers, of course.

I’ve own underwear with a bit of Lycra or Spandex in them to help shirts and boxers retain their shape longer, but usually in the 2-5% range. Plus, I’ve worn athletic compression clothing before. So, I thought I knew what I was getting in to. I wore the Spanx v-neck t-shirt beneath a polo shirt, notorious for emphasizing man-boobs and love handles. When I first tried on the shirt, it was ridiculously snug and like athletic compression wear, you have to roll onto your body. I wasn’t expecting that from a t-shirt. Then again, most t-shirts don’t have 20% Spandex in them. I felt as if I was sucking my stomach in the whole time, like in some Johnny Weissmuller movie. But the shirt does what it’s supposed to: support some places and flatten others. Compression material holds muscles tight to provide support (one of the touted benefits of Spanx for Men). After a while, it relaxed, but still kept things tight. I looked like I’d lost 5-10 lbs.

I wore the t-shirt again, this time beneath a fitted dress shirt. While it didn’t get any easier to put on or feel any less snug, it did the trick. Smoother lines beneath my shirt, thanks to the thicker fabric and flat-lock seams, gave me a trimmer look. The added bonus is that the material does a great job wicking moisture away from the body. Overall, I liked the results.

Now, this won’t make up for 10 years and 30 lbs of neglect, but the Spanx undershirts provide a bit of structure and support that helps you look better in your clothes. Spanx gives you crew, v-neck, and tank versions to choose between, so it covers most every sort of shirt you’d wear. However, instant gym results come with a price: $58 for the crew and v-neck, $55 for the tank. And, at least in my experience, you’re always aware of the shirt–they run small. This is probably similar to women and bras. So there’s those things to consider.

It’s your favorite classic cotton undershirt . . . redefined. Are you man enough to wear it?

Brian Joyner is co-creator of Be Better Guys. While he obviously doesn’t need the support, he kept the t-shirt.